Education groups joining forces to improve Texas public schools

In this Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014 photo, math is taught to high school students during a class at the Karnes County Residential Center, a temporary home for immigrant women and children detained at the border, in Karnes City, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Jan. 24, 2013: A first grade class of 30 children waits to enter a classroom at the Willow Glenn Elementary School in San Jose, Calif. (AP2013)

WESTON, CT - APRIL 26: Students in pre-kindergartner class enjoy reading a book by children's aiuthor Alan Katz during OfficeMax's "A Day Made Better" presentation at Hurlbutt Elementary School on April 26, 2010 in Weston, Connecticut in which $1,000 in school supplies were given to the class. (Photo by Wendy Carlson/Getty Images for OfficeMax) (2010 Getty Images)

Two conservative advocacy groups are teaming up to form a new nonprofit that will push for improving public education in Texas through parent empowerment and expanded charter schools.

Texans for Education Reform and the Texas Institute for Education Reform have become Texas Aspires.

An announcement obtained by The Associated Press says the new group's 18-member board includes El Paso businessman Woody Hunt, former state Comptroller Susan Combs and Lionel Sosa, a veteran Republican strategist specializing in Hispanic outreach.

The merging groups have in the past lobbied successfully for state academic ratings that will give letter grades A-F to public schools starting next year.

Texas Aspires says it is focusing on strengthening public schools, but has remained silent on voucher programs that would funnel state funding to private and religious schools.