Welcome to Tackle It Tuesday!  

The goal is to provide you a weekly update about all things Advocacy in SBISD and the PTA. As always, you are encouraged to share the information with your PTA and your communities (you can add to your website, or e-blast, however you reach your members)

NOTE THERE WILL BE NO TUESDAY EMAIL NEXT DUE TO SPRING BREAK

In this email:

• 88th Legislature Update
• Texas PTA Legislative Priorities + Bill Tracker
• Contacts Tips!
• Item of Note (TEA)

88th Legislature Update

Friday is bill filing deadline (for the most part, there's always exceptions). The remaining high priority bills from both the House and Senate will be filed by Friday.  We have NOT seen a robust school funding bill to date. There are several that increase the basic allotment and adjust for inflation, several moving from attendance to enrollment for funding and there is one filed to give recapture districts a discount for paying early (we do expect another similar bill to be filed). There are currently 147 house bills that have been sent to the House Public Education Committee and 145 senate bills sent to the Senate Committee on Education.

Senator Paul Bettencourt did announce filing of SB3, which has full support from the Senate. Description: Relating to an increase in the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district, an adjustment in the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in the exemption amount, and the protection of school districts against the resulting loss in local revenue.

The Senate Education Committee meets tomorrow, Wednesday at 9am to hear 7 bills.
https://capitol.texas.gov/Committees/MeetingsByCmte.aspx?Leg=88&Chamber=S&CmteCode=C530


Texas PTA Legislative Priorities

The Texas PTA adopts their legislative priorities each session. Below are the Lead Priorities. See attached for the full listing of priorities.
 
You can also find the Texas PTA Bill Tracker on their website here: https://www.txpta.org/legislative-priorities


-------------------------LEAD PRIORITIES-------------------------

Public School Funding SystemPursue legislation that increases the basic allotment and funds public education based on enrollment versus attendance.

VouchersOppose legislation that authorizes state funds to be used to pay for private school tuition and related costs.

Teacher and Staff Shortage and RetentionPursue legislation that addresses teacher and staff shortages and improves retention.

Student Mental Health Pursue mental health legislation, including systems to identify students in need of intervention, and programs and services designed to help keep students mentally strong and prepared to cope with personal challenges.

A-F Accountability SystemPursue legislation impacting the state’s A-F system. Advocate for an accountability system that more broadly reviews school performance and includes a family engagement component.

Contact Tips!
Save the SBISD legislators as contacts in your phone.  Then when its time to make urgent phone calls you won't be searching for their contact information.  You can also find contact information at https://capitol.texas.gov/ and attached info from SBISD.

One Last Item of Note
The TEA is proposing an adjustment to the A-F accountability score for the College, Career,  and Military Readiness (CCMR) scores. The proposal would move the goal post of an A from 60 to an 88, a 47% increase in one year. AND WOULD BE RETROACTIVE TO 2022 if changed. Many school districts, including SBISD, have signed a letter directed to Governor Abbott and Commissioner Morath regarding this plan. Feel free to voice your opinion on this change (letter is attached)