Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Nov. 13, 2026

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.

• What a new governor means for public education in Texas
• Six former House speakers join Senfronia Thompson’s transition team
• What the election results mean for the Texas House
• SBOE to meet Nov. 17-20
• ATPE sponsors Friends of Texas Public Schools event
• From EdWeek: Could Texas’ Democratic Takeover Bring Bluebonnet Learning to an End?
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s advocacy tools

GOVERNOR: Rep. Gina Hinojosa’s election as Texas governor presents a fresh opportunity to change the direction of state education policy. Hinojosa campaigned on increasing public school funding, opposing vouchers, ending school district takeovers, replacing STAAR, and firing TEA Commissioner Mike Morath “on day one.” Her influence will also extend to SBOE and SBEC appointments.

With Democrats also taking control of the Texas House, the next legislative session could bring substantial changes to education policy. Although Republicans will retain control of the Texas Senate, Hinojosa will have significant leverage through her veto authority. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave has more in this blog post.

SPEAKER: Incoming Texas House Speaker Senfronia Thompson announced Tuesday, Nov. 10, that the following former Speakers of the House would be joining her transition team: Democrats Ben Barnes, Gib Lewis, and Pete Laney, as well as Republicans Joe Straus, Dennis Bonnen, and Dade Phelan. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave explains the significance of the transition team’s bipartisan makeup and shares Thompson’s announcement in this blog post. 

HOUSE: For the first time in more than two decades, Democrats will control the Texas House, winning an 83-67 majority. Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D–Houston), who has served in the Legislature since 1973, secured enough votes to become the next speaker, making history as the first woman and first Black lawmaker to lead the chamber. Thompson has indicated she intends to give both parties a role in committee leadership—a shift from the previous Republican-controlled House of last session, when Democrats as the minority party were shut out of committee chairmanships. 

The new Democratic majority is expected to bring a different set of priorities to the House. School funding, educator compensation, classroom conditions, testing, and the state's private school voucher program will all likely be part of the conversation. Thompson's appointments to the House Public Education and Appropriations committees will be especially important in shaping education policy and funding priorities. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave has more in this blog post.

SBOE: The State Board of Education (SBOE) will meet Nov. 17-20 in Austin, with several important instructional materials and curriculum items on the agenda. Board members will consider proposed actions on instructional materials under both the 2025 and 2026 Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) cycles, including whether certain materials should be approved, rejected, or sent back to publishers for revisions. The board will also hear initial recommendations from its Ad Hoc Committee on Mathematics Instruction Framework and consider the timeline for the next mathematics TEKS review.

The agenda also includes a review of SBEC’s recent changes to educator program accountability rules, as well as a final vote on transcript changes tied to the state’s new direct admissions requirement under SB 2314 by former Sen. Brandon Creighton (R – Conroe). The board will also honor the 2026 Teachers of the Year, including ATPE’s own Vickiela Wright of Clear Creek ISD, and will present resolutions recognizing seven departing SBOE members ahead of the transition to a newly elected SBOE. ATPE will be following the meeting and will have updates next week.

FOTPS: ATPE was pleased to sponsor and attend the Friends of Texas Public Schools Friend of the Year Dinner last night, joining fellow public education advocates and supporters in celebrating the people who work to strengthen Texas public schools. This year's gala theme was "Back to the Future of Texas Public Schools" and attendees were encouraged to dress in 80s attire. This year’s honorees included Bill Gumbert, named Friend of the Year; Blake Cooper, recognized posthumously as Ambassador of the Year; and Jeffrey Neaves of Northwest ISD as the organization’s first-ever Teacher of the Year. The evening recognized their contributions to public education and the lasting impact of educators and advocates across Texas. ATPE appreciates the opportunity to join others who share a commitment to supporting Texas public schools.

Front row L to R: Former ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield, Past State President Jayne Serna, and State Vice President Teresa Millard. Back row L to R: ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes, State President Eli Rodriguez, Region 13 Director Kristin Shelton, Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter, Associate Executive Director Jennifer Mitchell, and Lobbyist Tricia Cave.

BLUEBONNET: Bluebonnet Learning’s future could be in jeopardy following the midterm election. In this article from EdWeek, ATPE Governmental Relations Director Monty Exter, along with education policy experts and industry consultants, discuss how the makeup of the Texas government come January could lead to the reduction or elimination of Texas’ Bluebonnet Learning curriculum.

MEMBER ADVOCACY: As we gear up for the next legislative 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.