James Talarico

James Talarico is an American Democratic politician and former teacher who represents Texas House District 50 in the Texas House of Representatives.

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Texas House of Representatives: The lower chamber of the Texas Legislature, whose members serve two-year terms. Talarico serves in this chamber as the representative for District 50.
Texas school finance: The system through which Texas funds public schools using state and local revenue. Talarico’s education advocacy engages disputes over how schools receive public funding.
Middle school teaching: The professional practice of teaching students in the middle-school years. Talarico taught middle school before entering elected office.
Texas Republican Party: The state organization of the Republican Party in Texas. It holds a legislative majority whose policy priorities Talarico frequently challenges.
Texas Democratic Party: The state organization of the Democratic Party in Texas. Talarico is a Democratic state representative within a Republican-dominated legislature.
School vouchers: Public funds or tax benefits used to help pay for private-school tuition. Talarico has opposed voucher proposals, arguing they divert resources from public schools.
University of Texas at Austin: A public research university in Austin, Texas, and the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. Talarico studied at this university before pursuing a career in education and politics.
Texas school voucher debate: The political dispute over using public resources to support private-school attendance in Texas. Talarico’s opposition places him on one side of a defining education policy conflict.
Texas Legislature: The bicameral legislative branch of the government of Texas. Talarico’s elected work takes place within this state lawmaking body.
Texas school prayer legislation: Texas legislation and proposals concerning prayer or religious expression in public schools. Talarico has challenged efforts to bring state-sponsored prayer into public classrooms.