TASB Talks returns from hiatus, as host Matt Mitchell is joined by Dax Gonzalez, Division Director of TASB Governmental Relations. Dax provides an update on what’s been going on in the legislative interim, and what trustees can be doing in the last few months leading up to the session. He also discusses recent meetings held by the Senate Finance Co…

In this episode, Kay is joined by Tiffany Dunne-Oldfield, TASB deputy executive director and Esperanza Orosco, TASB board development consultant and Hays CISD board member, to discuss building strong relationships between trustees and parents. Get practical advice and strategies to effectively engage with parents, leading to improved collaboration,…

The Legislature has adjourned, but a special session is already underway. We're here to recap some of the public-education-related bills that passed during the regular session. First, we note that despite a $33 billion budget surplus, there was no increase in the basic allotment. HB 3, school safety, includes several new requirements for school dis…

"The last train out of Dodge" for vouchers this session is House Bill 100. The bill was passed in the House as a school finance bill. Earlier this week though, the Senate added a voucher program to the bill and made other changes. In its current form in the Senate, HB 100: Includes a $1.8 billion voucher/education savings account program. Increases…

Kay and Dax discuss the House Public Education Committee's discussion and vote on Senate Bill 8 (vouchers and testing.) Get TASB's Legislative Report for regular updates on the legislative session. Sign up at gr.tasb.org. Get advocacy action alerts in your inbox by signing up for Texans for Strong Public Schools. © 2023 Texas Association of School …

The House passed HB 100, school finance. Kay and Dax discuss what's in the bill, including changes to the basic allotments and other allotments. We also cover updates to budget negotiations and property tax relief. Get TASB's Legislative Report for daily updates on the legislative session. Sign up at gr.tasb.org. Get advocacy action alerts in your …

This week, we discuss the happenings in the Texas Legislature: Dueling property tax relief proposals Both chambers have passed their budget proposals and will now begin negotiations Voucher bills are still pending in the House Public Education Committee and could be voted on at any time The Senate passed SB 11, school safety Get TASB's Legislative …

On this week's TASB Talks, Kay and Dax discuss: The House Public Education Committee's discussion last week on several voucher bills The difference between the House and Senate's property tax relief plans The budget proposals from each chamber and what they include for public education Library book bills Sign up for TASB's Legislative Report to get…

Last week was a busy one in the Texas Legislature. The Senate passed: SB 8, a voucher bill SB 9, the "teacher bill of rights" SB 175, community censorship Meanwhile, the House rejected vouchers during its budget debate. Get the details and learn what you need to know for next week. Sign up for TASB's Legislative Report at gr.tasb.org. Sign up for T…

Last week, the Senate Education Committee passed SB 8 (vouchers) and SB 9 (teacher bill of rights). The bills have not yet gone to the full Senate. The House Public Education Committee took up several bills last week, including HB 2890, which would change the number of votes needed for the State Board of Education to veto a charter application from…

Last week, the Senate Education Committee heard several voucher/education savings account (ESA) bills, including SB 8. This bill is estimated to cost Texans $1 billion. TASB commissioned a poll on ESAs and found that 55% of Texans reported being less likely to support vouchers knowing that these proposals would give private schools, not parents, th…

Kay and Dax journey through last week's happenings and talk about what's to come this week. Learn more about: Senate Bill 175 on "taxpayer funded lobbying" a.k.a. community censorship was discussed last week Conversations on property tax reduction continue Legislation related to teachers, including an across-the-board pay raise, will be heard in Se…

Things are starting to pick up in the Legislature with House and Senate committees meeting regularly. Kay and Dax discuss: Enrollment vs. attendance-based school funding House priority bills School safety The legislative process Accountability of voucher (education savings account) programs Sign up for TASB's Texans for Strong Public Schools to get…

This week we’ve seen Gov. Abbott travel around the state to promote education savings accounts. Kay and Dax discuss: What is an education savings account and is it any different from a voucher? Can public schools really be fully funded if vouchers are implemented? House and Senate education committee meetings The Teacher Vacancy Taskforce recommend…

Get all the info you need on public ed and the 88th Texas Legislature with our weekly Lege Update episodes! Our first weekly update covers: House and Senate Education Committees Gov. Abbott's emergency items (and what that means) Texas school leaders at the Capitol Sign up for TASB's Texans for Strong Public Schools to get advocacy action alerts in…

We discuss the happenings from the first few days of the 88th Texas Legislature, how trustees can stay informed, and upcoming TASB advocacy conferences. Register for the Texas Federal Advocacy Conference and the TASA/TASB Legislative Conference: https://events.tasb.org/?type=GOVR&view=list Sign up for Texans for Strong Public Schools: https://www.t…

The next legislative session begins Jan. 10. Here's what school board members, administrators, and public school advocates need to know before it begins. Sign up for Texans for Strong Public Schools action alerts: https://bit.ly/39g1qS0 Register to attend the Texas Federal Advocacy Conference, Feb. 6-7 in Washington, D.C., and the TASA/TASB Legisla…

