The 89th Texas Legislative Session is half over. According to reports, the Texas House will hear and pass House Bill 2 (HB 2-school finance) and House Bill 3 (HB 3-vouchers/ESA) in the House next week.
If the voucher/ESA bill (HB 3) is heard on the House floor as predicted, and RISD stakeholders have an opinion you’d like to share with RISD House members, it’s important to take action now. It’s best to call or email your representative (find out who represents you here). A quick call or email to your representative is easy and it makes a difference.
The school finance bill (HB 2) is being refined and there is supposed to be a revised bill for House members to review for their school districts next week. RISD’s legislative priorities seek increases in funding for areas like special education, Pre-K, school safety, and dyslexia – all areas where state mandates and inflation have created significant funding gaps.
A Texas Tribune article on school finance helps untangle this complicated subject:
“Texas officials’ claim that school funding is at an all-time high ignores inflation and temporary federal money”
Why do public education advocates dispute the $15,503 [per student] number? The number is outdated. It incorporates areas of funding that do not directly go toward districts and their students, like Texas Education Agency administrative costs. The number is also not adjusted for inflation … read more here.
Watch the Texas House in session.
Watch House committee meetings.
Watch the Texas Senate in session.
Watch Senate committee hearings.
Legislative Corner is published periodically throughout the 89th Texas legislative session. For more information about RISD’s legislative involvement and priorities, please visit the legislative page here. Other resources include Texas Legislature Online (TLO) – find legislation (bills), committee hearings, legislative member info, and more; The Quorum Report – sign-up for “Daily Buzz” or a listing of political news articles; Texas Tribune – online daily news, also a data dashboard for education.
