Real Texans · Texas Scorecard

Real Texans: Yasmin Bhatia

April 20, 2025·21 min·1 clip

Uplift spends $40 million on facilities but gets only $3 million from the state, forcing cuts to teacher support.

This episode features Daniel Greer interviewing Yasmin Bhatia, CEO of the Uplift Education charter school network in Dallas-Fort Worth. Bhatia leads a network of 45 schools serving 23,000 students, focusing on college preparation and workforce readiness. The conversation centers on the role and challenges of charter schools within Texas's public education system. Bhatia states charter schools receive about $1,600 less per student in state funding compared to traditional public school districts. She explains Uplift spends roughly $40 million annually on facilities but receives only $3 million from the state, redirecting $37 million from its operating budget. Uplift selects students through a blind lottery and often finds them one to two years behind academically upon enrollment. The network reports outperforming state averages in college readiness, matriculation, and completion rates by double digits. A key legislative priority is Senate Bill 1750, authored by Senator Angela Paxton, which aims to cut the facilities funding gap in half. Bhatia highlights a partnership with Baylor Scott & White Health to align curriculum with future workforce needs at one high school. She reveals 78% of Uplift students are first-generation college attendees, supported by dedicated alumni counselors who provide guidance through college graduation. An external study showed Uplift alumni earn early salaries approximately $20,000 higher than Dallas County alumni averages. The network is piloting a program to restrict student cell phone use during the school day to improve focus and culture, while addressing parent safety concerns. Uplift schools employ fencing, licensed officers, and double entryways but deliberately avoid metal detectors based on student feedback. Bhatia cites inspiration from Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles's turnaround strategies for potential adoption. She emphasizes a lean administrative structure where teachers can directly contact leadership, contrasting it with larger traditional district bureaucracies. Bhatia connects her personal background, including having a child with dyslexia, to her advocacy for empowering all parents to choose suitable schools. The tone is conversational and advocacy-oriented, presenting charter schools as innovative and high-performing within the public system. Bhatia adopts an explanatory and data-driven style, frequently citing specific outcomes, legislative details, and operational comparisons. Listeners interested in Texas education policy, school choice debates, and alternative public school models would find this episode informative. Those seeking a critical examination of charter schools or perspectives from traditional public school advocates might find the discussion one-sided.

As heard by us

A clear, policy-minded conversation about charter schools, funding pressure, and what families expect from public education.

Real Texans follows charter schools through a conversation with Uplift Education CEO Yasmin Bhatia. It starts with parent concerns about safety, support, and college readiness, then turns to the funding gap that leaves charter schools feeling like a stepchild from a funding…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a straight-talk interview about Texas charter schools and school funding?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Real Texans