The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community.  

• Abbott announces launch of Texas Classroom Commission 
• Comptroller nominee Don Huffines appointed to serve as acting comptroller following Kelly Hancock’s resignation 
• We look forward to seeing you next week at the 2026 ATPE Summit! 
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s advocacy tools 

COMMISSION: Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced the creation of the Texas Classroom Commission Tuesday. According to the governor’s announcement, this new advisory group will consist of current and retired teachers across the state who will study challenges facing Texas educators and develop recommendations aimed at strengthening the teaching profession.  

It’s unclear how this commission’s charges will differ from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force, whose 2023 recommendations remain largely unimplemented. Read more in this blog post by ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave. 

COMPTROLLER: Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock has announced his resignation effective July 31, and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has appointed Republican comptroller nominee Don Huffines to serve as acting comptroller beginning Aug. 1. The Texas Comptroller's Office is responsible for certifying the state's budget and administering the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (voucher) program. Aug. 1 is also the deadline for the office to release its first report on TEFA implementation, providing an initial update on rollout of the new program. Although the comptroller is typically elected statewide, Texas law allows the governor to appoint someone to fill a vacancy until a successor is elected to the role. Hancock assumed the role of acting comptroller in July 2025 following Glenn Hegar’s resignation to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. Huffines will face Democratic nominee Sarah Eckhardt in the November general election for a full term as comptroller. 

SUMMIT: We look forward to seeing you next week at the 2026 ATPE Summit in San Antonio!  Those who have registered to attend should have received an email with important information about the House of Delegates meeting, sessions, special events, and more. If you have not yet downloaded the ATPE Mobile App, we urge you to do so—it will be your go-to resource for all things ATPE Summit. Learn more about the event at atpesummit.org. 

Please note: Because ATPE staff will be attending the summit next week, we will not have a Teach the Vote wrap-up next Friday, July 17. We’ll be back after the summit with the latest education news. 

MEMBER ADVOCACY: Even when the Legislature’s not in session, we urge you to stay informed and engaged. Here are a few advocacy resources to check out:  

• ATPE Mobile App: Check out the new ATPE Mobile App to conveniently access member benefits and advocacy tools.   

• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession.   

• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed.    

• ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn state-level and local-level advocacy microcredentials, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so be sure to check it out today.     

• The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community.