Political family to rock star to pilot to cultural diplomat isn't your typical career trajectory. But Ravi Hutheesing, whose great uncle was the first prime minister of India, knows the importance of being able to pivot in life. On this episode, he shares some of his experiences with us, and talks about how we can nurture talent and curiosity in st…

"What if you just listen to each other?" J. Michael Hall is the founder of Strong Fathers Strong Families and facilitates workshops between schools and parents across the state and country. He talks with Kay about the importance of transparency and communication. Mike will be the preconference speaker at Summer Leadership Institute, taking place Ju…

Dax Gonzalez, TASB Governmental Relations division director, joins us to discuss the issues public schools are facing right now and headed into the next legislative session. TASB just wrapped up its Grassroots Meetings, one of the first steps in determing the Association's Advocacy Agenda. The meetings are held across the state and all public schoo…

Lizzie Velasquez was born with a rare congenital disease—very rare, in fact. She's now a global motivational speaker, anti-bullying activist, and author. Lizzie joins Kay to talk about being bullied in school, overcoming obstacles, and her advice to educators about dealing with bullying (it may surprise you). She'll be a general session speaker at …

As a kid, Victor Rios was a dropout who lived on the streets. Now he's a MacArthur Foundation chair and professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, researching how educators can empower young people from marginalized groups. His TED Talk, "Help for Kids the Education System Ignores," has more than 1.4 million views. Dr. R…

Kay chats with Dr. Dan Troxell, TASB's executive director, about his first 100 days on the job and his plans looking forward. He discusses: What he's learned about school board service TASB's grassroots advocacy process Words of wisdom for educators Follow Dan on Twitter @DanTroxellTASB. ©2021 Texas Association of School Boards, Inc. All Rights Res…

Tracy Fisher, Coppell ISD school board member, was named TASB's first-ever Advocate of the Year. She talks with host Kay Douglas about steps any trustee can take to speak up for Texas public schools. Find your regional Grassroots Meeting: https://bit.ly/3oxjKh2 Subscribe to Texans for Strong Public Schools: https://bit.ly/39g1qS0 ©2021 Texas Associ…

H.T. Sanchez, Plainview ISD, was recently named the 2021 Superintendent of the Year. He joins Kay to talk about: How to hire and retain good teachers How Plainview ISD makes college readiness systemic His advice to boards on working well with a superintendent ©2021 Texas Association of School Boards, Inc. All Rights Reserved.…

Aledo ISD's Board President Hoyt Harris and VP Jessica Brown join Kay for a conversation on what makes them the top school board in the state. They share advice on working well with the superintendent and improvements they've made in the past few years. ©2021 Texas Association of School Boards, Inc. All Rights Reserved.…

We are pleased to welcome the new host of TASB Talks, Kay Douglas! You may know her already from her many years training school boards across Texas. We chat with Dax for a recap of the second special legislative session of 2021. Get details on bills that were passed, like virtual learning and critical race theory. We also chat about what's happenin…

Dax may have Post-Legislative Stress Syndrome, but he's moving forward. In our legislative session wrap-up episode, we chat about: The death of the virtual learning bill and what it means for next school year. The final version of the HB 3 (2019) cleanup bill. HB 999, individual graduation committees. HB 547, districts may allow homeschool kids to …

"This is the session of zombie bills." Sine die is Monday and legislators are working overtime (Dax, too). Get updates on: Virtual instruction HB 3 cleanup bill SB 10, transparency in lobbying And, we bid a special farewell to TASB Talks host Amanda Quraishi. Sign up for alerts from Texans for Strong Public Schools: https://bit.ly/39g1qS0 Sign up f…

We have a special episode this week! Dax is joined by his fellow TASB Governmental Relations staff members Marisha, Whitney, and Ruben. The roundtable discussion includes updates on virtual instruction bills, changes to the accountability system, and how the permitless carry bill would affect education. Sign up for alerts from Texans for Strong Pub…

Dax is staying hydrated during these final weeks of the 87th Texas Legislature, where time is of the essence for any bills hoping to get passed. Texas trustees will return to the Capitol Wednesday. Our hosts talk about some public ed-related bills that died this week. Follow TASB on social media. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tasbpage Twitter:…

TASB Governmental Relations is tracking 1,000 bills. Meanwhile, time is running out to get legislation heard. This week, Dax and Q discuss the $11.2 billion in federal relief funds that will be allocated to Texas public schools. How will they be distributed? What's the timeline? Our hosts also chat about SB 28 and charter school accountability. Sig…

The House is working on the state budget. Some important amendments were made to SB 1 that affect education, including guidance on the $18 billion in federal relief funds. SB 28 would limit the power of the State Board of Education and give more power to the education commissioner when it comes to charter applications. Contact your lawmakers about …

