1. Looking Ahead to the 86th Legislature
Dr. Brian G. Gottardy, Superintendent of Schools
Deb Caldwell, Director of Government Relations & Grant Development
January 17, 2019

2. Demographics School Finance Significant Events 10% 5.3 million +
Increase in eco. dis. students over 20 yrs.
5.3 million +
Public school students
1 million +
English Learners
School Finance
$15 billion Rainy Day fund projected balance
Texas ranks 36th 
In per-pupil spending nationwide 7%
Property value growth in 2018
Let’s talk about some of the story lines that I think will be running in the background this legislative session.
Sources:
5.3 million students: TEA, Legislative Appropriations Request, FY
1 M EL: TEA, Legislative Appropriations Request, FY
10% increase in eco dis: TEA, Legislative Appropriations Request, FY
Texas Ranks 36th according to NEA
7% Property Value Growth: TEA and Moy
$15B Rainy Day Fund: LBB
We’ve had several significant events that will come into play: Hurricane Harvey, Sante Fe shooting and the Special Education state corrective plan. The first two will likely be funded with that Rany Day Fund money. For Special Education, the house budget outlines funds for 54 positions at TEA to implement the Special Education Strategic Plan.
Significant Events
Hurricane Harvey
Impacted 1.4 million + students
Sante Fe
As well as others
Special Education
Strategic Plan
Source: Time Magazine

3. It’s a marathon not a sprint
Members
28 New Reps.
With 3 more pending
7 New Sens.
1 New Speaker Speaker Dennis Bonnen
Bills filed
1,099 bills
Average amount filed over the last 10 years
215
In Deb’s bill tracker related to pub ed
Nearly 950 bills
Filed as of Jan. 4
The capitol has lots of new faces.
There are 28 new members joining the Texas House of Representatives. Eleven women, seventeen men. [source:
However, we still have three seats waiting election. For example, Justin Rodriguez (HD 125) here in Bexar County was just appointed as a County Commissioner so his state seat is open. There will be a special election on Feb. 12
We also have 7 new senators, and the balance has shifted a bit back toward the middle.
Close to 950 bills were filed between the start of filing in November and the Friday before the session started. That may sound like a lot but it’s less than the 10 year average and about 325 bills less than the previous session.
I am personally tracking about 215 bills to date. I expect it will be about 300 bills filed as move forward
When reading through bills now or hearing news stories about particular bills, it’s important to remember that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. The session is 140 days – that may sound like a decent amount of time but it’s slow to ramp up. We don’t really know yet how everything will shake out.
Source: School House Rocks
It’s a marathon not a sprint

4. Any new money is contingent on legislation passing
School Finance Conversation (just the beginning)
The House Plan
The Senate Plan
$9 B increase (new money) for “increasing the state share, enhancing school district entitlement, reducing recapture, and providing tax relief”
$6 B increase (new money) for teacher salary increase, property tax relief, and reducing reliance on recapture
You may have seem news stories this week about how public education is getting a big windfall of money.
Let’s talk about that.
[CLICK] House plan outlines $9 billion in new money – that’s above current formulas and student enrollment growth. That money is to be used for “increasing the state share, enhancing school district entitlement, reducing recapture, and providing tax relief”
[CLICK] The Senate plan comes in less than the House. It’s main focus is providing a teacher pay increase and providing property tax relief, and/or reducing reliance on recapture
[CLICK] while these numbers are out earmarked for now, any new money is contingent on legislation passing. We do not have very many school finance bills filed yet, and none from the key players.
[CLICK] Fun fact: Responsibility for the state budget alternates between chambers each session. Its the House’s turn in 2019.
Any new money is contingent on legislation passing
Fun fact: Responsibility for the state budget alternates between chambers each session. It’s the House’s turn in 2019.

5. Fun fact: The 64th Legislative Session took place in 1975.
Don’t get too excited yet …
This isn’t our first rodeo
Fun fact: The 64th Legislative Session took place in 1975.
Don’t get too excited yet.
[CLICK] this isn’t our first rodeo. We have been working on school finance reform for a long time. This is a political cartoon from the 64th Legislature.
[CLICK] Fun fact: The 64th took place in 1975

6. 2019 Legislative Agenda
State Policy that is right for public school children
Governance Local Control
Accountability Assessment
School Finance
Going into the session, I’m trying to work on the big rocks that funnel into our jar – school finance, accountability and assessment, and governance or local control. The Board’s Legislative Agenda helps to guide that work with the hope that the session will result in state policy that is right for public school children.
You can find the district’s Legislative Agenda online on the Board’s “about” page or on the Government Relations department page.

7. Important Upcoming Dates
Feb. 25, 2019 – PTA Rally Day Mar. 8, 2019 – Deadline for filing bills May 27, 2019 – Last day of 86th R

8. Resources to Stay Informed
Texas Tribune -- PTA Under the Dome newsletter -- Texas Legislature Online -- Suggestions to follow

9. Questions?