ATPE Statement on Expanded Special Session Call
Date Posted: 10/31/2023
ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes has the following statement on Gov. Greg Abbott’s expanded call for the third special session of the 88th Legislature:
“Despite the governor’s assurance that he has had ‘productive conversations’ with Lt. Gov. Patrick and Speaker Phelan, the viewpoint of the Texas public education community remains unchanged. There is no place for a private school voucher in our Texas education system.
“We are disappointed that House leadership will bow to political pressure and compromise the Texas public schools that are the very backbone of Texas communities. We very much need to address issues such as teacher pay and school safety, and they should not be held hostage by this needless attempt to create a government entitlement program.
“We also caution the public about the promise to phase out the STAAR test. We saw voucher proponents run this play in the regular session—tempt lawmakers with a popular idea that’s short on details. Any change to the accountability system must be thoroughly vetted, not rushed through to score political points.
“House members have the opportunity to take a stand. They need to vote against vouchers and only support a standalone school finance and teacher pay bill. The Senate has sent one to them in SB 2. Pass it and send it to the governor.”
About the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)
Founded in 1980, ATPE is the leading educators’ association in Texas with approximately 90,000 members statewide. With its strong collaborative philosophy, ATPE speaks for classroom teachers, administrators, and future, retired, and para-educators and works to create better opportunities for Texas’ more than five million public school students. | atpe.org
CONVERSATION
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
08/28/2025
Senate approves HB 8, STAAR replacement bill
HB 8 promises additional transparency and quicker results, but it does not reduce the overall footprint of high-stakes testing in Texas public schools.
08/27/2025
From The Texas Tribune: House Democrats’ frustration with STAAR bill highlights divide over how new test should look
Democrats say recent changes to the bill give too much power to the TEA and fall short of meaningfully easing the pressures of standardized testing.
08/26/2025
House passes HB 8, its assessment and accountability bill
Five amendments were adopted before House members advanced the bill to the Senate on an 82-56 vote.
How is it even legal for the governor to continue to have special session after special session, costing the taxpayers gross amounts of money, until he can get what he wants? Our state senators and representatives were not elected to do whatever the governor or lt. governor says to do; they are supposed to listen to their constituents and do what is best for the state. There would be no point in even electing our state legislature if the governor can decide what is to be discussed and passed. He should be impeached for overreach, improper use of taxpayers'' funds, and tantruming like a 2 year old.