Texas education leaders are pushing every lever of state policy toward one goal—higher student achievement. Education Commissioner Mike Morath says the reforms underway are not about tinkering at the margins but about creating the conditions where more students can succeed at reading, writing, and math.
The package includes a toughened A-to-F accountability system, mandatory intervention in failing schools, a clampdown on student cell phone use during the school day, a new statewide curriculum in literacy and math known as “Bluebonnet Learning,” and a performance-based Teacher Incentive Allotment aimed at moving great teachers toward six-figure salaries. Together, these initiatives are designed to confront what Morath calls “systemic instructional failure” that leaves too many Texas students unprepared for work or college.
Under the A-to-F rating system, schools are judged on how many students are on grade level, but also on how much progress they make year-to-year. To avoid an “F,” a campus must have at least 35 percent of students on grade level and 55 percent showing growth. Schools that fall below that line for five consecutive years must be closed or taken over by the state.
Morath says an “F rating” is not just a letter. “It means fewer than 35 percent of kids can do the work on grade level, and fewer than 55 percent are even growing. That’s a school where the American dream is being denied.”
Morath acknowledges that the sanctions can be painful, but insists they are necessary to protect students. “If you allow children to spend their formative years in schools that are not equipping them to read, write, or do math, you’re effectively closing doors to their future,” he says.
Morath recalls visiting a high school where a 16-year-old struggled to fill out a fast-food job application. “If you can’t read at that level, you’re not just going to struggle in school—you’re going to struggle in life,” he says.
According to Morath, gaps in phonics, vocabulary, and writing mechanics that should be mastered in elementary school compound into much bigger obstacles later on. “Third grade is supposed to be the moment where you shift from learning to read to reading to learn. If we miss that, kids spend the rest of their schooling behind,” he says.
One of the newest reforms is a statewide ban on student phone use during the school day. For Morath, the policy is about reclaiming attention for learning.
“The early reports from principals and teachers are really encouraging,” he says. “Kids are paying more attention in class, and at lunch they’re actually talking to each other. They’re building relationships, not just scrolling.”
Supporters argue the change will create a healthier school culture. Detractors worry about how students will contact parents in emergencies, though schools are providing systems for communication when necessary.
Texas is also betting big on the new “Bluebonnet” curriculum. “This isn’t about worksheets,” Morath says. “We want fifth graders to be reading Shakespeare. We want kids exposed to big ideas, great writing, and challenging math concepts.”
Pilots of the Bluebonnet curriculum have shown promising results, but Morath cautions that fidelity of implementation is key. “Curriculum is not magic on paper. It only works if teachers are supported to use it well,” he says.
Perhaps the most controversial reform is the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), which ties significant pay raises to classroom impact. Teachers can earn state designations based on student growth and classroom observations, and those designations travel with them across districts.
“It’s designed as an entitlement, not a capped grant,” Morath says. “If you’re a teacher who earns a designation, you will see that pay increase whether you’re in Dallas or the Rio Grande Valley.”
Morath believes this approach can change the economics of the profession. “We have to make teaching a job where our best people can see a path to six figures while staying in the classroom,” he says. Early evidence suggests that retention rates are higher among designated teachers, supporting the idea that money tied to impact helps keep great educators in schools.
Taken together, these policies represent one of the most ambitious reform agendas in the nation. Critics argue that the state’s approach is overly standardized and punishes schools serving the most disadvantaged students. Supporters counter that clear expectations, high-quality curriculum, and meaningful teacher pay are the only way to break cycles of low achievement.
Morath’s goal is to give Texas children the best possible education outcomes. “Every child, no matter their background, deserves a fair shot at the American dream. That means we cannot accept schools where kids aren’t learning. These reforms are about giving them that shot.”