Texas Talks

When Texas public schools repeatedly receive failing accountability ratings, the state can intervene, replace locally elected school boards, or even close campuses. But do these interventions actually improve student achievement, and is Texas measuring school performance fairly?
On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail welcomes Dr. Rachel White, Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. White is also the founder and principal investigator of the Superintendent Lab, home of the National Longitudinal Superintendent Database, which tracks leadership across more than 12,500 public school districts nationwide. A former school board member, she brings experience in education policy, school governance, and superintendent leadership.
Brad and Dr. White examine Texas's A–F school accountability system and the state laws governing intervention in struggling school districts. Under Texas law, five consecutive unacceptable ratings at a single campus can require the education commissioner to appoint a board of managers for the entire district or close the campus. White explains the differences between state monitors, conservators, and full district takeovers, while questioning whether these interventions consistently produce better long-term outcomes for students.
The conversation explores the challenges of holding schools accountable when the state's grading methodology changes over time. White argues that school ratings should consider more than standardized test performance, including student growth, attendance, community conditions, teacher retention, and the broader educational experience.
Brad challenges White on whether schools that repeatedly fail to meet state standards should face stronger consequences, and whether a more comprehensive accountability system would be practical for Texas to administer.
They also discuss the state takeover of Houston Independent School District, where academic ratings have improved but questions remain about teacher turnover, declining enrollment, district spending, and the long-term effects of state management. White explains why evaluating the takeover requires looking beyond improved letter grades and considering what happens when local governance is eventually restored.
Looking toward the 90th Texas Legislature, White outlines potential reforms to school accountability, teacher compensation, school finance, and state-district relations. She argues for a greater emphasis on state support rather than state intervention, with local communities playing a larger role in determining how schools improve.
The episode concludes with a discussion of superintendent turnover and why stable district leadership matters for students, families, and communities.
Can Texas maintain rigorous academic standards while preserving local control and developing a more complete picture of student success? Join Brad Swail and Dr. Rachel White for a detailed examination of the future of public education in Texas.
00:00 - Opening: Do State School Takeovers Actually Work?
00:14 - Introducing Dr. Rachel White
00:58 - Rachel White's Background in School Governance
03:20 - The Superintendent Lab and Education Leadership Research
08:23 - How Texas State Intervention Works
11:34 - Does Research Support State School Takeovers?
13:00 - Problems With Texas's A–F Accountability System
16:25 - What Should Schools Be Held Accountable For?
18:25 - Can State Officials Fix Struggling Schools?
22:09 - Student Mobility, Poverty and Academic Performance
24:34 - Measuring Student Growth Beyond Standardized Tests
27:06 - How Takeover Threats Affect School Leadership
31:24 - Alternative Measures of School Performance
35:24 - Houston ISD: Academic Gains and Unanswered Questions
39:36 - Restoring Local Control After a State Takeover
43:03 - Parent Petitions and Campus Closures
44:56 - When Can a State Takeover End?
46:05 - What Texas Needs From Its Next Education Commissioner
50:21 - School Accountability and Legislative Reform
52:22 - Teacher Pay, School Finance and Funding Equity
54:25 - Special Education Funding and Teacher Support
55:25 - Superintendent Turnover and Student Success

