Policy Wins & Clear Next Steps

In the two and a half weeks since the Legislature adjourned ‘Sine Die’, the dust has begun to settle on priorities that passed—and those that didn’t. A record-setting number of bills were filed, but only 1,213 were sent to the Governor—a number slightly lower than last session. More interestingly, far more bills had been signed at this point after the session’s conclusion than this time. Only 317 have been signed as of June 17, more than a 50% decrease relative to 2023. 

The Governor has until Saturday to sign or veto bills or let them pass without his signature.  

OST CARES remains in the budget for two more years, and TXPOST is excited to build on such a powerful first year and a half to ensure that Texas youth are receiving the mental health supports they need, both in and out of school. We’ll be exploring ways that we can deepen youth development practice and OST partnerships over the next two years to better collaborate across Texas to ensure kids and families have what they need to thrive. 

While HB 3672 stalled in the Senate, TXPOST remains committed to creating more opportunities for youth through OST. Our progress during this session illuminates and clarifies our work before the next one. We’re ensuring legislators on both sides of the aisle understand how OST is supporting their communities: improving attendance and academic outcomes, providing safe and nurturing environments, and giving parents the peace of mind they need to remain in the workforce, knowing their kids are cared for and engaged. 

Despite the disappointment of a community-based grant program failing to pass this time around, there are incredible wins coming out of the session for expanded learning and for kids and families more generally. 

• The state has committed $100 million to child care scholarships, which will make a significant impact on clearing a waitlist of 95,000 families who are waiting for this support. 
• Legislators invested an additional $8.5 billion in public schools.
• Lawmakers appropriated funds to update and overhaul Texas’ Medicaid and SNAP application system, ensuring adequate functionality for families. 
• Legislators have committed additional resources to youth mental health, taking over the funding of the Texas Family First pilot program as federal funds expire, funding mobile youth crisis teams, and more. 

While even billions may not go far in a state as large as Texas, these changes will still have a meaningful impact on the lives they touch.

And while the session is over, this is just the beginning of our work. With incredible uncertainty at the federal level, our state efforts are more important than ever. The President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 would zero out funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), the only federal funding stream dedicated to afterschool and summer programs. 21st CCLC funds support thousands of local programs serving nearly 1.4 million children across the nation. 

Here in Texas, we receive nearly $130 million per year, funding more than 700 afterschool and summer sites across the state. If this program is cut, more than 135,000 students will lose access. 

Both state and congressional leaders need to know what this loss would mean for our communities. TXPOST is hard at work communicating with decision makers and supporting local leaders as they do the same. If you want to learn more about how you can take action, visit this new Afterschool Alliance website and email us today!