New priority bills filed

House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley filed three major pieces of education legislation this week:

• House Bill 2 increases the basic allotment by $220, from $6,160 per pupil to $6,380, far short of what is needed to keep up with inflation. It does not include a direct pay raise for teachers and other employees, though salaries should increase slightly due to the higher basic allotment, and an increase in the percentage of that new funding that must be directed to compensation for nonadministrative employees.
• House Bill 3 creates a school voucher program, but ties the program’s per-student benefits to public education funding. Vouchers would be worth 85% of state and local funding for schools, so the amount available to each student would increase when public schools receive more money and dip when public education funding declines.
• House Bill 4 proposes an overhaul of STAAR testing to reduce its length and prioritize post-secondary preparation.

Rep. Jeff Leach, a member of the House Public Education Committee, has filed House Bill 6, aimed at curbing student discipline issues. It includes options for virtual DAEPs and provisions for alternative placements of students with disabilities.

TCTA is working to analyze these complex House bills and will share more in the coming days.