As the Texas legislative session unfolds, we continue to track proposed bills and policy decisions that impact public education. We believe students should be empowered to own their learning; staff should feel empowered and valued; and strong partnerships with our families, community, taxpayers, and the state are essential to building an educated workforce while acknowledging that local communities know their students best.
A whopping 43 education-related bills made their way through committees last week—that’s more than a third of all bills heard so far this session. Lawmakers are moving fast, and we’re keeping a close eye on the action. Here are some key updates:
House Priorities: Parents’ Rights, School Safety & More
Over in the House, some big-ticket items are turning heads:
- 📌 HB 7 – A parents’ rights bill (full summary)
Meanwhile, the Senate honed in on student discipline and truancy, tackling seven bills aimed at these important issues.
Budget Watch: The Senate Makes Its Move
The Senate passed its budget (SB 1) last week, kicking off the next round of negotiations. The bill now heads to the House Appropriations Committee, where representatives are expected to swap in their version before sending it to the full House for approval. From there, a conference committee will iron out the differences.
What’s Coming Next Week? Major Education Bills on Deck!
Get ready—two major public education bills are expected to advance this week:
And here’s a milestone to watch: The House is taking up its first bills on the floor this session. That means things are about to move quickly!
We’ll keep you posted as these critical decisions unfold. Stay tuned, stay engaged, and let’s keep fighting for the best in public education! Leander ISD’s legislative priorities webpage includes a bill tracker as well as lawmaker contact information.
A note to staff: LISD employees cannot use work time or district resources to advocate for or against candidates or measures on an election ballot. District local policy goes further by restricting personal political advocacy for or against political issues during work hours, regardless of the issue.
There are cases in which district representatives, including the superintendent, must engage with legislators as directed by the Board of Trustees, which adopts legislative priorities. As a corporate body, the Board is the political voice of the district, and employees may only conduct business with legislators during work hours under direction from the Board.
In short, employees should not use work time or district resources for personal political advocacy. Resources include our district mail / email systems, as well as campus / classroom / teacher websites and social media accounts. Employees are free to support any political candidate or issue but must ensure that the support is in the employee’s individual capacity and on their personal time.
