The
Texas Education Agency (
TEA, each letter pronounced separately) is a branch of the state government of
Texas in the
United States responsible for
public education."."
Texas Education Agency. Accessed August 30, 2008. The agency is headquartered in the William B. Travis State Office Building in
Downtown Austin."."
Railroad Commission of Texas. Accessed August 30, 2008.
History
Prior to the late 1940s, Texas had many "dormant"
school districts which did not operate schools, but spent money to send children to schools operated by other districts. In the late 1940s state lawmakers passed a bill abolishing those districts, prompting a wave of mass school district consolidation.Cervantes, Bobby. "."
San Antonio Express-News. February 22, 2011. Retrieved on May 9, 2011.
Duties
TEA is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas, involving both the over 1,000 individual
school districts in the state as well as
charter schools. However, it does not have any jurisdiction over
private or
parochial schools (whether or not accredited) nor over
home schools.
Although school districts are independent governmental entities, TEA has the authority to oversee a district's operations (either...
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