In addition to president Donald Trump trying to shut down the U.S. Department of Education, a Texas lawmaker is looking to abolish the TEA - Texas Education Agency.
"The TEA is an organization that does not help, and it only gets in the way" said state representative Andy Hopper (R–Decatur), "So, I would like to start the conversation of what we can do as conservatives down here in Austin to not only empower parents, but also to empower schools. And this seems to be like the starting point."
So how would spilling the T-E-A actually work?
"Essentially, all the fiscal responsibilities that are currently administered by the TEA would be handed over to the Comptroller" Hopper told KTRH. In addition, the State Board of Education would also take over control, while transferring the decision making back to local school boards and elected officials, not unaccountable bureaucrats.
"My view of what's going to save public education in Texas is local control, and decentralization of control" noted Hopper.
House Bill 2657 also includes the elimination of the STAAR test.