Recapture reform, more funding on Austin ISD’s legislative priorities

Austin ISD officials are hoping for recapture reform, increased funding, safety and security, and more during the 89th Texas Legislature, which started Jan. 14.

The details

AISD officials said their top legislative priorities are increased school funding and recapture reform. Key highlights regarding these priorities include:

• Fund schools based on enrollment, rather than attendance
• Increase basic student allotment and require the allotment amount to be increased every two years to account for inflation
• Increase funding for students receiving special education services to cover district costs
• Commission a study on the recapture system to identify whether the current system aligns with original goal of using recapture dollars to equitably fund public education across Texas
• Restore discount for districts that pay recapture payments early

The district is looking for other actions related to their legislative priorities, which were divided into nine categories. The nine categories include funding, recapture reform, the use of public funds like taxes, local control and governance, family involvement, safety and security, assessments and accountability systems, student support, and teacher support.

AISD officials said they oppose legislation for programs that use public tax dollars for private schools.