Latest news with #TexasEducation
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Texas Governor Signs Bill That Throttles Public University Senates
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed SB 37 into law, greatly restricting the powers of university ... More faculty senates. (Photo by) Texas has passed a wide-ranging law that greatly diminishes the size, influence and independence of the faculty senates at its public colleges and universities. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 37 into law on June 22, the deadline for him to sign or veto legislation. The Texas State Legislature had passed the bill on May 31 after it went through several revisions. The new law, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, contains several elements that significantly strengthen the power of university governing boards and central administrators over the curriculum, hiring of university personnel, program review and other academic matters. It becomes effective September 1. It also strips away much of the authority that duly constituted faculty bodies have held under the traditional norms of shared governance and shifts it to the political appointees who constitute institutional governing boards. For example, administrators and boards often have deferred to faculty opinon about general education requirements, but in Texas, that might no longer be the case because under the new law, a governing board 'may reserve the right to overturn any decision made by the institution regarding any changes to the general education curriculum.' The legislation also creates a new "Office of the Ombudsman' within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Appointed by the governor, that office will have the power to investigate allegations that universities are not following the dictates of SB 37 and other legislative requirements, and it can threaten their funding if they don't comply with the law. However, it's the law's new constraints on the composition and role of faculty senates that have generated some of the most heated debate between opponents and proponents. Here are six ways that faculty senates at Texas institutions will be affected by the new law. According to the new law, "only the governing board of an institution of higher education may establish a faculty council or senate at the institution." If a board decided to do away with such a body, the law appears to permit it. If a board decides to authorize a faculty senate, it alone has the power to define how members are selected, consistent with other provisions summarized below. A governing board must ensure that the senate ensures adequate representation of faculty from each college at the institution, but unless the board decides otherwise, the law sets the maximum number of senate members at 60, with at least two representatives coming from each college or school at an institution. Of those 60, the bill requires that, of the two representatives from each college or school, one member is appointed by the president or chief executive officer of the institution, with 'the remaining members elected by a vote of the faculty of the member's respective college or school.' In addition, the law gives a university's president or chief executive officer the power to appoint a senate's presiding officer, associate presiding officer, and secretary. And, under the new law, it's the president who gets to specify how an institution's senate conducts its meetings. SB 37 sets different term limits for faculty senate members, depending on whether they were elected or presidentially appointed. Presidential appointees are permitted to serve six consecutive years before having to take a break for two years, but elected members are permitted to serve only two years before having to take the required two-year break. Faculty can have their senate membership removed at any time. According to the bill, faculty members could be be immediately removed from a senate for 'failing to conduct the member's responsibilities within the council's or senate's parameters, failing to attend council or senate meetings, or engaging in other similar misconduct.' In addition, they 'may be removed on recommendation of the institution's provost and approval by the institution's president or chief executive officer.' According to the bill a faculty senate 'is advisory only and may not be delegated the final decision-making authority on any matter.' In addition, a faculty senate 'may not issue any statement or publish a report using the institution's official seal, trademark, or resources funded by the institution on any matter not directly related to the council's or senate's duties to advise the institution administration.' Not surprisingly, the new law has generated a wide range of reactions. Supporters contend it will help end what they believe is the liberal bias of higher education faculty. Creighton, SB 37's author, insists the measure was necessary to increase transparency and end faculty's politicalization of universities. "For too long, unelected faculty senates have operated behind closed doors, steering curriculum decisions, influencing institutional policy, issuing political statements to divest from Israel, and even organizing votes of 'no confidence' that undermine public trust," he said. "SB 37 reaffirms that the authority belongs to the board of regents so that our universities can stay focused on what matters: educating students, conducting research and preparing the next generation of Texas leaders." A National Review columnist agreed, claiming, 'it is the professors and their fundamental disconnect from reality that are leading higher education astray. By freeing Texas schools from the grip of zealous faculty members, S.B. 37 can serve as a model for other states facing left-wing radicalism.' Critics, however, contend that the law represents big government overreach, undermines shared governance, increases partisan political influence, and jeopardizes academic freedom. Brian Evans, president of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors, said SB 37 "imperils the foundations of our higher education system and threatens Texas' ability to recruit and retain faculty at the head of their fields, as well as students driven to learn and engage critically with complex subjects. SB 37 will put what we teach in the hands of political appointees rather than in the hands of faculty who have studied these subjects and understand their nuances. The passage of SB 37 is a dark day for Texas colleges and universities, with many more to come." Attempts to strip faculty senates of their influence have become an increasingly popular strategy among conservative legislators in other states, and some university presidents have even led the charge at their institutions. However, Texas's sweeping new law may represent the most aggressive state attempt yet to throttle the role of faculty in university shared governance. That's been an oft-stated goal of several of the state's elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. As a former university president, I appreciate how frustrating the pace and the debates of faculty senates can sometimes be. But like many other administrators, I also learned how the collective voice of faculty members elected by their peers could frequently contribute to better decision-making in the long run. Texas may now have a chance to learn that same lesson.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas GOP Urges Veto Of Counselor Loan Program
(Texas Scorecard) – A coalition of 34 Republican lawmakers is urging Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a Democrat-authored bill that would expand state-funded student loan repayment programs—this time, specifically for school counselors and mental health professionals. Senate Bill 646, authored by Democrat State Sen. Royce West, would broaden eligibility for Texas' loan repayment assistance program to include school counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other behavioral health professionals. The bill drew fierce opposition from conservatives when it reached the House floor, especially in light of social transitioning in public schools—a practice whereby school counselors and staff assist children in adopting a new gender identity without parental knowledge or consent. 'This expands a Biden-style student loan repayment program,' reads a letter sent to Abbott signed by 34 Republican House members. 'There are many laudable things that the legislature funds and expands during the session, but few that receive such significant opposition as SB 646.' The effort is being led by State Rep. Brent Money (R–Greenville), who criticized the growing reliance on taxpayer-funded programs to forgive personal debt—especially for public sector jobs. Supporters argue the bill is meant to address Texas' ongoing shortage of school-based mental health professionals, but opponents say it sets a dangerous precedent. 'Loan repayment programs' should not be a routine feature of state policy, the letter states. 'We humbly ask that you veto this legislation and in so doing encourage the legislature to make 'loan repayment programs' and their expansion something we avoid in future sessions,' the letter concludes. 58 Republicans voted against the bill in the House. Unless Gov. Abbott issues a veto, the legislation is set to take effect September 1, 2025. The deadline for gubernatorial action is June 22.
