What North Texas School Districts Want From This Legislative Session

In the face of million-dollar budget deficits, several North Texas school districts put funding at the top of their legislative priorities ahead of the 89th legislative session. Local districts are strained under the pressures of a public school system that has failed to find answers for dwindling enrollments while leaving certain crucial school services underfunded. General funding, teacher retention, school safety and special programs are some of the most common pressure points for school districts across the region.

The Legislature will convene in Austin for the next 140 days, voting on thousands of measures, many of which deal with the problems facing educators across the Lone Star State. Lawmakers have already filed bills that would provide solutions to some of the grievances listed by school districts. Here’s are some of the most popular legislative priorities North Texas school districts have announced: 

The Big Picture: Increasing the Basic Allotment

Districts across North Texas agree funding is an issue in every classroom. Every district cites inflation as the cause of drastic budget pitfalls. Operational costs have increased year-over-year since 2020 but the system by which individual schools receive their funding hasn’t changed.

Each school receives a basic allotment per student, $6,160, an amount that hasn’t increased since 2019. Schools are individually responsible for allocating these funds to a variety of costs, ranging from basic necessities to special programs. But with rising costs, schools are strapped, and a growing number are forced to shutter their doors. 

Full details online at https://t.co/ThwWfp0sTO

ICYW, current CPA economic forecast indicates the Basic Allotment would have to be almost $7,950 by fiscal 2027 to make up for inflation since the last increase in Fall 2019.#txlege #txbudget #AndSoItBegins pic.twitter.com/0IBwXlBeln

— 🧮 Eva DeLuna 📊 (@DeLunaEva) March 6, 2024

Dallas Independent School District eliminated 250 staff positions over two years but is still burdened by a $186-million deficit. Denton ISD is asking the state for an increase of $1,340 per student to cover a variety of issues facing the district.

Both chambers of the Legislature are aiming to increase the basic allotment. Rep. Vikki Goodwin, a Democrat representing Austin, filed House Bill 1770, which calls for an increase in the basic allotment to $7,500. Sen. Royce West, a Democrat of Dallas, filed his own bill, Senate Bill 597, that would increase the basic allotment to $7,564. Before the session, lawmakers filed over 45 bills relating to school funding and reform.

Compensating Teachers

Increased reports of behavioral issues and serious learning loss prompted by the pandemic have helped to drive teachers out of schools. Across the nation, teacher vacancies plague schools, and retention rates remain low. Now, districts are requesting increased funding to properly compensate their remaining teachers.

Denton ISD says its proposed increase to the basic allotment would allow for an additional $5,000 in compensation for each teacher. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is focused on providing its teachers with post-career compensation by prioritizing an increase in the government-funded pension, the Teacher Retirement System. Without significant increases to general funding, Dallas ISD has been able to offer only 2% raises to teachers in the last two years.

Bills to increase teacher salaries have failed in the past. Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat from Travis County and a former educator, filed a bill that would set the minimum salary for teachers at $70,000 per year.

I filed legislation to pay every teacher $70k, but maybe we should pay them like babysitters:

$15 per kid x 22 kids per class x 6 hours per day x 180 days per year =

$356,400 annual salary pic.twitter.com/HjPIjz7WxH

— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) January 10, 2022

Securing Schools

Following a national surge in school shootings that include a number of devastating attacks in Texas in recent years, lawmakers and districts have scrambled to secure campuses. Mass casualties perpetrated by gunmen on campuses shed light on the inadequacies of school resource officers. Those charged with protecting schools failed to prevent the mass murder of students on numerous occasions.

Following the Uvalde school shooting, the deadliest in Texas history, Rep. Tracy King, a Democrat from the shattered community, authored a bill during the last session that required schools to have one armed officer present on all school campuses. House Bill 3 was signed into law by Gov. Abbott and requires those officers to complete quarterly active shooter training, but many districts don’t have the funding to comply with such mandates.

Dallas ISD spends $257 per student for school safety but receives only $10 from the state, and the district has concerns about providing competitive wages for officers. Denton ISD is $4.4 million over its safety and security budget. Plano ISD is calling for the state to fully fund the requirements set by last session’s landmark bill.

Each session a plethora of bills emerges attempting to ensure the safety of students. This session is no different; North Texas lawmakers are urging the state to increase the security budgets so schools can meet the requirements of prior bills and keep students safer.

Sen. West also filed Senate Bill 598, which would require the state to provide schools with $100 per student and an additional $60,000 per campus for security measures.

Special Resource Funding

For students who require more resources, the state uses a weighted system that allocates funds on a need basis. Students enrolled in special education programs, English language learners and students with learning disabilities receive funding separate from the basic allotment. But it’s still not enough to offset the costs of these programs, districts say.

Dallas ISD spends $72 million more than the state provides, and Fort Worth ISD has identified the special programs as its top concern for this legislative session. Denton ISD spent almost $10 million more than its budget allows on special education programs alone.