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Primary election results begin shaping the 2027 Texas Legislature
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The March primary elections provided an early look at the political landscape heading into the 90th Texas Legislative Session. While several races will continue into runoff elections, the results already signal potential changes in legislative leadership and committees that shape education policy.
Key takeaways for Texas school districts:
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Attorney General race headed to runoff: Congressman Chip Roy and Senator Mays Middleton will face off in the Republican runoff. In the Democratic primary, Senator Nathan Johnson will face Joe Jaworski in a runoff after falling just short of the threshold needed to win outright.
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Comptroller race set for November: Former Senator Don Huffines won the Republican primary outright and will face Senator Sarah Eckhardt in the general election. The Comptroller plays a critical role in state revenue projections that impact school funding, and also administers the new voucher program.
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Changes coming to the Texas Senate: At least five Senate seats have new members in 2027, signaling potential shifts in legislative priorities.
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Education committee turnover: Two members of the Senate Education Committee (Chairman Brandon Creighton and Sen. Mayes Middleton) and four members of the House Public Education Committee (Allen, Ashby Hinojosa, Talarico) will not return next session, which may influence future education policy discussions.
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Runoffs still to come: Several legislative and State Board of Education races will be decided in the May 26 primary runoff election.
School district leaders should continue monitoring these races as the final composition of the Legislature will influence education funding, accountability policies, and regulatory priorities in the 90th Legislative Session.
Key Upcoming Political Dates:
- May 2, 2026 – Uniform Local Election Date
- May 26, 2026 – Primary Runoff Election
- November 3, 2026 – General Election
- January 12, 2027 – 90th Legislative Session begins
You can find more coverage of the primary election results here.
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Latest News & Guidance from TEA:
F I N A N C E
- Emergent Bilingual K–1 Summer School Reimbursements – TEA released guidance regarding reimbursements for the required summer school program for emergent bilingual students entering kindergarten and first grade. Districts and charter schools required to provide bilingual or ESL programs must offer 120 hours of summer instruction to eligible students with parent approval. Reimbursements are calculated in instructional units of up to 18 students, with funding expected to average approximately $1,300 per unit, subject to statewide participation and available appropriations. Participation must be reported through PEIMS Submission 4. Districts should review program requirements and reporting timelines as they finalize summer programming plans.
- FY 2025 Preliminary Compliance Reviews for IDEA-B LEA Maintenance of Effort – TEA announced that preliminary compliance reviews for IDEA-B maintenance of effort (MOE) for fiscal year 2025 (school year 2024–25) will be released in late March. Districts and charter schools receiving IDEA-B funds must demonstrate they maintained at least the same level of state and local spending on special education services as the prior year. TEA evaluates compliance using four federally approved tests, and systems that fail all four may ultimately be required to return funds. Districts will have ten business days after release to review the results and submit allowable exceptions, adjustments, or documentation if they believe corrections are needed.
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Your Texas School Policy Network Team
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