{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Solve for X","title":"Funding, Accountability, and School Choice: Max Rombado on Texas Education Policy","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1424,"description":"In this episode of Solve for X, host Dr. Rick Fernandez welcomes Max Rombado, Legislative Director at Raise Your Hand Texas. A proud Houstonian and Springwoods High alum, Max brings deep experience navigating the Capitol and advocating for policies that strengthen public education across the state.\nFrom landmark teacher pay raises to the controversial expansion of school choice, Max unpacks what the latest legislative session means for educators, families, and communities. With clarity and candor, he breaks down the complexity of HB2 and HB8, and shares why the fight for public education funding is far from over.\nWhether you’re a district leader, teacher, or policymaker, this episode offers insider perspective on the forces shaping Texas classrooms—and what’s at stake in the years ahead.\nWhat You’ll Learn\n● The key provisions of HB2 and what teacher retention and incentive allotments mean for salaries statewide\n● Why timing and inflation complicate district budgeting despite new funding\n● The creation of the ABC (Allotment for Basic Costs) and its impact on school operations\n● Teacher certification challenges—and how new rules could reshape the workforce\n● How HB8 reforms accountability, testing, and the STAAR system\n● What Texas’ first school choice bill (SB2) means for families, districts, and the future of public education\n● Why funding gaps still leave Texas far from national averages, and what it will take to catch up\nEpisode Timestamps\n00:42 Meet Max Rombado, Raise Your Hand Texas\n02:01 Legislative priorities: school funding, accountability, and choice\n03:48 Teacher retention allotment explained\n05:37 How much funding is allocated for teacher pay raises\n07:26 The ABC allotment: covering operational costs\n11:45 Inflation and the limits of new funding\n13:29 Teacher certification challenges and incentives\n14:58 The new three-test system: STAAR to Student Success Tool\n18:21 School choice in Texas: SB2 and its implications\n21:01 Private schools, charters, and...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/ICghszv8nAx-6isl02_dCXZ8qX2a8xiWRtrzRrHIAJo/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wOTQ5/MmZjNjk1ODU4ZWE4/YmFmMmZhMWJlZjEy/M2FmYy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}