Teachers Meeting at the Texas Policy Table

For five weeks this spring, Raise Your Hand Texas welcomed over 25 active public school educators, who represented 476 years of teaching combined. These dedicated teachers traveled to Austin to meet with their lawmakers to discuss issues facing their classrooms and local communities.
Texas teachers are no strangers to this level of legislative advocacy. Many teachers traveled across the state, sometimes for hours one way. Several teachers spoke with legislators, arrived home after midnight, and then taught their class the next morning. Despite the challenges, these teachers were dedicated to sharing their perspectives and expertise directly with policymakers. Texas teachers are among the few groups who can speak up with first-hand knowledge about the needs of the 5.5 million public school students in our state.

Their visits included constructive interactions. Overall, the visiting educators were focused on discussing school funding, teacher pay, and the impact of uncertified teachers. Teacher pay raises and retention was a primary cause of concern among public education advocates. Advocates talked to lawmakers about the correlation between teacher shortages and teacher pay, and this issue was a top priority to many representatives. They were able to provide research on over half of new-to-profession Texas teachers being uncertified and speak on their personal experience in becoming certified and the value it brings to classrooms. School funding was also a primary issue advocates traveled to speak about. Their individual stories on how school funding directly impacted them, their students, and their community were welcomed and repeated by lawmakers in state hearings. Legislators and staff were initially focused on school funding, parental rights, technology’s effect on mental health, and teacher raises. Overall, the educators were surprised at how accessible the entire process of speaking to your representative can be and walked away, ready to encourage their peers back home to follow in their footsteps.

Mandy Hardwick, a Dyslexia teacher from Gregory-Portland ISD, said, “I didn’t think I could do this. I was nervous about talking to my legislator, but my legislator is just a person. I can have these conversations.”

The legislative visits also clarified the complex and sometimes long-term lawmaking process in Texas. One teacher, Lena Angel from Katy ISD, reflected, “Advocacy isn’t one and done. It’s a process not just a result. Just like in the classroom, you are planting seeds, and you may not see them flower until later. Be patient and know that your work matters.”

Teachers and representatives also shared their advocacy moments online:

While educators appreciated having meaningful discussions with their state legislators and staffers, many expressed that the impact would be felt most immediately in their classrooms.

Susan Garza Krol from Midland ISD, who teaches 12th-grade AP Government, reflected, “I can go back and say, I know what it’s like to speak up and advocate. The lawmakers listened, and they are trying, and that’s something you can be thankful for. Advocacy is something my students could partake in; they could be student advocates for themselves.”

When asked what she might teach differently in her class after her visit to the Capitol, Ms. Garza Krol replied, “I tell them when they start class that they need to be open-minded and respect other opinions. When you enter policy-making, it’s not an easy course. You have to understand and respect different opinions. You might not get what you want – and today was a good example of that.”

LaToya Ballard, a Special Education Behavior teacher from Channelview ISD, advocated at the Capitol in the 88th Session as well as this spring in the 89th Session. She said her experience helped inspire and motivate her community, sharing, “After this experience, you’ll be surprised at how well people listen to you. Build those relationships with people at the school; you don’t know your impact on people. You’ll be surprised at how people are listening.”

The dedication of these individuals to advocate for their profession and the students they serve highlights teachers’ significant role in the broader civic process. Texas teachers not only teach the democratic process to the future of Texas, but these teachers participate in it, too. Continuing to use their teacher’s voice is vital to the process.

Thank you to the Texas teachers who advocated with us during the 89th Legislative Session, including teachers from:

• Alamo Heights ISD
• Belton ISD
• Burkburnett ISD
• Channelview ISD
• Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
• Gregory-Portland ISD
• Houston ISD
• Katy ISD
• Killeen ISD
• Lockhart ISD
• Los Fresnos CISD
• Lyford CISD
• Marble Falls ISD
• Midland ISD
• Northside ISD
• Port Aransas ISD
• Royal ISD
• San Antonio ISD
• Spring ISD
• Taylor ISD