Funding, school safety, pay and special education increases are top priorities for Alvin, Friendswood and Pearland ISDs ahead of the 89th Legislature.
overview
Ahead of the legislative session starting in January, AISD, FISD and PISD officials discussed legislative priorities they would like the state to consider.
Regarding funding, AISD and PISD officials want to increase the base student allotment, which has remained at $6,160 per student since 2019. FISD would like to see increased funding for school safety allocations.
All local school districts want pay increases for teachers and district employees, according to documents from each district.
School district officials are also focusing on special education. According to the document, FISD wants additional focused funding, and both AISD and FISD want more resources for special education teacher training.
Key priorities for all three districts include:
Increase in School Safety Funds Revise Chapter 37 to remove barriers to correcting disruptive students and encourage policies that support parent involvement Increase in salaries for teachers and school district employees Increase in Special Education Funds Details see
AISD and PISD officials also hope to revise the state’s AF accountability system, which grades districts based on students’ college readiness. career and military service. Graduation rate. Texas State Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Both AISD and PISD officials have advocated for “broader” school performance evaluations. AISD officials are asking the state to develop a system that is more inclusive and recognizes the benefits of districts serving low-income households, according to the document.
AISD and FISD officials also noted the cost of insurance in storm-prone coastal areas, which can lead to higher storm insurance costs. FISD officials want to reduce property and casualty insurance costs, and AISD wants to create special quotas for coastal areas.
Finally, AISD and PISD officials discussed equal funding to offset potential revenue losses from school vouchers and ensuring that public education funding remains within public schools.
Here are some numbers to keep in mind ahead of your new session:
The 89th Texas Legislature begins January 14th and runs through June More than 22,200 bills will be introduced to the state before the session The state will receive $20 billion in surplus revenue The regular session begins 140 days