Things are moving quickly in the #txlege. Listen to Dax and Q discuss: The state budget and what it means for public education SB 28, a bill that would weaken oversight of charters $18 billion in federal funds meant for schools that have not been distributed. Sign up for TASB's Legislative Report: https://bit.ly/31q1fyK Trustees, take part in our l…

On this week's Lege Update, Dax and Q talk about: The budget bill that passed the Texas Senate. An update on federal stimulus money for schools. What happened with STAAR testing? Sign up for TASB's Legislative Report: https://bit.ly/31q1fyK ©2021 Texas Association of School Boards, Inc. All Rights Reserved.…

TASB Governmental Relations is tracking more than 1,000 bills in the Texas Legislature. Dax and Amanda discuss just a few of them, including: SB 1, the Senate's budget bill SB 28, charter school expansion SB 481, pandemic operations HB 299, individual graduation committees HB 1525, the House Bill 3 (2019) cleanup bill Contact your lawmakers on educ…

Learn more about the education bills that were heard last week: HB 749, community censorship, would severely limit school board members' abilities to advocate at the Capitol. HB 3687 would increase transparency in lobbying. SB 1365, directed at Houston ISD, would expand the powers of the TEA Commissioner. SB 28, related to charter schools, would re…

It's the first of our weekly Lege Updates! Dax and Amanda talk about: • The $12.4 billion in COVID relief funding earmarked for Texas public schools. How will it be used? • The Texas Supreme Court ruling on Houston ISD's school board • HB 1438 and charter school accountability • Charter school funding and spending • HB 5: Access to broadband servic…

We chat with Dax Gonzalez, TASB’s director of Governmental Relations, about the projected revenues for the state’s upcoming budget cycle, education committee assignments, and what to expect at the TASA/TASB Legislative Conference taking place on February 23. Register for the free Legislative Conference: https://events.tasb.org/?eventId=5744 ©2021 T…

Students are the primary stakeholders in education. How can district leaders engage students to co-create, work through problems together, and seek a variety of perspectives to improve student experiences? Merrit Jones, senior advisor for Student Voice, shares her experiences working with districts across the country. TASB's Governance Camp is powe…

The Texas legislative session begins January 12, and the pandemic is sure to have a major impact on the proceedings. We talk with Dax Gonzalez, TASB’s division director of Governmental Relations, about what to expect when it comes to education funding, state budget woes, charter school expansion, and more. Sign up for alerts by texting SCHOOLS to 3…

Sarah Orman, lead attorney for TASB Legal Services, joins us to discuss the Title IX regulations that went into effect on August 14. With new rules about defining and responding to sexual harassment, it's important for Texas school districts to be aware of the changes and train staff appropriately. For more on the new Title IX regulations, visit TA…

We speak to Dr. Angela Herron, chief teaching and learning officer at Grand Prairie ISD, about her research on school board presidents and their relationships to the rest of the board. She discusses the role of the president as a facilitator between the superintendent and the rest of the board, and the shift in boards to serving the community as a …

Former California School Boards Association Executive Director Davis W. Campbell shares the four characteristics of high-functioning school boards. Boards must be unified in order to provide a high-quality education to all students. He also chats with us about the opportunity gap and how it's been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Campbell will…

Dr. Samuel Bonsu Jr., researcher and assistant principal in Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, shares his knowledge of the board self-assessment survey and the five standards that define the duty of a school board member. Bonsu will share more of his research at the upcoming XG Summit, a conference that focuses on how school boards can positively affect stu…

Dr. Paul Johnson, associate professor at Bowling Green State University and a researcher on how school boards impact student achievement, shares with us his 12 leadership practices of effective school boards. He also discusses the importance of a healthy relationship between boards and superintendents and offers his own experience serving as a trus…

The Texas Education Agency is now requiring districts to submit special education operating procedures. We speak with Dana Johnson, director of special education at Georgetown ISD; Jessica Witte, senior associate at Thompson and Horton; and Karlyn Keller, TASB’s division director of special education about what's included in special education opera…

The Sheldon ISD school board has a passion for engaging the community, supporting teachers, and focusing on students. Latricia Archie, board president, talks about the importance of transparency and the great things happening in Sheldon schools. The Sheldon ISD board is one of five 2020 Honor Boards named by the Texas Association of School Administ…

Gary Bingham, board president of Mesquite ISD, discusses how the board demonstrated proactive leadership through the creation of a one-of-a-kind accreditation program for campuses. The district has also teamed up with Google, using artificial intelligence to customize learning for students' different interests, gifts, and passions. The Mesquite ISD…

Temple ISD school board members knew they wanted to create a strong focus on communication and sought a superintendent who could do just that. Dan Posey, board president, shares how his district prioritized districtwide communications, found ways to pull together when a crisis hit, and why the diversity of the school board is a strength. The Temple…