Washington Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
What to know as Trump administration targets tuition breaks for students without legal status
AUSTIN, Texas — For two decades on Texas college campuses, it was a resilient law in the face of Republicans' hardening immigration agenda: in-state tuition prices for students who did not have legal resident status. But in a flash, the Texas policy that was the first of its kind in the U.S. was halted Wednesday, blocked by a federal judge hours after the Justice Department sued to dismantle it. Republican Texas leaders did not fight the challenge, but instead eagerly joined it.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap STAAR test dies in the Texas Legislature
A legislative effort to scrap the STAAR test to respond to concerns that the test puts unnecessary pressure on students died in the last days of the legislative session. House Bill 4, authored by state Rep. Brad Buckley, would have swapped the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for three shorter tests given throughout the school year. The Senate and House failed to come out of closed-door negotiations with a compromise in time, missing a key legislative deadline this weekend. Legislators in the House and Senate agreed that Texas schools needed to do away with the STAAR test. But in the end, the two chambers could not close the gulf over what they wanted to see out of the new test and from the A-F ratings system, which uses standardized test results to grade schools' performance. Tensions had come to a head in recent years when a dispute over how ratings should be calculated led to two years of scores to be held up in court. The Senate wanted to solidify the Texas Education Agency commissioner's authority to set stricter standards for the ratings system. And to discourage schools from taking legal action again, the upper chamber's version of the bill gave the TEA commissioner authority to appoint a conservator to districts that initiate lawsuits. The House version, meanwhile, required the TEA to get approval from the Legislature before making major changes to the ratings system. And it left an avenue for districts to sue to challenge the TEA in the future, while setting up a fast-track court process so those lawsuits would not halt the release of the ratings. The two chambers also differed over whether to keep or do away with a mandatory social studies test, with the House in favor of less testing. The session started with nearly identical versions of the legislation in the House and Senate, but when senators slammed school districts in committee hearings and on the chamber floor for participating in the recent lawsuits, few superintendents came out to testify in front of the Senate Education Committee. Instead, the school leaders were in talks with House representatives about their lack of trust in the state's accountability and testing systems. The House's rewrite of the legislation to reflect school leaders' concerns eventually came late in the session, leaving little time for negotiations between the chambers to reach a compromise. To the Texas State Teachers Association, the current high-stakes STAAR test takes instructional time away from the classroom and is not an accurate measure of student success. But the group was holding their breath when the two chambers were in closed-door negotiations. 'We think we are better off that there is no bill at all than what the Senate wanted to do,' said Clay Robison, a spokesperson for the group. 'We thought the Senate gave far too much authority to the unelected state commissioner.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Disclosure: Texas State Teachers Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bill expanding Texas student discipline options awaits Gov. Abbott's signature
The Brief A new bill has passed both sides of the Texas legislature, giving schools more options for student discipline. The bill allows for longer in-school suspensions, expands the use of out-of-school suspensions for younger students and those experiencing homelessness, and offers more flexible punishments for vaping. Governor Greg Abbott plans to sign the bill into law, and it is expected to take effect on Sept. 1. AUSTIN - A new bill has passed through both sides of the Texas legislature, aiming to increase options for student discipline in state schools. Gov. Greg Abbott says he plans to sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk, calling the proposal "common sense." The Proposal HB 6 would extend how long schools can place students on in-school suspension. Current law allows for three days; the proposed legislation would allow the suspension to last as long as schools deem appropriate, with principals required to review the placement every 10 days. "Repeated and significant" classroom disruption or threats to the health and safety of other children could now be met with out-of-school suspension, in a reversal of prior state laws that limited the punishment's use. Reporting by the Texas Tribune noted that the out-of-school suspension expansion would enable schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness, as well as students as young as kindergarten through the third grade. The bill also changes punishments for students caught with vapes. Schools previously were required to send such students to alternative education facilities; now, first-time offenders can be given less severe punishments, and alternative education programs can be administered remotely. The Texas House of Representatives passed HB 6 in April, and the Senate approved it last Wednesday, May 21. The House has now approved 19 Senate amendments to the bill, sending it to the governor's desk to be signed into law. What they're saying Abbott posted about HB 6 on X Wednesday night. "The school discipline bill passed the Texas House & is headed to my desk," Abbott said. "It's common sense to give teachers the authority to remove disruptive students from classrooms. We must restore discipline in our schools." The Texas Tribune quotes Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), who championed the bill in the Senate. "Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn," Perry said. Perry went on to say that the bill has been six years in the making. "We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way," Perry said. "With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed." What's next As Abbott plans to approve the bill once it reaches his pen, it can be expected to take effect on Sept. 1. The Source Information in this article comes from Texas Legislature Online and the Texas Tribune.
