Texas PTA Legislative Priorities
87th Legislative Session
Download a summary of the legislative priorities here (English/Spanish).
Download the latest Bill Status Report here.
Bill tracking does not imply support or opposition by Texas PTA.
The 87th Legislative Session: Download a summary of Texas PTA’s legislative work out of the 87th Session here.
*Click the title of each priority for more information and to download a fact sheet.
Support Student Success
Public School Funding
Maintain funding for all components of House Bill 3, the comprehensive public school legislation adopted by the 86th Texas Legislature.
Special Education Funding
Monitor TEA’s Special Education Strategic Plan — corrective action taken after an investigation by the Department of Education.
Digital Connectivity for All
Pursue legislation and funding to ensure all Texas public school students have access to reliable digital connectivity and devices.
Health and Safety
School Safety
Monitor school safety legislation, both implementation of laws enacted in 2019 and legislation filed in the 87th legislative session.
Vaping (and Tobacco) Flavor Ban, Regulation, and Taxation
Pursue passage of legislation to ban flavors in e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco and to regulate the sale of e-cigarette products. Pursue a tax on e-cigarette products and an increase in the tax on combustible tobacco.
Cyberbullying
Monitor implementation of David’s Law and any other legislation related to cyberbullying. Support policies to strengthen anti-cyberbullying laws.
Student Mental Health
Monitor implementation of mental health legislation, including programs and services designed to help keep students mentally strong and prepared to cope, as well as systems to identify students in need of intervention. Monitor mental health legislation that is filed in the 87th legislative session.
Healthy Lifestyles
Support policies that reduce childhood obesity through education, healthy food choices, and physical activity.
Juvenile Justice Reform
Support legislation to increase the age of adult criminal responsibility from 17 to 18, and monitor funding for students in Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs.
Campus Immunization Reporting
Support legislation requiring school districts to report the number of unvaccinated students in each school so families can make the safest school-placement decision for medically vulnerable children.
Child and Youth Trafficking
Support legislation that waives criminal responsibility for children and youth when criminal activity results from exploitation by a trafficker. Monitor the state’s 2019 clemency initiative for victims of human trafficking.
Meaningful Assessment & Accountability
A-F Accountability System
Monitor legislation impacting the state’s A-F system. Advocate for an accountability system that more broadly reviews school performance and includes a family engagement component.
State Assessment
Advocate for a reduced emphasis on state-mandated testing that penalizes the student rather than guide instruction and identify learning problems.
Strengthen Public Schools
Keep Public Dollars in Public Schools
Oppose legislation that authorizes state funds be used to pay for private school tuition and related costs.
The 86th Legislative Session: Download a summary of Texas PTA’s legislative work out of the 86th Session here.
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