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Texas could face a $770 million annual obligation to fund SNAP benefits under new federal rules, even as food banks across the state struggle to meet growing demand.
Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to discuss rising food insecurity, the consequences of federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the difficult decisions facing Texas lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
Feeding Texas represents a network of 20 food banks serving all 254 Texas counties. Cole explains how rising food prices, transportation costs, and household expenses are putting increasing pressure on families, particularly in rural communities where grocery stores and affordable fresh food can be difficult to access.
The conversation examines changes to SNAP under H.R. 1, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Cole explains how new federal cost-sharing requirements could leave Texas responsible for approximately $770 million annually if the state's SNAP payment error rate remains above the federal threshold.
She also addresses a critical distinction often overlooked in the debate: SNAP payment errors are not the same as fraud.
According to Cole, SNAP enrollment in Texas has declined by approximately 738,000 participants, or 20%, over the past year. She discusses expanded work requirements, administrative challenges, and the consequences for children, older adults, and working families who depend on food assistance.
Brad and Celia also explore whether food banks, churches, and private charities could realistically replace declining government food assistance. Cole explains that for every meal provided by food banks, SNAP provides approximately nine, illustrating the enormous scale of the federal program.
The discussion turns to the economic consequences of hunger, including its effects on health care costs, children's education, workforce productivity, and local businesses. Cole argues that maintaining access to food assistance is both a humanitarian priority and an important economic consideration for Texas.
They also examine possible solutions, including reducing the state's SNAP payment error rate, improving government technology, strengthening employee training, and delaying the new federal cost-sharing requirements.
Finally, Cole outlines Feeding Texas's legislative priorities, including protecting funding for surplus agricultural products, improving SNAP employment and training programs, and expanding access to summer food assistance for children.
Can Texas address growing hunger while navigating new federal requirements and mounting budget pressures?
Join Brad Swail and Celia Cole on Texas Talks for an in-depth conversation about food insecurity, government spending, and the future of food assistance in Texas.
00:00 - Opening: Why Food Banks Cannot Replace SNAP
00:23 - Introducing Celia Cole and Feeding Texas
02:04 - Texas Hunger Crisis and Rising Food Costs
03:45 - Rural Food Deserts and Grocery Access
06:48 - How Federal SNAP Changes Could Cost Texas $770 Million
09:57 - Texas Budget Cuts and SNAP Administration
11:22 - Falling SNAP Enrollment and Food Bank Demand
14:31 - New SNAP Work Requirements and Eligibility Changes
17:24 - How Food Banks Are Responding to Growing Hunger
20:12 - Can Private Charities Replace Government Food Assistance?
23:58 - SNAP Payment Errors, Fraud and Potential Solutions
30:06 - Technology, State Government and the 2027 Legislature
37:08 - Feeding Texas Legislative Priorities

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Texas has experienced extraordinary economic growth over the past 25 years, but are Texans actually feeling the benefits?
John Hryhorchuk, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Texas 2036, returns to Texas Talks with Brad Swail to discuss the organization's latest statewide polling, the issues motivating Texas voters, and the policy challenges facing lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
Despite decades of economic expansion, Texas 2036's polling reveals a growing disconnect between the state's economic success and how residents feel about their own lives. Only 52% of surveyed voters believe they have personally benefited from Texas's growth, while 67.7% say they are extremely or very concerned about the future.
John explains what these findings reveal about affordability, economic opportunity, and voters' confidence in their ability to control their own futures. He also examines the surprising areas of agreement between Republicans and Democrats, particularly on education, health care, and infrastructure.
Education emerges as one of the strongest priorities in the polling, with voters emphasizing the importance of children reading and performing math at grade level. The conversation explores why education has risen in importance, how attitudes toward border security have shifted, and what these changes could mean for the next legislative session.
Health care affordability is another major concern. John discusses widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, growing support for price transparency and oversight of health care consolidation, and the rising insurance costs facing Texas teachers.
The discussion then turns to water, electricity, and the rapid expansion of data centers across Texas. While data centers receive significant public attention, Texas 2036's polling suggests voters are more strongly motivated by broader concerns about affordable electricity, reliable water infrastructure, and everyday quality of life.
Brad and John also explore how Texas government agencies can better coordinate their data to improve services, evaluate education and workforce outcomes, and help policymakers respond more quickly to changing economic conditions.
Finally, they examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence in classrooms and the workforce, the importance of career and technical education, and the challenges of preparing students for jobs that may look very different in the years ahead.
As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, the conversation raises a fundamental question: Can the state translate its remarkable economic growth into a better quality of life for all Texans?
Join Brad Swail and John Hryhorchuk on Texas Talks for a data-driven discussion about the future of Texas and the decisions facing its elected leaders.
00:00 - Opening: What Texas Voters Think About Data Centers
00:26 - Introducing John Hryhorchuk and Texas 2036
03:27 - The Texas Miracle: Are Texans Benefiting From Growth?
06:46 - Political Divisions, Economic Confidence and Voter Priorities
11:23 - Education Becomes a Top Priority for Texas Voters
14:57 - Why 67.7% of Texans Are Concerned About the Future
20:10 - Healthcare Affordability and Growing Support for Reform
25:39 - Rising Health Insurance Costs for Texas Teachers
27:07 - Data Centers, Water Infrastructure and Electricity Costs
33:09 - Government Accountability and Connecting State Agency Data
39:18 - Artificial Intelligence, Education and Workforce Readiness
44:59 - Texas 2036's Priorities for the 2027 Legislative Session

