AUSTIN, Texas — The House Committee on Public Education held a hearing on issues impacting schools on Tuesday.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath provided an update to lawmakers, saying statewide enrollment is down by about 130,000 students compared to 2019.
He added that most of the declines are happening among elementary school students who never returned to the classroom.
Additionally, 10 years of educational gains in math and reading proficiency have been lost. Morath said it is as if those gains were never made.
Morath also said that more students are accessing special education services.
And while Texas is still experiencing a teacher shortage, the state is employing more teachers than ever before with about 380,000 educators.
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