In this issue: Bleak Senate funding proposal, the costly Lone Star Governance scheme enriching a few at kids’ expense, and a Thursday HISD budget workshop.
Right now, the Senate version of public education funding gives just $55 more per student. “It’s like your house being on fire, and the fire department showing up with a 12 oz cup of water.”
“The House version would increase the basic allotment by $395, from $6,160 per student. Texas lawmakers have not increased the basic allotment since 2019, and lawmakers and school leaders have testified that more than a $1,300 increase would be needed to keep pace with inflation.”
Let Senator Creighton know what you think of his miserly rewrite of HB 2. He’s asking on FB — let him hear from you.
While Senate Republicans withhold adequate funding from Texas public schools, the Texas Education Agency continues to push Lone Star Governance (LSG), especially in districts under takeover threats or already taken over.
Lone Star Governance (LSG) forces school trustees to fixate on STAAR scores, confusing test results with real literacy and civic readiness. LSG encourages boards to abandon their fiduciary duty to ensure taxpayer funds truly benefit Texas schoolchildren.
And as this Seattle Times article describes, it’s also a giant grift that’s enriching AJ Crabill, former Deputy Commissioner of TEA. Here’s an excerpt:
“Four years ago, in an effort to stem these problems, the school board signed up for something called Student Outcomes Focused Governance, an approach to running large, urban districts that promised to streamline operations and simultaneously improve student performance.
"So far, it has cost Seattle roughly $300,000, including membership fees, conferences and mandatory trainings, provided by a Texas-based coach named AJ Crabill, who bills at $1,000 a day. (This may be a bargain; Crabill has charged other districts $650 an hour.)
"First red flag: There are all kinds of management theories that groups can adopt without dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Second red flag: The Student Outcomes model directs Seattle’s unpaid board members to focus exclusively on big-picture policies, while leaving nitty-gritty details — like financial oversight — to the salaried professionals at district headquarters."
Since Lone Star Governance places no priority on fiscal responsibility, it is up to the community to speak out. There is an HISD Budget meeting at 1 pm on Thursday. Sign up to speak on Zoom or in person. Register by noon on Wednesday at https://houstonisd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
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