The CLC is a volunteer group of parents, retirees and members of the business community who learn about issues affecting CFISD, monitor legislative activity and advocate on behalf of the district for legislators to support public schools.
Tommy Balez, co-chair of the committee, presented the legislative priorities at a Dec. 8 board work session. See the full presentation here.
The following issues will be top priorities in the upcoming session, which starts in January.
Invest in schools
• Increase the basic allotment—defined by the Texas Education Agency as the required state funding that goes to each school district to provide a basic level of education for students living in that district.
• Add an inflationary index to the basic allotment formula each biennium to reflect increased costs.
• Increase state reimbursement for special education services to cover actual district costs.
• Provide state-based funding for state-required mandates.
• Remove legal caps that reduce specific program allotments included in House Bill 3 from the 86th Texas Legislature.
• Increase the instructional materials allotment to ensure digital access to all instructional materials.
• Modify the adjustment in the comptroller’s property value assignment for the local optional homestead exemption to incentivize districts to provide additional tax relief.
Protect schools
• Provide reimbursement for safety expenditures, such as facility upgrades, additional staff positions and programs required by the TEA.
• Increase the school safety allotment to adequately fund safety programs, support law enforcement resources and address the mental health needs of students.
• Ensure local control over the implementation of safety and security measures.
Measure success
• Eliminate high-stakes testing that is not federally required.
• Provide a permanent state funding source for all accelerated instruction required by HB 4545 from the previous legislative session.
• Provide high-performing districts with local flexibility in all instructional planning and accelerated instruction for students who fail any state assessment.
• Support a hold-harmless provision for accountability A-F rating system for the 2022-23 school year due to significant changes in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness design and to the state accountability system.
• Reform the state accountability system to better measure a school’s and district’s success.
Sustain public education
• Require local school board input before the TEA and State Board of Education approves charter school applications and expansions.
• Grant the elected SBOE authority to approve or deny charter school expansions.
• Allow public funds to serve only school districts that serve all students and are governed by a community-elected board of trustees.
• Oppose legislation that diverts funding from public schools to private schools or home schools.
• Support school choice that ensures uniform academic and financial accountability and transparency standards for all school systems receiving state funds.
• Increase public oversight to ensure TEA’s rule-making aligns with legislative intent.
