🪔 At last, it's Friday! Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating the Festival of Lights this weekend.

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high in the mid-70s.

💊 Situational awareness: Democratic Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson told the Texas Tribune he won't sue out-of-state doctors who mail abortion pills to Texas, a departure from outgoing AG Ken Paxton.

Today’s newsletter is 868 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Texas Democrats' sweep of statewide offices gives them a chance to profoundly change K-12 education policy, but that doesn't mean they will undo certain Republican priorities.

Why it matters: Texas public schools are facing declining enrollment, budget deficits and lagging academic performance, which in some cases has led to state takeovers.

The big picture: Texas Republicans in the last two years have passed the state's first private school voucher program, introduced Bible readings in public schools and ditched end-of-year standardized tests known as STAAR.

• "I think the priorities by this new leadership are going to change drastically," Bob Popinski, dean of policy at nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas, which advocates for public schools, tells Axios.

The latest: Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa yesterday announced a transition team that includes an anti-voucher Republican former state lawmaker and a former school board colleague.

How it works: Democrats will control the Texas House, but Republicans retained their majority in the Senate.

• Democrats are also poised to control the State Board of Education, giving them more sway over what students learn in the classroom.

What they're saying: Democrats "definitely can get more done," longtime state Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) tells Axios, adding that there's room for compromise.

• Bernal has served as the vice chair on the House Committee on Public Education and was key in negotiating a bipartisan public school funding package last session.
• "The last thing I want is some sort of political stalemate because of this significant change," he says.

Here's what Democrats can and can't do for education.

Vouchers

The $1 billion Texas Education Freedom Accounts program has been one of the most debated policy changes in Texas.

• Bernal thinks lawmakers will revisit the program, saying: "I can't imagine that that program will exist as it does today, if it does at all."

Reality check: Leslie Finger, an assistant political science professor at the University of North Texas, tells Axios she doesn't think the voucher program is going anywhere because the GOP controls the state Senate and thousands of families are already participating.

⬇️ Keep reading below

Public school funding

Political observers agree that more funding for Texas public schools is one of the biggest changes ahead. Democrats could tackle how schools are funded and possibly add a way to regularly adjust for inflation.

Zoom in: Texas funds its schools based on average daily attendance, a move that can hurt districts in low-income communities with more chronic absenteeism, Finger says.

• Finger and Popinski, with Raise Your Hand Texas, are both watching to see if lawmakers switch that formula over to enrollment-based funding.

TEA takeovers

Democrats have been critical of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which has removed local control of school districts all over the state. Hinojosa has said she will fire TEA commissioner Mike Morath and yesterday said her team is already interviewing other candidates.

State of play: While firing Morath may not be as simple as Hinojosa suggests, his term expires in January when she takes office. She can appoint someone else.

• Hinojosa's appointment would have to be approved by the Texas Senate.

What they're saying: "A new commissioner of education can bring a different approach to … how to interpret some of these laws with school district interventions or accountability ratings, and potentially school district takeovers," Popinski says.

🚌 Converse voters overwhelmingly rejected a measure that would have cut the city's ties with VIA Metropolitan Transit. (SA Business Journal 🔑)

🏙️ A developer is proposing a Pearl-like project near downtown Boerne that could include shops, restaurants and hundreds of apartments. City officials have concerns. (Express-News 🔑)

🌮 The San Antonio Missions will play some games under a new identity as the Breakfast Tacos next year. The team has a new logo and uniform for the occasion. (Minor League Baseball)

"Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook," a new culinary docuseries featuring the comedian, premieres today on Apple TV, with San Antonio's Curry Boys serving up some inspiration.

State of play: The "Crazy Rich Asians" star, who has little cooking experience, travels across the country to learn from chefs as she explores reviving her family's New York restaurant legacy.

Zoom in: Texas restaurants, including Curry Boys, are featured in the second episode, "Texas Barbecue."

What they're saying: "It's funny, beautiful and a poignant reminder to always pay homage to your roots," Curry Boys owners shared on Instagram ahead of the premiere.

We're rounding out this busy election week with a little contest.

• What's a good caption for this photo? Funny answers only, please.

📬 Just reply to this email, and we may feature some captions in a future newsletter.

Thanks to our editors Astrid Galván and Bob Gee.

🪩 Madalyn is interested in checking out The Morning Spin this weekend.

🍿 Megan is going to see "Wild Horse Nine."