Save Texas Schools, Austin Voices’ statewide program to support public education, is getting ready for the 2017 legislative session. Started in 2009, Save Texas Schools has seen several pieces of legislation pass that support our most at-risk students and schools, as well as mobilized over 30,000 Texans through rallies and other events. In 2015, STS held a statewide rally, as well as held rallies and education-policy-save-texas-community-schools-austin-voicesconferences in several other cities. STS developed legislation to support community schools that made it through the House, and passed unanimously through the Senate Education Committee. While stopped at the 11th hour, the legislation did change the conversation around what school improvement solutions are really effective, especially for at-risk schools and communities. Language from the bills also made it into the school accountability legislation, promoting community-based solutions for struggling schools.

Save Texas Schools will again be working with a wide array of education advocates and organizations to promote community school legislation, and will continue to push for increased (and equitable) public school funding, rational alternatives to over-testing students, and other legislation that helps reduce barriers to learning for all Texas children. Event details, including rallies, are still being finalized. Up-to-date news can be found at Save Texas Schools Facebook page or its website, savetexasschools.org.