In a letter addressed to school administrators Tuesday, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) requested that school districts and open-enrollment charter schools include upcoming rulemaking actions on their websites in order to encourage school leaders, parents, and teachers to participate in the rulemaking process. The agency is asking districts and charters to post links to the TEA’s web pages that host proposed rules of the Commissioner of Education, the State Board of Education (SBOE), and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).

Along with legislative action at the Texas Capitol, administrative rulemaking is one of the two main ways education policy is made. However, unlike the Texas Legislature, which is only active for 140 days every two years, state administrative bodies make rules year-round. When it comes to public education, the Commissioner of Education, the SBOE, and SBEC each have express rulemaking authority over a defined set of topics. While very different from the legislative process, the rulemaking process also makes use of public input. To increase public accessibility, the TEA has implemented new electronic forms to provide public comment on proposed rules, which can be found by clicking on the corresponding links above. The agency has also created a frequently-asked questions (FAQ) page about the rulemaking process.

ATPE’s lobby team regularly participates in the rulemaking proceses by giving written and oral input to the commissioner and state boards on issues of concern to our membership. Also, we frequently post about significant rulemaking actions here on our blog at TeachTheVote.org, and we encourage you similarly to follow rulemaking developments that affect you, your colleagues, your students, and your classrooms. Submitting feedback on these rulemaking actions is a great way to continue to have your teacher voice heard on important education policy matters throughout the year!