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. 

• Meet the keynote speakers for the 2026 ATPE Summit  
• Texas students with disabilities struggle to qualify for extra school voucher funds 
• Texas company pitches drone response to school shootings 
• Happy 80th to the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) 
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s advocacy tools 
• Wishing our members a safe and restful spring break 

SUMMIT: We are excited to announce our keynote speakers for the 2026 ATPE Summit!   

Best-selling author and entrepreneur Juan Bendana kicks off our opening general session. Bendana is a highly sought-after speaker who has worked as a behind-the-scenes confidence coach to Olympians, Grammy Award-winning artists, actors, CEOs, and Fortune 100 leaders. Often described as a “walking shot of espresso,” Bendana combines high energy, humor, and practical tools to help individuals build unwavering confidence so they can show up as their best and unlock new levels of growth—both personally and professionally.   

The highlight of the closing day of the summit is an exciting and hilarious keynote from comedian Devin Siebold. You will recognize him from TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook and as a headliner from the popular Bored Teachers National Comedy Tour. Siebold delivers nonstop laughs and shows educators how laughter can not only change your own mindset but also the mindset of those around you. He’ll discuss building classroom community around humor, share the science of healing and mental wellness through laughter, and even give a powerful lesson on conquering negativity. It will be an experience you won’t forget! 

(Artists’ appearances arranged through Gotham Artists.) 

Plus: Registration and housing for the 2026 ATPE Summit are open through June 12, and ATPE is accepting nominations for 2026-27 state officer positions through Sunday, March 15. Learn more about the nomination process.  

VOUCHERS: Through Texas’ new voucher program, students with disabilities can be eligible for up to $20,000 more than the $10,500 generally allotted to students applying for the program. However, due to confusing rules about evaluation requirements and a narrow 41-day application window that ends Tuesday, many families who qualify for priority in the voucher lottery will not be eligible to receive the extra funds. Meanwhile families who are rushing to try to gain access are putting significant financial and staffing burdens on public schools, pulling resources and attention from public school students with special education needs. A spokesperson for the Texas comptroller says the comptroller’s office is reviewing solutions going forward to ensure families do not “miss out on funding through no fault of their own or through administrative issues that are beyond their control.”  

Read more in this article republished from The Texas Tribune. 

DRONES: Campus Guardian Angel, an Austin-based tech company that develops drone technology aimed at preventing mass shootings, claims its drones can deliver medical supplies and even attack potential assailants. This technology, which was received with some skepticism from legislators over cost and community perception during the last legislative session, has garnered interest from two ISDs that indicate they plan to install the drones once they have the funds to do so.  

Read more in this article republished from The Texas Tribune. 

TASBO: Our friends and fellow educators at the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) are celebrating 80 years of service to Texas public schools with a documentary titled “80 Years Strong.” The documentary highlights those who have worked behind the scenes to support schools over eight decades as new laws, technologies, and complexities have shaped the education landscape. Watch “80 Years Strong” here.  

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 brand-new ATPE mobile app to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools. Learn more in this blog post by ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter. 
• Advocacy Central: Encourage candidates in your area to fill out the 2026 ATPE Candidate survey.  
• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s new 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.  

SPRING BREAK: We hope those who had spring break this week had a restful week of recovery, and we wish a safe and relaxing break to those who are starting spring break this weekend. Teach the Vote will be back Friday, March 27, with the latest advocacy updates.