Texas Classroom Commission
Launched by Governor Greg Abbott, the Commission puts Texas educators at the center of shaping the future of public education.
Commission Overview
The Texas Classroom Commission, a teacher-led initiative launched by Governor Greg Abbott, puts Texas educators at the center of shaping the future of public education, strengthening student achievement, and ensuring Texas becomes the No. 1 state for educating kids.
Building on the historic investments in public education and teacher compensation secured by Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dustin Burrows, and the Texas Legislature in recent sessions, the Commission will bring together exemplary public school educators from across Texas to develop practical, classroom-informed recommendations.
The Commission will develop recommendations to the Governor, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Legislature ahead of the 90th Legislative Session. Its work will focus on bolstering classroom instruction, supporting teachers, improving the learning environment, and ensuring Texas students are prepared to succeed.
Goals of the Commission
- Bolstering classroom instruction
- Supporting teachers
- Improving the learning environment
- Ensuring Texas students are prepared to succeed
Chair
The Commission is led by Courtney Boswell MacDonald of Kerrville. MacDonald is a former classroom teacher and the current chair of the State Board for Educator Certification. She 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. She is a former math teacher at Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD. MacDonald received a Bachelor of Science in fashion and communications and a secondary education certification from Texas Christian University and a Master of Public Policy in education policy from Vanderbilt University.
Apply to be a Member
Current and former Texas classroom teachers interested in serving on the Commission may apply by filling out the linked Word or PDF and emailing it to ServingTexas@gov.texas.gov.
A Look Back at the Teacher Vacancy Task Force
The TVTF was established in March 2022 by Governor Abbott to examine teacher retention and recruitment challenges across Texas. The TVTF met from March 2022 to February 2023 with the primary objectives of understanding challenges school systems are facing related to teacher vacancies and developing recommendations for regulatory or other policy changes for the Texas Education Agency, the Texas legislature, and local school systems.
The Teacher Vacancy Task Force's (TVTF) final report, Developing a Thriving Teacher Workforce in Texas, includes policy recommendations to address teacher vacancies throughout Texas.
The Texas Classroom Commission is an advisory committee under Ch. 2110 of the Texas Government Code and is not subject to Texas Open Meetings Act.