Communications Tool Kit – The Final Push

This year’s session of the Texas Legislature is nearing its conclusion without a lasting, significant investment in public education.  While Texas had high hopes that much of the $33 billion state surplus would be used to provide funding for schools — to address the 14.5% rate of inflation since the last time state leaders invested new dollars in public schools four years ago — state leaders do not seem inclined to prioritize public education in the allocation of funds.

The dollars needed to provide raises for our teachers and other school staff hang in the balance.  Not only are the robust investments that schools need to better serve students not materializing, but it also appears that the modest increases proposed in the House and the Senate earlier in the legislative session are stuck in a political tug-of-war. Specifically, meaningful new dollars on education appear to be linked or contingent upon passage of Education Savings Accounts that would use public dollars to pay for private schools.

Key deadlines are fast approaching. If bills don’t pass the House by Tuesday or the Senate by Wednesday to at least make it to a conference committee to negotiate the differences in the proposals, then schools will not receive the funding increase we desperately need.  We need parents, community leaders, and others who care about public education to reach out to legislators and other influential voices in the community. The message is simple: Before the legislative session ends on May 29, we need a significant investment in our schools. Legislators need to approve a meaningful increase in the Basic Allotment for public education so that schools can recruit and retain the educators we need.

I’m asking you to put your voice to use. Call our local legislators and deliver this message while encouraging others in our community to do the same. Our local schools should not be held hostage by the very people elected to serve this and other communities.