Texas’ Declining Diversity of the Undergraduate Class, 2015-2022: A Critical Policy Analysis of anti-DEI Legislation in the 88th Texas Legislature

By Jenna Doane & María Del Carmen Unda

In this critical policy analysis, we report on DEI programs, the positive impact they have on all students, and the importance of a diverse faculty and student body. We provide data on hiring, access, and graduation rates that reveal the failures of higher education institutions to learning environments for systematically marginalized students with a particular focus on Texas. Furthermore, graduation rates among students of color will display the barriers they face in college. Failure to meet the needs of students of color is already a primary issue among Texas universities, and this report seeks to bring to light the additional and damaging effects that removing DEI initiatives and resources could have on Texas students and faculty. Policy recommendations are outlined in the conclusion section of this policy analysis.

Will School Vouchers Benefit Low-Income Families? Assessing the Evidence

By Huriya Jabbar, Jennifer Holme, Melinda A. Lemke, A. V. LeClair, Joanna Sanchez, Edgar M. Torres, and Michaela Pernetti

Texas Center for Education Policy, The University of Texas at Austin
March 2023¹

“In the following brief we assess the evidence of this claim. First, we provide a brief history of school vouchers in the United States. Next we describe the different types of voucher programs that exist, and the variation amongst them. Third, we review rigorous research on who uses vouchers and their effects on low-income and minority students. Finally, based on this evidence, we offer policy recommendations for policymakers considering such reforms.”

¹ This policy brief was initially drafted in 2015 and updated by Huriya Jabbar in 2023.