Decatur ISD approves legislative priorities

With a new legislative session beginning in January, Decatur ISD wants to let lawmakers know about the needs of students and teachers in public education.

On Monday, the board approved a list of legislative priorities for the 89th Legislative Session in Austin, focusing on the areas of school finance; safety and security; accountability, instruction and learning; and teacher recruitment and retention.

“We are very much in a position to advocate for public education,” Interim Superintendent Karen Rue said. “We know that the public funding has been static since 2019. Bills will be filed that will address that, and we want an opportunity to share as a district and a community the priorities that are meaningful and helpful to us.”

On the issue of school finance, the district points out that the state has not changed the basic allotment of $6,160 per student since 2019, even though with inflation, today’s prices are 23 percent higher than 2019 prices. Proposed solutions include increasing the allotment to account for inflation, calculating funding based on enrollment, not attendance, fully funding special education and full-day Pre-K programs for all students and opposing efforts to divert school property tax revenue beyond public education.

Board member Matt Joiner emphasized the fact that state funding per student has not increased in five years.

“I want y’all to think about all the things that have changed since 2019, pre-covid — just think about the impacts your family has had. The district has certainly seen that as well,” he said.

With safety and security, the district wants the state to fully fund mandated armed security on each campus, beyond the current $15,000 per campus, continue facility hardening grants and extend grants to include cybersecurity funding.

The district also pointed out the issues with the current accountability system which is centered on “high-stakes standardized testing.” It suggested limiting state student assessments to federal requirements, advocating for permanent state funding for all required accelerated instruction and advocating for increased instructional materials and technology allotment funding.

DISD would also like to see the state focus on legislation that addresses teacher shortages and improves retention, advocate for increase in teacher compensation and healthcare and suspend penalties to employees and districts for hiring retired teachers.

Rue said it will be important to communicate the legislative priorities not just to local elected officials, but officials across the state and the public.

“We have to be unapologetic advocates for our system and what our kids need, and we have to ask people to join us in that advocacy and give them talking points and answer questions so they know what is at stake,” she said. “I think we are at a critical venture here in public education. We absolutely must speak up, speak out and be willing to have tough conversations when necessary.”