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Can Texas produce enough electricity to power the artificial intelligence revolution, or are the state's massive data center projections creating an infrastructure bubble?
Dr. Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, nonresident fellow at Columbia University, founding partner of IdeaSmiths LLC, and host of the Energy Capital podcast, joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to examine the future of Texas' electricity grid, the explosive growth of AI data centers, and the challenges facing ERCOT.
Rhodes discusses the current state of the Texas power grid, including improvements made since Winter Storm Uri and remaining concerns about natural gas supply during extreme weather. He explains how new solar generation and battery storage helped Texas manage record electricity demand without the dramatic price spikes that have accompanied previous summer peaks.
The conversation then turns to projections suggesting Texas could need approximately 400 gigawatts of electricity capacity to accommodate future demand. Rhodes argues that reaching those levels within the proposed timeframe would require an unprecedented expansion of power generation, transmission infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, and construction resources.
Brad and Joshua explore whether the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and data centers resembles an economic bubble, what happens if proposed projects never materialize, and whether excess power generation could ultimately benefit ordinary Texans through lower electricity prices.
They also discuss the potential of small modular nuclear reactors and geothermal energy, the rising cost of natural gas turbines and transformers, and the question of who should pay for the infrastructure required by large technology companies.
Beyond electricity demand, the discussion examines community concerns surrounding data center water consumption, cooling systems, noise pollution, local tax incentives, and the economic benefits these facilities can provide.
Finally, Rhodes explains ERCOT's Batch Zero process, recent efforts to bring greater accountability to large-load connection requests, and what he hopes the 90th Texas Legislature will prioritize when developing future energy policies.
From nuclear power and grid reliability to artificial intelligence, data centers, and electricity costs, this episode explores how Texas can balance economic growth, technological innovation, and affordable, reliable energy without placing unnecessary burdens on everyday Texans.
Watch Texas Talks with Brad Swail for an in-depth conversation about the future of energy in the Lone Star State.
00:00 — Can Texas Meet 400GW of Electricity Demand? 
00:19 — Introduction to Dr. Joshua Rhodes 
01:51 — Why Rhodes Studies the Texas Power Grid 
03:44 — ERCOT and Lessons from Winter Storm Uri 
06:16 — Texas' Record Electricity Demand 
08:53 — Data Centers and the 400GW Forecast 
11:54 — Why ERCOT's Demand Projections Are So High 
14:15 — How Much Electricity Demand Is Realistic? 
16:07 — Is the AI Data Center Boom a Bubble? 
19:10 — Small Modular Nuclear Reactors and Geothermal Energy 
21:14 — Could Overbuilding Power Plants Lower Electricity Prices? 
25:55 — Rising Infrastructure Costs and Electric Bills 
29:02 — Data Center Water Consumption and Noise 
32:54 — Data Center Tax Breaks and Local Economic Benefits 
36:00 — ERCOT's Batch Zero Process and SB 6 
37:42 — Governor Abbott's Data Center Audit 
40:40 — What Should the 90th Texas Legislature Do? 
43:51 — Energy Subsidies and Market Competition 
44:40 — Future Energy Policy and Closing Thoughts

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Texas State Representative Carl Tepper joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to discuss some of the major issues being examined by the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight.
Tepper discusses the committee’s examination of district attorneys and criminal prosecution, including the scrutiny surrounding the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and possible approaches lawmakers could consider during the 90th Texas Legislature.
The conversation then turns west to a highly unusual question: Could counties currently in New Mexico eventually become part of Texas? Tepper discusses interest from communities along the Texas-New Mexico border, the economic and cultural ties between those counties and West Texas, and what would have to happen for a boundary change to move forward.
Finally, Tepper and Brad discuss oversight of taxpayer-funded contracts, nonprofits and local government programs, including questions surrounding homelessness spending in Austin and how governments should respond when publicly funded programs fail to meet their goals.
00:00 — Introducing Rep. Carl Tepper
01:08 — Texas' Governmental Oversight Hearings
02:53 — Crime & Repeat Offenders
04:39 — Scrutiny of District Attorneys
05:12 — What Could the Legislature Do?
07:22 — Could Texas Expand Into New Mexico?
08:32 — Why New Mexico Counties Are Looking at Texas
11:05 — How a Texas-New Mexico Boundary Change Could Work
11:57 — Rural & Frontier Texas
14:38 — Safeguarding Taxpayer Funds
15:09 — Austin's Homelessness Spending
16:51 — Accountability for Government Contracts
19:10 — Closing

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