HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Eight of the 15 seats on the Texas State Board of Education are up for election this midterm, and the board's decisions affect all Texans, whether they have children in public school or not.

The State Board of Education has been making major decisions about policy and standards for Texas public schools since 1866.

The board reviews and sets the state's education standards, known as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS.