Texas Senate
Standing Committee
Senate Committee on Education
Oversees public education (pre-K through 12), school finance, school safety, educator certification, curriculum standards, and the Texas Education Agency.
Committee Leadership
Committee Composition
Committee Size
8 Members
Republicans
6
Democrats
2
Committee Partisan Split
6R – 2D
Committee Membership
Most Recent Session Activity
Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.
Legislation Referred
488
Legislation Voted Out
177
Overall Efficiency
36.27%
Committee Meetings
33
Interim Charges
- Promoting America & Texas First in Our Schools: Examine the current practices of some public schools promoting events, partnerships, or associations with federal or state-designated hostile agents or their surrogates. Provide recommendations to strengthen laws stopping hostile countries or related entities from infiltrating our classrooms. Make recommendations to ensure public schools promote students’ learning about American and Texas exceptionalism.
- Improving School Transformation Talent: Evaluate the existing access to and efficacy of experts in improving school academic performance. Develop suggestions to strengthen and expand the current leadership pipeline, including public school training, policies, and practices that accelerate academic progress.
- Shifting Enrollment, Right-Sizing: Despite the state’s rapid overall population growth, school age enrollment is declining — from 5.54 million to 5.47 million students in the last two years. Examine the impact of student enrollment patterns in Texas public schools. Identify strategies to maximize the efficient use of tax dollars by school districts while maintaining access to high-quality learning programs and student outcomes.
- Maximizing Instructional Time: Review the 200+ districts who utilize a 4-day school week or other hybrid models and the related learning loss in reading and math. Study the effect of academic schedules, in particular the decline of school days, and its impact on students and families. Create guidelines to support public schools and maximize student achievement.
- Reviewing Historic Pay Increases for Teachers: Review teacher pay increases passed by the Legislature over the last decade, including the historic pay increase in House Bill 2, 89th Legislature. Monitor the implementation of pay increases for teachers and the impacts on teacher incomes, including closing the rural pay gap.
- Celebrating the Successful Rollout of School Choice: Monitor the nation’s largest school choice launch in history and the ongoing implementation of Senate Bill 2, 89th Legislature, including: record-breaking demand with over 250,000 applications and enrollment by families giving greater flexibility to choose the best education for their child. Provide recommendations on how the Legislature can enhance and expand upon Texas’ historic and successful school choice program for families.
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education passed by the 89th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:
- Senate Bill 12 (89th Legislature), relating to parental rights in public education, to certain public school requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction, diversity, equity, and inclusion duties, and social transitioning, and to student clubs at public schools;
- Senate Bill 13 (89th Legislature), relating to a school district’s library materials and catalog, the establishment of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent’s child to library materials;
- Senate Bill 571 (89th Legislature), relating to the reporting and investigation of certain misconduct and child abuse and neglect; creating a criminal offense;
- House Bill 2 (89th Legislature), relating to public education and public school finance; and
- House Bill 6 (89th Legislature), relating to discipline management and access to telehealth mental health services in public schools.
Committee Jurisdiction
The Texas Senate Committee on Education holds jurisdiction over public education (pre-K through 12), school finance, school safety, educator certification, and curriculum standards. Core areas of jurisdiction include:
- Public Education (K-12): Monitors and develops legislation regarding school safety, student assessment, teacher compensation, and school funding formulas.
- Curriculum & Standards: Evaluates initiatives related to American/Texas history, health education, and gifted/talented programs.
- Agency Oversight: Conducts oversight of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the State Board for Educator Certification, the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Texas School for the Deaf.
- Policy Initiatives: Focuses on strengthening school board governance, improving teacher recruitment and retention, and addressing school district efficiency.
- Higher Education (K-16): Addresses the broader K-16 spectrum, including monitoring university compliance with state workforce development and related policies.
Committee Contact Information
Capitol Location
Sam Houston Building, 440
Phone Number
(512) 463-0355
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