As the Texas and Georgia legislative sessions proceed, we are committed to achieving equal educational opportunity for every child through strong public schools that prepare all students to succeed in college and life.
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Update
Inside
• An overview of recent executive actions and orders impacting immigrant students and families, student well-being and school funding.
• A review of the impact of the federal funding freeze and subsequent court orders.
• An overview of the recent Dear Colleague Letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights impacting race and discrimination in schools.
• What you can do!
Alert
• Crossover Day Wins for Georgia Education
• Post-Crossover Legislative Landscape: Education Bills to Watch + Committee Assignments
• Tools & Resources
Alert
• Committee Hearings This Week
• Action Alert: Tell Your Rep to Vote No on HB 3!
• Voucher Data Map
• School Funding Data Dashboards
• Highlights from Last Week
New Data Map
As the Texas Senate began its discussions of a voucher bill, see the potential loss of funding to your school district.
• Houston ISD could lose $75 million
• Dallas ISD could lose $57 million
• Cypress-Fairbanks ISD could lose $48 million
• Northside ISD could lose $41 million
• Katy ISD could lose $38.8 million
Dallas Morning News Feature Story
IDRA Education Associate Lizdelia Piñón and her family were interviewed by Talia Richman on how children with special needs are central in the fight over education savings accounts, or ESAs.
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eNews
These students wrote a petition, gathered signatures and took their case to the school board
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Podcast Episode
As activities to divert public money to private schools grow across the country and at the national level, the Texas leadership is pushing hard to establish its own voucher program. This is despite public outcry for strengthened and fully funded public education. And it is taking place in the midst of much misinformation about the proposed program.
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Newsletter
Just out! February 2025 Issue of the IDRA Newsletter – This Issue’s Focus: Honoring Black History
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Texas Observer Op-ed
Vouchers become subsidies for families who had already decided to pay for private school, at the expense of public schools that must serve all students.
by Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D.
Newsletter
Just out! January 2025 Issue of the IDRA Newsletter – This Issue’s Focus: Supporting Immigrant Students
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New Policy Brief
New IDRA brief calls on Georgia policymakers to adopt safety measures that are proven to be effective rather than establishing harmful yet ineffective school discipline policies that harden schools and exacerbate already significant disparities among students.
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Statement
In just the first days since the inauguration, the new presidential administration has already taken executive actions that threaten the safety and stability of students, families and public schools. These actions create a dangerous climate of fear and chaos that could harm millions of children and families in U.S. public schools.
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Federal Policy Brief
IDRA believes in the inherent value of all children, the power and promise of public education as a critical public good, and the right of every child living in this country to attend an excellent public school. Much of education policy and practice is shaped in states and local communities. But the federal government plays a critical role in ensuring all children have access to an excellent public education. Though a shift in presidential administrations and congressional leadership can result in changes to the policies and procedures of the federal government, it does not change the core rights and protections guaranteed to every student in the United States.
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Radio Interview
There has been a lot of talk about how the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump might impact local public education. Will they try to eliminate the Department of Education? What about a potential nationwide push for a school voucher program? But what exactly is the existing relationship between the federal government and local public schools?
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Podcast Interview
Peter Bloch Garcia and Tania Hino Gonzalez talk with Hector Bojorquez about his education journey and the transformative power of actively valuing students.
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eNews
A multiracial, intergenerational coalition of advocates filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging a Texas appellate court to end a Houston-area school district’s years-long practice of discriminating against Black students wearing racially and culturally significant hairstyles.
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Classnotes Podcast 247
In this episode, we feature an episode from Cuentos de mi familia by Dr. Cuca Robledo Montecel and her son, Xavier Montecel, as they reflect on Cuca’s professional life, including her 48 years working for education equity with IDRA.
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Efforts to defund, demonize and privatize public schools gained strength this election. But IDRA’s resolve is stronger than ever to ensure all young people can attend the high-quality, supportive and inclusive schools they deserve.
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New!
IDRA created this guide to help our community better understand our vision for students and our public education system and to address some of the prominent challenges to that vision, including Project 2025 and similar agendas. This explainer eBook gives an overview of some of the major education policy proposals in Project 2025 and their potential impact on students, states and school districts. (Also available in Spanish.)
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eNews
A new investment in San Antonio promises to inspire the next generation of STEM innovators. The Department of Defense announced its 10-year award of the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) to IDRA to help prepare a workforce ready for the challenges of the future.
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eNews
IDRA released a new policy brief that outlines the benefits of bilingualism and biliteracy and policies that support the state seal of biliteracy and quality bilingual education. The brief also analyzes how the related Texas performance acknowledgement in bilingualism and biliteracy needs improvement. IDRA presents a set of five recommendations for Texas policymakers:
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eNews
Building on the success as a pilot program last spring, IDRA launched a new phase of the IDRA Digital Ambassadors program in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. In our partnership with ARISE Adelante, the program bridges the digital divide by supporting students as leaders and technology trainers for their local communities.
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eNews
IDRA's new policy brief analyzes:
- how the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund monies were allocated to K-12 schools,
- how school districts spent critical federal relief funds, and
- the precarious position many districts are in as they face deadlines to spend remaining federal monies, combined with other fiscal, student population, and policy challenges that impact funding for public schools.
eNews
Brownsville ISD middle school students who are in at-risk situations will become the next generation of technology leaders through an innovative project called IDRA Youth TechXperts™. Through this in-school program, eighth-grade students will gain cutting-edge STEM skills while also fostering leadership, inclusivity and real-world experience.
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eNews
Students are concerned about weak attention to incidents of race- and identity-based discrimination in school. They call for an education that reflects cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. IDRA released today findings of a youth-led research study: The Intersections of Culturally Responsive Education and School Discipline – A Youth Participatory Action Research Case Study of Texas Public Schools.
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eNews
Whether you are a student seeking to make a difference, a family advocating changes to your child’s education, an educator striving for inclusive classrooms, or a policymaker at any level driving change, the IDRA SEEN Model Policy Shop is your hub for actionable policies and resources.
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eNews
Statement
Last night, Round Rock ISD acted on its commitment to ensure a safe, welcoming school climate for all students by passing a comprehensive policy to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment in its schools. The policy explicitly provides protections for students targeted for identity-based bullying, sending a strong message to students, families, and educators that all students deserve dignity and belonging in school.
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Contact
5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78228
Phone: 210-444-1710
Fax: 210-444-1714
