Greg Abbott Announces Texas Classroom Commission: 'Educators Must Be at the Center'

Governor Greg Abbott (R-TX) is putting educators at the center of the state's push to improve public education, announcing the 21 members of a newly formed Texas Classroom Commission tasked with shaping the future of classroom instruction across the state.

The commission, which Abbott launched earlier this month, brings together current and former public school teachers from school districts across Texas, from Houston and Dallas to smaller communities like Comanche, Bushland, and Yorktown.

Their job will be to develop practical, classroom-informed recommendations for the governor, the Texas Education Agency, and the state legislature ahead of the 90th Legislative Session.

"Texas teachers have the talent, understanding, and expertise to ensure that every Texas student succeeds," Abbott said. "That's why educators must be at the center of the conversation.”

The commission is chaired by Courtney Boswell MacDonald of Kerrville, a former classroom teacher who currently serves as chair of the State Board for Educator Certification.

Prioritizing The Districts

Moreover, 21 members represent school districts from across the state, spanning urban, suburban, and rural communities, a deliberate effort to ensure recommendations reflect the full range of experiences Texas classrooms offer.

To add, the new commission builds on the work of previous educator-focused efforts, including the Teacher Vacancy Taskforce and the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding.

Those efforts produced tangible results, including increased special education funding, higher teacher compensation, an expanded Teacher Incentive Allotment program, and what Abbott described as restored discipline in Texas classrooms.

As a result,  Abbott explains the commission reflects a broader belief that meaningful education reform has to come from the people doing the work every day.

Rather than relying solely on policymakers and administrators to set the direction for Texas schools, the commission gives classroom teachers a direct line to the governor's office and the legislature.

With the 90th Legislative Session on the horizon, the commission's recommendations could carry significant weight in shaping what comes next for Texas public education, and Abbott's stated goal of making Texas the top state in the country for educating children.

“The Texas Classroom Commission will help build on our historic investments in public education and deliver recommendations that strengthen classroom instruction, support teachers, and prepare the next generation of Texans," Abbott concluded.