Education
GISD calls for increased funding from legislature Ahead of the 89th Texas legislative session Georgetown ISD administrators laid out some of the district’s priorities for lawmakers to consider during a Jan. 7 board workshop. The details Increasing funding for special education and school safety would better provide for the needs of students, Superintendent Devin Padavil said. In a presentation showing how much funding the district is allotted for special education services the district is required to provide, the difference between state funding and actual cost of services for the previous school year is about $4.6 million. Similarly, to meet safety requirements outlined in 2023’s House Bill 3, which mandated armed guards at every Texas public and charter school, GISD Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hanna said
TEA certification waived for counselors In an effort to fill counselor vacancies, Georgetown ISD’s board of trustees approved a waiver removing a Texas Education Agency certification requirement in December. In a nutshell Trustees approved an update to the district’s innovation plan allowing a school counselor to be hired without a TEA certifi- cation as long as they are licensed.
District priorities
Increasing funding for special education Increasing the basic allotment per student Increasing the school safety allotment Full-day funding for prekindergarten Dedicated funding for mental and emotional health of students and staff Shift from an attendance-based funding model to enrollment-based funding Increase funding for career and technical education to meet workplace demands of the next decade Padavil highlighted several of GISD’s priorities for the upcoming legislative session, with the majority revolving around the issue of funding.
SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
"When we come down to the community level … we’re seeing that the competition is high. It is a tough-to-staff position."
the district had to spend $298,827 more than provided by the state. What they’re saying The focus of these requests, Padavil said, is ensuring the district is able to adequately provide for students and employees in a competitive way.
DAVID RAINEY, GISD’S DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE AND WELLNESS
12
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook