Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. HOUSTON — Gena Coston summed up the experience of being a teacher over the last four years with two words: very stressful. Texas teachers have reported feeling burned out, underresourced and underappreciated in the last few years as they’ve dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, classroom changes spearheaded by Republican officials and unsuccessful calls for more state funding toward raises.