Past and present teachers are charged with improving student outcomes in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Greg Abbott is launching a commission on education reform. The teacher-driven group is charged with finding ways to improve student outcomes. Governor Abbott says he wants to empower those on the front lines of education.

“Texas teachers know what their students need to succeed,” said Governor Abbott. “The Texas Classroom Commission will bring together exemplary public school educators to identify innovative solutions that help students succeed, improve the learning environment in classrooms, and strengthen our schools.”

The Texas Classroom Commission will be a mix of past and present teachers whose assignment is to shape the future of public education in the state.

“The teachers are going to be really driving the train on this and making sure that the recommendations that come from the commission are actually going to work in the classroom,” said Mary Lynn Pruneda, Director of Education and Workforce Policy at Texas 2036.

Pruneda says these teachers will understand the uphill battle they face.

“What a lot of people do not know is it only about half of Texas students currently in our public schools can read and do math on grade level. So, we have a lot of work and a lot of ground that we need to cover to make sure that every family in our great state has access to the best public education possible,” said Pruneda.

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The commission will be led by former classroom teacher Courtney Boswell MacDonald. She is the current chair of the State Board for Educator Certification and previously worked on the Senate Education Committee and served as executive director for Texans for Education Reform, Texas Institute for Education Reform, and Texas Aspires.

So far, no information is available on the current and retired teachers who will make up the commission.

“What do you think the impact will be of having teachers and retired teachers on a commission,” asked CBS Austin Reporter Bettie Cross.

“I do not see anything that is important that is going to happen out of this commission. I do not see this being a benefit,” said Ken Zarifis, President of Education Austin.

Zarifis said he does not think the Governor’s hand-picked panel is the best group to make recommendations to the Texas Legislature and the Texas Education Agency.

“It will be interesting to see the people that Greg Abbott chooses because they’re going to be people that Greg Abbott likes and who Greg Abbott likes are not people that are thinking about public education, changing things the way they need to be changed, being a real challenger,” said Zarifis.

The commission members are expected to be announced later this month. Their recommendation report will be delivered to Governor Abbott, the Texas Legislature, and the Texas Education Agency before the January 2027 start of the 90th Legislative Session.