As we enter the 88th Texas legislative session, the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) is focusing on five policy priority areas to secure fair school funding, ensure excellent educational opportunities for emergent bilingual students, promote culturally-sustaining school climates that support all students, create safer schools without harmful discipline practices, and prepare all students to access and succeed in college.
All students deserve to go to excellent, well-funded public schools that prepare them to access and succeed in college and beyond. But not all Texas schools have sufficient funding to provide students with the education and opportunities they deserve. State funding for public schools remains below 50% and does not account for inflation or actual costs of education. The state school funding system should provide equitable education to students, including students of color, students from families with limited incomes, and students who require additional programs, supports and services.
IDRA Policy Recommendations
Emergent bilingual students have the right to excellent schools that support bilingualism and biliteracy in a student’s home language and in English. Strong programs for emergent bilingual students are well-funded, have high-quality teachers, and accurately track students’ progress and needs. But certified bilingual education teachers are in short supply and have been for over 30 years.
IDRA Policy Recommendations
All students deserve to learn in culturally-sustaining school environments that affirm their racial, ethnic, gender and other identities. Culturally-sustaining schools create positive, safe and supportive school climates for all students to receive high-quality educational opportunities to succeed. Recent classroom censorship policies have made schools less safe and supportive for students, especially for those who are Black, Latino and identify as LGBTQ+.
IDRA Policy Recommendations
All students deserve safe and welcoming schools that do not use harmful discipline and school police to punish young people. To achieve this, schools must be able to invest in the people and programs that build strong campus climates and foster the relationships that keep everyone safe.
IDRA Policy Recommendations
All students deserve a high-quality education that prepares them for college and lifelong success. Schools have a responsibility to prepare all students to succeed in college, but many students are not meeting readiness benchmarks. Texas’ new strategic plan for higher education and workforce goals depends on all students having accessible and affordable college readiness opportunities.
IDRA Policy Recommendations
Stay up to date with IDRA’s Texas legislative activity, events and news by subscribing to our Texas eNews Policy Updates (www.idra.org).
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Chloe Latham Sikes, Ph.D., IDRA’s deputy director of policy. The column originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of the IDRA Newsletter by the Intercultural Development Research Association. It appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of IDRA. Sikes, pictured above, can via e-mail at chloe.sikes@idra.org.
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