A committee made up of former state representative Vilma Luna, Deputy Superintendent Jeff Arnett and trustees Christie Bybee, Julia Webber, Rob Hargett and Kal Kallison developed the list of eight legislative priorities that were adopted by the board Oct. 18.
“This [legislative priorities] document is not self-serving because it’s applicable to rich districts, poor districts, and it’s not a document that just says we need money,” Kallison said. “It’s a document that legitimately asks [legislators] to review the metrics associated with the formulas that drive funding. That’s a very rational approach that we are recommending to the legislature, so I think it’s a very sound document and deserves support.”
According to board documents prepared by the committee, the board of trustees approved the following priorities:
- EISD opposes legislation that would reduce funding for public schools and hopes a moratorium will be placed on any new unfunded state mandates, that cost districts money without offering additional funding.
- The district supports legislation that would reduce the state’s reliance on the Robin Hood program, which recaptures local taxes to fund public education statewide.
“Resident taxpayers are paying more as property values increase, but local school districts are not the beneficiaries of that investment,” the document on legislative priorities states. “EISD residents lose more to recapture than they keep to fund their own school district’s operating budget.”
- The district asks legislators to review and recalibrate the Cost of Education Index, a metric based on district costs and demographics used to determine school funding. The metric has not been updated since 1991, the document states.
- Additionally, EISD asks legislators to adjust the percent of CEI used in the Weighted Average Daily Attendance calculation, a formula used to calculate district funding for students with special educational needs.
“The imbalance in CEI calculations results in $1.7 million lost funding per year,” the document states.
- The district asks legislators to update funding weights based on its current costs to operate special education; economically disadvantaged; bilingual; career and technical; and gifted and talented programs. According to EISD, the weights have not been updated since 1984 even though the cost of education has changed.
- EISD wants Chapter 41 districts, which are subject to state recapture, to have the opportunity to use transportation allotments as credits against recapture. Currently, Chapter 42 districts receive a transportation allotment, and a change could help equalize funding for schools that transport students.
- The district opposes legislation that give public funds to private schools, and wants private schools that receive funding to be subject to open government laws and other accountability measures.
- As with its District of Innovation initiative, EISD supports legislation to develop state programs that allow districts to retain more local control and implement innovative practices.
“School districts benefit from providing students with an innovative and relevant education,” the committee states.
“[Creating priorities] is a goal that the board set in January,” Board President Colleen Jones said. “I think this is probably the first time the board has come together with definitive positions [on legislative topics].”
