AT THE CAPITOL
News from the 88th legislative session
QUOTE OF NOTE
House passes bills to improve teacher retention and increase school funding
KEEPING STAFF The Texas Teacher Vacancy Task Force issued a report in February. House Bills 11 and 100, which passed April 27 in the Texas House, respond to the task force’s recommendations:
Sign up for our newsletter at communityimpact.com for daily updates throughout the session. SUBSCRIBE TODAY Licensing and Regulation. As of May 9, this bill was passed in the Senate and was waiting for a House vote to be scheduled. House Bill No. 3766 This bill would provide individuals experiencing homelessness a waiver on application fees for housing, which can exceed $75. As of May 9, the bill was out of committee and waiting for an official House vote to be scheduled. Senate Bill No. 876 This bill would subject all commercial dog and cat breeders to certain requirements to increase protections for animals, such as inspections by the Texas Department of “TRANS ATHLETES IN COLLEGIATE COMPETITIONS ARE RARE. WHEN THEY DO SEEK TO COMPETE, THE NCAA HAS ALREADY EXHIBITED AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THE EXPERTISE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING SEN. SARAH ECKHARDT, D-AUSTIN, COMMENTING ON SENATE BILL 15, WHICH, IF PASSED, WOULD REQUIRE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO COMPETE ON SPORTS TEAMS BASED ON THEIR SEX ASSIGNED AT BIRTH UPDATES FROM LOCAL LEGISLATORS FIELD ON A CASE- BY-CASE BASIS.”
BY HANNAH NORTON
The minimum salary for a beginning Texas teacher is $33,660 for the 2022- 23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency. HB 100 also adjusts the basic allotment—or how much state money schools receive per student—by $140 over the next two school years. The basic allotment is set at $6,160. It would go up to $6,250 during the 2023- 24 school year and $6,300 in 2024-25. The Texas Education Agency in March 2022 reported teacher depar- ture rates to be 11.57%. That rate is the highest it’s been since the agency started collecting data beginning in the 2007-08 school year. “House Bill 100 is a historic bill that is infusing an estimated $4.5 billion into public education while making policy shifts that will support critical increases in teacher pay and greater predictability,” King said. Both bills are now headed to the Texas Senate.
In an attempt to reduce the high rate of turnover among public and charter school staff, the Texas House passed two bills April 27 that are aimed at increasing school funding and provid- ing more support for teachers. House Bill 11, by Rep. Harold Dutton, D-Houston, would provide additional funding for teacher residency and mentorship programs, which help aspiring and early-career teachers. The proposal also increases the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a program designed in 2019 to give “outstanding” teachers added pay. “This bill ultimately provides ... an opportunity for all of our schools—all five and a half million students in Texas to get a better quality educa- tion,” Dutton said. HB 100, by Rep. Ken King, R-Ca- nadian, would raise the minimum salaries for teachers, librarians, nurses and counselors based on experience.
Raise overall teacher compensation
Give teachers additional benefits and support
Increase help for special education teachers
Improve training for aspiring teachers
Expand teacher mentor- ship programs
Increase access to high- quality teaching materials
Extend teacher planning periods
Provide additional sup- port for staff
SOURCE: TEXAS TEACHER VACANCY TASK FORCE AND TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Lawmakers seek to require armed security in schools
INCREASING SECURITY
Texas lawmakers are working on a trio of bills that will increase school security statewide.
BY HANNAH NORTON
school safety audits from the Texas Education Agency for all public school districts. HB 13, by Rep. Ken King, R-Cana- dian, would provide a $25,000 annual stipend to school employees who choose to be armed on campus. HB 3 and HB 13 are now headed to the Texas Senate, and SB 838 will be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk to sign.
The Texas House on April 25 passed three bills to enhance school safety. Senate Bill 838, by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would add silent panic alert devices to all classrooms. The devices would immediately alert district officials and law enforcement of an emergency. House Bill 3, by Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, would require
Action: Requires an- nual safety audits for Action: Gives a $25,000 stipend to
House Bill 3
all public school districts House Bill 13
armed employees on campuses
Action: Adds panic alert devices to all
Senate Bill 838
classrooms
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
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CEDAR PARK - FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • MAY 2023
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