Teach the Vote's Week in Review: Sept. 4, 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.

• SBOE questions Commissioner Mike Morath on agency accountability and more
• Comptroller seeks to double state spending on private school vouchers
• Important: Have you confirmed your voter registration? The voter suspense list is real
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s advocacy tools

ATPE wishes you a peaceful and restful Labor Day weekend!

SBOE: The State Board of Education (SBOE) met in Austin this week for a busy agenda including final consideration of high school Social Studies TEKS revisions as well as a newly required personal financial literacy course. Commissioner Mike Morath provided an update to the SBOE Wednesday concerning preliminary A-F accountability ratings. He also received questions about the Texas Education Agency’s own accountability after a recent audit showed the agency was out of compliance with state management to staff ratios. ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave has a recap of the commissioner's comments and will have a full recap of a busy SBOE week early next week.

VOUCHERS: In a move that would more than double spending on vouchers, Texas Interim Comptroller Don Huffines (R), who is currently seeking election to a full term as state comptroller, is requesting more than $2 billion in state funding for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) voucher program for the 2028-29 biennium, according to The Texas Tribune. The request includes $1 billion in additional base funding and another $226 million to cover increased awards for students already participating in the program. Read more in this blog post from ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave.

VOTING: The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 5, and the experience of one ATPE employee is a cautionary tale reminding us all of the importance of confirming your voter registration now. Learn more, as well as read this Votebeat article about the Texas voter suspense list, here on Teach the Vote.

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.