Katy Edition | January 2023

EDUCATION

OTHER STORIES TO FOLLOW IN 2023

“Developing and advocating for these high-level priorities aids our district in establishing a dialogue with state representatives that ensures the perspectives, values, and priorities of our school community are at the forefront of legislative decisions impacting our students, sta, and families,” Redmon said in an emailed statement. On Dec. 12, KISD released docu- mentation on its priority initiatives ahead of the 88th legislative session. The district will support devel- oping a formula-driven index to increase the basic allotment per student that outpaces ination. This basic allotment has not changed since 2020, per the district’s legislative priorities doc. Additionally, the district supports administering district-based assess- ments that track individual progress and legislation that reduces the number of state-required tests. Teacher recruitment and retention is another priority for the district. The legislative priorities document identies insucient pay and exces- sive workloads which are “driving teachers out of the workforce.” To further retention, KISD will support bills to increase funding for teacher compensation, temporarily suspend penalties for hiring retired teachers through 2025 and to support state-subsidized college tuition for students studying K-12 education to build a pipeline for future teachers, per district documents.

funding in Texas public schools, which trails the national average.

session began Jan. 10, and public education is once again the focus of many prospective bills. Statewide, public school funding remains a top priority for lawmakers, educators and advocates. Because schools receive funding based on attendance, some administrators said their districts lost funding during the 2021-22 school year. Locally, Katy ISD’s priorities are legislation aecting school nance, state testing and accountability, teacher recruitment and retention, and House Bill 4545. The state nances schools through the basic allotment, which is the amount of money schools receive per student. Funding is based on average daily attendance, or the number of students at school on average. Average daily attendance is the sum of stu- dents present throughout the school year divided by the number of days that schools are required to be open, per the Texas Education Agency. Schools then earn $6,160 per student who meets the ADA thresh- old. But when a student is frequently absent, their school loses money, even if the school’s day-to-day oper- ations do not change. Several bills have been led this session to tackle

Many of LCISD’s November 2022 bond projects are scheduled for 2023.

$8K

$7,075

$6,106

20-plus projects planned for 2023 In November, three of the ve propositions from Lamar CISD’s $1.3 billion bond passed. In 2023, 10 projects from the bond are set to start construction and 10 more are planned for completion. Terrell and Gray elementary schools are both slated for completion in June, and three more elementary schools will nish in July 2024. Renovations and additions to Huggins, Austin, Bowie, Beasley and Jackson elementary schools are set for completion in the rst and second quarters of 2023. Renovations to Navarro Middle School and Taylor Ray and Meyers elementary schools as well as security vestibule additions are anticipated for After constituents failed to pass the voter-approval tax rate Nov. 8, Katy ISD must nd another way to supplement teacher and sta salaries. KISD General Manager of Media Relations Maria DiPetta said in an email the election was designed to generate revenue through the maintenance and operations portion of the district’s tax rate to exclusively fund teacher and sta raises. The district now looks to the 88th Texas legislative session for additional nancial support, including increasing the basic allotment, she said. completion in November. Katy ISD seeks additional funds after VATRE fails

Up by $969 (16%)

$6K

$4K

$2K

LOCAL PRIORITIES Katy ISD has identied priorities for the 88th legislative session, which began Jan. 10.

State testing & accountability Supports legislation to reduce the number of state-required assessments and promotes customized testing School nance Supports a formula-driven index for the basic allotment Supports any eorts to decrease workload and increase pay House Bill 4545 Supports relaxed mandates on required remediation intervention when students do not pass State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness tests. Teacher recruitment and retention

this allotment. Local priorities

Katy ISD’s board Vice President Lance Redmon said the district’s

SOURCES: EDUCATION WEEK, STATE OF TEXAS, KATY ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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KATY EDITION • JANUARY 2023