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. 

• TEA releases STAAR results for grades 3-8; Commissioner Morath shares data with SBOE 
• Call to action: Urge your elected officials in Congress to protect federal education funding and oversight  
• The 2026 ATPE Summit is just over two weeks away; make sure you’re registered 
• ATPE to sponsor Texas Tribune education symposium on July 1 
• Support student success by serving on a TEA assessment committee  
• Best wishes to a former ATPE lobbyist 
• Use your teacher voice with ATPE’s member advocacy tools 

STAAR: This spring’s STAAR testing showed gains in math and social studies, as well as stable reading performance. Science results are expected to be released later this summer. Learn more in this blog post by ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave.  

Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) board members also heard insights on the recent student test results from TEA Commissioner Mike Morath Wednesday, June 24. In his presentation, Morath pointed to continued academic recovery in several subjects while highlighting both trends he sees as encouraging and persistent challenges across the state. ATPE Lobbyist Heather Sheffield has more in this blog post. 

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: In light of the U.S. Department of Education’s ongoing efforts to reduce federal education funding and shift the agency’s responsibilities to other federal departments, ATPE is calling on members to urge their U.S. representative and senators to protect federal education funding and oversight. Learn more in this blog post, and take advantage of the corresponding campaign on Advocacy Central to get in touch with your federal lawmakers on this issue. 

SUMMIT: We look forward to welcoming you to the 2026 ATPE Summit at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa July 14–16! On Wednesday, July 15, you can hear the latest advocacy update directly from ATPE’s professional lobby team. Learn the inside story about what’s happening with education issues both at the state level here in Texas, as well as in Washington, D.C. Plus, we will explain how you can amplify your “teacher voice” ahead of the crucial general election in November 2026. You won’t want to miss this event, so make sure you have registered to attend. See what else is in store at atpesummit.org.  

SYMPOSIUM: ATPE is thrilled to sponsor the upcoming Texas Tribune symposium "What Makes a Great School?" on July 1 at the Holdsworth Center in Austin and streaming online. Hear from educators, administrators, decision makers, edtech experts, and more as they explore the changing landscape of Texas education. ATPE is incredibly proud to support Texas educators by providing continuing professional education (CPE) credits for those attending. Learn more and register today. 

TEA: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is offering educators the opportunity to serve on an Texas Assessment Program committees. Visit TexasAssessment.gov or use the QR code below to sign up. 

BEST WISHES: ATPE wishes Heather Sheffield the best of luck as she begins a new chapter with the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE) as the association’s Director of Governmental Relations. Sheffield joined the ATPE Lobby Team in 2024. Best wishes, Heather, and thank you for your hard work on behalf of our members and Texas public school students! 

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.