The 86th Legislative Session Look-Back

State legislatures govern many of the daily concerns in education, yet the politics at play in shaping legislators’ approaches to pressing education issues remain underexamined. This paper provides an overview of the education policy issues that defined the 86th Texas Legislative Session. The contributing authors to this critical issue draw on their political and professional expertise to offer their unique perspectives on Texas K-12 and higher education funding, new modes of teachers’ political advocacy, and persistent racial inequities in educational institutions. Together, these pieces provide readers with a review of the achievements and challenges in Texas education policy, as well as future directions for research, policy, and educational advocacy.