Fellows Across Three Cohorts Will Also Address Early Childhood Education and Teacher Preparation, Compensation, and Working Conditions
2025-26 Teach Plus Texas statewide Policy Fellows with Teach Plus staff
Austin, TX, September 3, 2025—As jobs of the future continue to evolve, including those tied to innovative technologies both current and emerging, Teach Plus Texas has set an ambitious goal to ensure students graduate with the skills they need for tomorrow’s careers. Teachers are uniquely positioned to shape this future workforce and serve as powerful advocates for policies that help students succeed economically. Demonstrating their commitment to this mission, Teach Plus has selected 70 exceptional teachers across the state for its 2025-26 statewide Policy Fellowship, 2025-26 Houston Policy Fellowship, and 2025-26 Early Childhood Education Group Network Facilitators cohort.
“If districts are the engine of economic mobility in our Texas communities, then teachers are the fuel that powers that engine because they’re the only professionals who train tomorrow’s workforce. These educators work directly with students every day to build on their achievements and guide them toward good-paying careers. I want to see more students graduate with college or career credentials, and teachers are essential to making that happen,” said Teach Plus Texas Executive Director Kevin Malonson.
Building on the work of previous teacher leaders, these new cohorts will advocate for education policies that give students multiple paths to success after graduation—from ensuring high-quality classroom instruction and resources to embracing AI and other teaching innovations. Previous advocacy work included testifying at legislative committees, meeting with lawmakers, and writing op-eds in support of House Bill 2, which increases public school funding by about $8.5 billion. The new cohorts will also focus their advocacy on early childhood education and teacher preparation, compensation, and working conditions.
“Teach Plus helped me find my voice, not just as a teacher, but as an advocate. As someone from a small rural district, I never imagined I’d be part of policy conversations that impact students statewide. This fellowship reminds me that our stories matter and that real change starts when educators speak up for their profession and their students,” said 2025-26 Teach Plus Texas statewide Policy Senior Fellow Karla Guevara, who teaches in the Riesel Independent School District.
Throughout the program, Teach Plus develops and deepens Fellows’ expertise in policy analysis, advocacy, research, and communications, equipping them with the skills to bring evidence-based solutions to the table. Each program participant was selected for their ability to articulate the needs of their students and communities and their demonstrated excellence and innovation in teaching, ensuring they can effectively advocate for meaningful changes that will benefit children across Texas.
The Teach Plus Texas statewide Policy Fellowship
The 46 educators chosen as 2025-26 Teach Plus Texas statewide teacher leaders hail from across the Lone Star State, from El Paso to Harts Bluff, and teach in diverse classrooms from preK-12. This year’s Fellows are leading the charge in reimagining the teaching role, emphasizing that teachers are the true engine of economic mobility—equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to thrive in college, career, and life.
Click here for the 2025-26 Teach Plus statewide Texas Policy Fellows and Senior Policy Fellows, including the school or district where they teach.
The Teach Plus Houston Policy Fellowship
The 18 educators chosen as 2025-26 Fellows in this third Houston cohort will focus on local impact projects related to college and career readiness and early childhood education, as well as teacher preparation, compensation, and working conditions. They also will bring a Houston-specific perspective to state-level issues.
Click here for the 2025-26 Teach Plus Texas Houston Policy Fellows and Senior Policy Fellows, including the school where they teach
The Teach Plus Texas Early Childhood Education Group Network Facilitators
The six early childhood educators from Dallas, El Paso, and Houston will cultivate spaces that empower participants to strengthen connections and retention in the teaching profession, all the while receiving leadership training and coaching support from Teach Plus. They also will work with colleagues in developing and implementing projects which meet the most important and urgent needs of their students and their communities.
Click here for the 2025-26 Teach Plus Texas Early Childhood Education Group Network Facilitators and the towns or cities in which they teach.
If interested in interviewing Executive Director Kevin Malonson or any of the teacher leaders, please contact Kelly Pearce at kpearce@teachplus.org or 928-925-9236.
About Teach Plus
Teach Plus is dedicated to the mission of empowering excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. Since 2009, Teach Plus has developed thousands of teacher leaders across the country to exercise their leadership in shaping education policy and improving teaching and learning for students. Learn more about Teach Plus Texas at https://teachplus.org/tx/.
