The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community. 

• Take ATPE’s survey on edtech in the classroom by May 4 
• ATPE in the news related to teacher side hustles and Mike Morath’s decade at the helm of TEA 
• SBEC aligns rule chapters with newly passed legislation, discusses Texas Test for Educator Proficiency development and National Board Certification standards  
• Early voting in the May runoff election begins May 18; voter registration deadline is April 27 
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s member advocacy tools 

EDTECH SURVEY: ATPE Governmental Relations is collecting Texas educator feedback on edtech in the classroom now through May 4. This is a major topic of discussion during the interim, and we anticipate it will be a policy area of focus during the 2027 legislative session. Please take a few minutes to share your feedback with us, and please feel free to share the survey link with your colleagues: https://atpe.me/edtech 

IN THE NEWS: ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter spoke with Axios this week about the new pathway for teachers to become independent tutors as part of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) voucher program. Supporters of the program say teachers can earn rates comparable to their classroom salaries. Exter says teachers’ interest reflects longstanding pay concerns, stating: "People know that educators aren't paid enough… and they want to find ways to do that without having to spend any more money." Additionally, local policies may restrict teachers from tutoring on campus or tutoring students anywhere in the district, potentially limiting the option to retired or former educators in some districts. 

Plus: The Austin American-Statesman dives into how Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has shaped public schools since his appointment by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2015. Also worth a read: NPR examines how Iowa’s voucher program is putting public schools in danger of closure after being forced to compete with charter and private schools. 

SBEC: The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin Friday, April 24. The agenda included final approval of several rule chapters to align with recently passed legislation, as well as discussion of the development of the Texas Test for Educator Proficiency and a status report on the study of National Board Certification standards for purposes of continued inclusion in the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA). ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave will have a full recap on Monday. 

RUNOFFS: Early voting in the May runoff election begins May 18, and the voter registration deadline is April 27. Voters who participated in the March primary election must vote in the same party’s primary runoff; those who didn’t vote can choose which party’s runoff to participate in. Election Day is Tuesday, May 26. 

At the state level, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who currently represents Texas’ 21st Congressional District, will face Sen. Mayes Middleton, who serves Texas Senate District 11, in a runoff to determine the Republican nominee for attorney general. On the Democratic side, Sen. Nathan Johnson and Joe Jaworski are vying for their party’s nomination for attorney general. 

Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who currently represents Texas House District 47, will face Marcos Velez in the Democratic runoff to determine the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor.  

Sitting U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is facing a runoff against current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to determine the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate. After the March 3 primary, President Donald Trump suggested he might endorse one of the candidates and that if he did, the other should drop out; however, he remains on the sidelines with just over a month to go before the runoff election.  

Learn more about the May 26 runoff. 

MEMBER ADVOCACY: Even when the Legislature’s not in session, we urge you to stay informed and engaged. Here are a few advocacy resources to check out: 

• ATPE Mobile App: Check out the new ATPE mobile app to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools.  
• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.  
• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed.   
• ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn state-level and local-level advocacy microcredentials, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so be sure to check it out today.    
• ATPE Professional Learning (PL) Portal: Three sessions from the 2025 ATPE Summit are available in the ATPE PL Portal: an HB 2 compensation overview, the ATPE lobby team’s advocacy update and the closing keynote by Jonathan Alsheimer. Log in to watch the recordings and earn 1.5 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credit. (Jonathan Alsheimer’s appearance arranged through Gotham Artists.) 
• The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community.