Dripping Springs ISD trustees discuss legislative priorities for special session

Dripping Springs ISD trustees discussed the district's legislative priorities Oct. 23, supporting the funding of public education, in response to bills under consideration at the state Legislature.

The specifics

The new legislative priorities are listed in district documents available here. They include:

• Opposing the diversion of funds from Texas public schools for voucher-like programs called education savings accounts until the state funds public schools above the national average.
• Increasing the basic allotment and establishing a system for inflation-adjusted increases.
• Advocating for additional state funding for staff compensation and benefits.
• Supporting an A-F accountability system with notice of implementation that considers factors outside of standardized tests.

The resolution can be viewed here.

What they're saying

Trustees discussed during a board review meeting on Oct. 16 their views on some of the bills and how the district can make priorities from that.

"When you take tax dollars and give tax dollars back to homeschoolers, that creates government infringement potential,” trustee Olivia Barnard said Oct. 16. “So as a district, our legislative priority is to say, ‘Hey state, if you're gonna give tax dollars back, then hey, it's got to be a fair playing field, right? You have to hold private school and homeschool all to the same standard.’ The interesting irony of that is when you do that, then you're going into the homes of homeschoolers.”

What’s next

The special session, focused on education, began Oct. 9, and could last up to 30 days, until Nov. 8.

For more information, visit www.dsisdtx.us.