Texans for Local Schools

Senate Bill 15 by Senator Larry Taylor and Rep. Keith Bell would allow school districts to receive funding for students who receive remote instruction (according to certain standards and criteria). An amendment was added in the House that would exclude students who failed the STAAR test from participation in remote instruction opportunities. This makes the STAAR test the ultimate high stakes test, whereby failure on the test last spring could exclude a student from participating in a program that may be in the best interest of their safety and well-being.

What can you do?

The Texas House will consider the bill on third reading Monday afternoon. During that consideration, this ill-advised amendment could be removed from the bill. Please call your member of the Texas House and ask that the Bell Amendment be removed from SB 15 before it is passed by the House. Test scores should not be used to exclude students from opportunities or cost schools funding.

Also, in case that is not successful, please call your member of the Texas Senate and ask that the Senate refuse to concur with the House changes to SB 15, so that the bill can be taken to conference committee to remove the Bell amendment. Test scores should not be used to exclude students from opportunities or cost schools funding.

We need your help to protect full funding for public education in Texas. Don't let legislators break their promise to schools.

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Help make sure education dollars actually go to education!

Last week, Texas PTA sent an action alert on the K-12 federal stimulus money currently being considered by the legislature. Now tomorrow, the House Appropriations Committee will consider amendment ("rider") language in HB 1 requiring the legislature to spend federal dollars intended for public education only on public education.

‼️ If your legislator is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, please contact them today and urge that they maintain the rider in HB 1. Easily contact your legislator here: https://bit.ly/3m6RVsQ

*To check if your legislator is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, read this morning's email alert: https://t.e2ma.net/message/2vegnd/2noqbt

Texas is at risk of leaving behind billions of dollars that schools need to help our students.

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Dozens of states are working to distribute federal dollars for education to their schools. What is Texas waiting for? Tell your legislator that schools should get the dollars Congress has approved to help kids.

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