New LONESTARP3 Research Resources
As Texas moves forward with implementation of recent policy decisions, and anticipates more in the coming legislative session, LONESTARP3 has released new tools to ground those conversations in evidence and identify where additional data is needed. Over the past several months, we examined the Texas landscape across three critical areas: Teacher Workforce, Public Education Finance, and Early Childhood Education. The result is a new set of landscape analyses—each paired with an initial research framework.
Each landscape analysis synthesizes relevant data, policy insights, and existing research to map the current state of the field, surface areas of opportunity, and indicate potential challenges. Those findings are distilled into a focused set of topics, with key insights presented in concise summaries to make information digestible and accessible. They are designed as practical tools for those conducting research, advancing advocacy, or supporting implementation efforts across Texas.
The initial research frameworks outline priority questions and potential lines of inquiry to better understand the impact of policy and implementation. These are not final questions — they are a starting point for collective refinement. LONESTARP3 is collecting the perspectives and priorities of its members and key constituents across the state to create a shared research agenda that meets the expressed needs of those who are responsible for implementation.
For each topic, explore both the landscape analysis and its companion research framework:
Teacher Workforce
Recruitment, preparation pathways, and retention challenges shaping workforce stability across regions
Public Education Finance
Structure and tradeoffs within funding formulas, including questions of adequacy and alignment to student needs
Early Childhood Education
Access, quality, and coordination across programs serving young children and families.
This work arrives at a moment when Texas is preparing for significant policy conversations in the 90th legislative session. Both PreK-12 and higher education leaders are diligently implementing strategies and processes in response to previous legislation, including outcomes-based funding models, teacher compensation systems, and teacher certification pathways. Recent House and Senate interim charges for the upcoming legislative session signal growing attention to many of these same issues—from teacher pipelines and compensation, to school finance structures and early learning access. These resources offer foundational knowledge to help inform discussions among educators, researchers, and advocates, and anticipate research needed for questions that still remain.
We invite you to explore these resources and consider how they connect to your work and let us know how we can refine them.
- How could these resources be useful to your work?
- What research questions feel most urgent?
- What critical research questions are missing?
Your input will shape how these resources evolve and inform the focus of future LONESTARP3 research agendas.
