This page has a TON of information about our 2021 efforts to connect with our State Legislators. Scroll & learn!
GCISD PTAs sent hundreds of postcards & letters to our legislators!
District wide we sent close to 800 postcards to our legislators to share the voices of students, teachers, parents, and community members. Amazing job advocating for our future!
Ways to Get Involved
Want to know what is being discussed in the Texas House of Representatives Public Education Committee? Watch it LIVE each Tuesday at 8 am.
Have something to say during the LIVE session? Submit your comments/stories to the House written public comment portal.
Who does what in Texas Public Education?
Check out the graphic from Raise Your Hand Texas below showing “who is responsible for what.”
Newsletters & Videos
WATCH: Q&A With Texas Education Commissioner Morath (recorded on Feb. 10)
Raise Your Hand Texas Newsletter: Feb. 26 RHY • Feb. 19 RHY • Feb. 5 RHY
Under the Dome Newsletter from Texas PTA: March 25, 2021 UTD • February 11, 2021 – UTD • January 2021 – UTD •. November 2020 – UTD • September 2020 – UTD • July 2020 – UTD • Sign up here for the Texas PTA “Under the Dome” newsletter.
Highlights of Texas PTA Rally Day 2021
Virtual Meetings with GCISD Local Legislators
Thank you to State Senator Beverly Powell, Senator Jane Nelson’s office, Representative Jeff Cason for Texas House, Senator Kelly Hancock’s office, and Representative Giovanni Capriglione.
GCISD PTAs spent the day of Feb. 22 virtually meeting with our representatives in Austin to discuss our community’s educational priorities for the 87th legislative session as well as joining Texas PTA’s rally & caucus meetings.We appreciate the conversations and look forward to working with you throughout the session. #PublicEd #txlege #YouCanPTA
GCISD State Representatives
GCISD State Senators
GCISD’s State Board of Education elected representative
Rally Day Address by Texas PTA President
Top 5 GCISD Council of PTA Legislative Priorities
In an effort to be a presence in Austin during the current legislative cycle, the GCISD Council of PTAs is partnering with the 17 GCISD campus PTAs to share our priorities regarding public education with the legislators who represent us.
The Texas Legislature decides many issues that affect public education, including funding, curriculum, graduation requirements, standardized testing, accountability, and much, much more. PTA and GCISD hope that you will stay informed about proposed legislation that will affect our children as well as all children attending public school in Texas.
Advocacy is a key pillar of PTA. Our legislators must hear your opinions and concerns as they make these critical decisions. Please take a moment to join our Postcard Love Letters to Austin project and share your priorities with our lawmakers. These postcards are Public School Love Letters to Austin, telling our state legislators that we care about public education. Let’s advocate for our future!
Thank you to everyone that participated in the Public Education Priorities for Austin Survey. The results are being used to shape the discussions with our legislators on February 22, during the Texas PTA Rally Day.
Please see below for the Top 5 Texas PTA Priority results:
- Support hold harmless provisions for funding losses due to COVID-19
- Ensure Texas Public Schools are fully funded
- Continue to monitor TEA’s Special Education Plan
- Restore Dedicated State Funding (without caps) for G/T Services
- Advocate for a reduced emphasis on state-mandated testing that penalizes the student rather than guide instruction and identify learning problems.
GCISD Legislative Priorities
Thank you for lending your voice for Texas children!
Let your community know: #YouCanPTA. If they’re not sure where to start, invite your family, friends, and neighbors to visit JoinPTA.org — joining made easy in a world gone virtual.
