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. 

• Call to action: Submit public comments on two House interim charges: the state of public education and implementation of the cell phone ban
• Attorney General Paxton vows to ensure compliance with Ten Commandments and school prayer laws
• Announcing ATPE’s 2026 award recipients! 
• Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week all month long with ATPE
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s member advocacy tools

COMMITTEE HEARING: The House Public Education Committee will meet Monday, May 11, to discuss the “state of education” as well as implementation of HB 1481 by Rep. Caroline Fairly (R– Amarillo), relating to student use of personal communication devices. This (the first of at least two interim hearings) will be open to the public and streamed through the Texas House website. If you wish to submit public comments without traveling to Austin, you may do so from now until the hearing is adjourned by visiting https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c400.  

ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield has more in this blog post. 

TEN COMMANDMENTS: Following the recent Fifth Circuit ruling upholding SB 10 and 11, both passed during the 2025 legislative session, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sent out a press release indicating he intends to investigate “Texas ISDs across the state to ensure the dis­tricts are dis­play­ing the Ten Com­mand­ments and have tak­en a board vote to allow prayer in schools.” Paxton is not seeking reelection as attorney general, but he is just weeks from a rematch with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the upcoming May Republican primary runoff election for the U.S. Senate seat. Read the full release here.  

ATPE AWARDS: ATPE is excited to announce the 2026 ATPE and ATPE-PAC award recipients! The ATPE Educator of the Year, Campus Representative of the Year, and Local Unit of the Year awards recognize outstanding Texas educators and association volunteers. These outstanding educators and volunteers will be recognized at the 2026 ATPE Summit. Visit atpenews.org for a list of this year’s award recipients. 

TEACHER APPRECIATION: ATPE is celebrating Texas public school teachers all month long, and we’ve made it easy for you to show your appreciation, too! Send a shoutout to a public school colleague, your child’s favorite public school teacher, or even your favorite still-employed public school teacher. ATPE will review submitted shoutouts and post them on our Show Texas Teachers Love interactive map. Each nominated public school teacher will also be entered into weekly drawings for $100 gift cards throughout May! Learn more and send your shoutouts at atpe.org/teacher-appreciation. Help us show Texas teachers love!  

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.    
• 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.