Every seat for the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is on the ballot this November following the post-U.S. census redistricting that reconfigured constituencies across the state earlier this year.
Texas voters will decide from a pool of 33 candidates who should take the 15 open seats on the board.
The SBOE sets curriculum standards, establishes graduation requirements, holds veto power over new charter schools, and approves instructional materials and textbooks for Texas public schools.
The various races for state school board reportedly reflect some of the same tensions that have impacted local school board races over the past couple of years.
“The State Board of Education is not new to social movements,” said Rebecca Deen, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, speaking with The Texas Tribune. “What has come back again is the intensity of the debate in this education space.”
In North Texas, several points of contention, in particular, have animated parents and framed recent school board races and post-election policy debates. These include the alleged teaching of critical race theory, exposure to LGBTQ topics on school campuses, and the appropriateness of certain books in school libraries, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Deen told The Texas Tribune that local and state school board elections typically have low turnouts. This motivates candidates to emphasize controversial education issues, like transgender bathroom use.
Still, more campaign contributions have flowed from both sides of the political aisle into this year’s races than ever before, according to Houston Public Media.
Jennifer Mitchell, governmental relations director for the non-partisan Association of Texas Professional Educators, told the news outlet, “It’s unprecedented in the State Board of Education races. It was definitely new to see that level of investment, and it seemed very clearly aimed at opportunities to pick up more support on the board.”
SBOE members serve four-year terms and are elected from education districts. Elections will be held on Tuesday, November 8.
