• HOW LAWMAKERS CAN SUPPORT SUCCESS FOR TEXAS STUDENTS

    Download a copy of the 2024 EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç Legislative Priorities

    Support legislation to facilitate effective and efficient operations for public education

    • Increase the basic allotment to $7,200 and support indexing the basic allotment for the increasing cost of education.
    • Oppose the transfer of public funds to private entities through any kind of voucher method (e.g. education savings accounts, tuition tax credits, etc.)
    • Oppose restrictions to local taxing entities related to bond elections including the requirement of a supermajority to pass a bond.
    • Eliminate unfunded mandates by requiring all new mandates to be accompanied with additional funds.
    • Increase weights for students with additional needs to more accurately reflect the true costs of providing education services.
    • Support the ability of taxing entities to belong to organizations and to have representative educator and taxpayer voices in the legislative process.
    • Simplify bond ballot language to be more transparent and less confusing for voters.
    • Exclude the Fast Growth Schools Allotment from offsetting Formula Transition Grant revenue.
    • Fully fund special allotments, such as the Fast Growth Schools Allotment, the Formula Transition Grant, and the Instructional Materials Allotment.

    Support effective and equitable state accountability systems

    • Repeal the A-F reporting system.
    • Support a state academic accountability system that engages both state and local measures to more accurately assess the academic progress of students and overall effectiveness of a school district.
    • Oppose legislation that advocates for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a grading mechanism for state assessments.
    • Ensure state assessments are appropriate in length, frequency, and content.

    Support legislation that leads to the transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness of the charter school system

    • Require charter schools to treat student discipline infractions the same as community public schools, including requiring the provision of a disciplinary alternative education program and not allowing students to be expelled or unenrolled for discretionary discipline infractions (e.g. truancy, dress code).
    • Establish parameters for the growth of charter schools that include timely reporting requirements to allow local community schools to ability to properly plan for enrollment fluctuations.
    • Oppose the suspension of municipal zoning requirements and the granting of eminent domain for charter schools.
    • Support any mechanism that requires an entity receiving state aid for education to be held accountable for the use of that money and allow for transparency in reporting.

    Support legislation to address Teacher Retirement System (TRS) needs

    • As promised, provide financial stability for retired educators by adequately funding the TRS pension and insurance programs to provide long-term sustainability.
    • Remove financial restrictions of retire/rehire employees after one year of separation to further support recruitment and retention of highly qualified educators.
    • Advocate for the timely release of sufficient healthcare data from TRS to districts that request it.
    • Advocate loosening restrictions on allowable hours to work in a school district for certain retirees.

    Support local efforts to maintain safe and secure public schools for all

    • Provide funding, outside of the school finance formula, for a minimum of one police officer for every school in the State.
    • Reconsider Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code to allow school districts to cite individual students for fighting or disorderly conduct on campus.