Legislative Priorities

May 20, 2022: Board of Trustees have started preparing for the 88th Texas Legislative Session

The Texas 88th Legislative Session opens in January 2023. Archive of previous session’s priorities

When examining legislative priorities, the Board’s Legislative Committee created two categories: targeted priorities and collaborative opportunities.

LISD Targeted Priorities

Targeted priorities are defined as initiatives that LISD Board members will face decisively. They are:

• Increased funding for hiring staff and providing the professional development necessary to meet student needs.
• Continue to monitor student data privacy, as passed in House Bill 3 in the 87th Legislative Session, and ensure any data mining by vendors is specifically prohibited.
• Supports protecting students and parents by ensuring special education advocates and hearing officers adhere to ethical standards and possess qualifications in Texas law and special education prescribed by an applicable state agency.

Collaborative Opportunities

The LISD Board will proactively seek partnerships and engagement on the opportunities identified below:

• Workforce Retention & Recruiting
  • Apprenticeship programs;
  • Loan Forgiveness;
  • Increased Compensation (State Funded);
  • Alteration of legislation and programs that cause undue burdens on a teacher’s capacity for time with students (HB 4545 and Reading Academies).
• HB 4545: Amend the legislation to allow for more flexibility in implementation, including: altering 3:1 teacher to student ratios and allowing for more discretion on the number of tutoring hours necessary for the individual student. 
• Reading Academies: Increase funding and provide stipends for teachers to attend (similar to initial academies under the Bush Administration) and allow districts to undergo specific training to offer academies via district personnel. 
• Support allowing flexible options via a more holistic and comprehensive accountability system for students to ensure their education fits their current and future needs.
• Support a Special Education Allotment that fully funds each child based upon their needs and individual circumstances. 
• Oppose differing standards for bond and tax ratification elections than other elections. 
• Transition school funding from an attendance based system to an enrollment-based system. 
• Ensure decision making encourages participation by and prioritizes the needs of parents, teachers, staff, and Trustees identified by the Education Code in local governance matters. 
• Support full and adequate funding for full-day prekindergarten.
• Support additional funding for measures that provide relief for fast growth school districts, including:
  • Instructional Facilities Allotment;
  • New Instructional Facilities Allotment; and
  • Existing Debt Allotment.

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Senators & Representatives in Leander ISD

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Archive

• 2021: 87th Legislative Session