View as Webpage • May 1, 2023

Hearings this week will address:

• Higher education ban on student athletes competing in athletics based on gender identity
• School notifications for lack of nurses, counselors, and librarians on staff
• School curriculum for career and technical education
• Requirement to display the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom

Take Action: Freedom to Learn Advocacy Day

The Freedom to Learn Campaign is hosting a nationwide day of advocacy on May 3 with events across the country, including in Austin at the Texas Capitol. It will be a one-hour program with various guest speakers and then attendees will go in groups to visit offices of elected officials. Learn more about the day of action.

The Freedom to Learn Campaign (FTLC) is a movement created to fight the growing disinformation campaign against the erasure of history and lived experiences of marginalized communities, classroom censorship, and equitable legislation.

If you're unable to make it to the Capitol this week, you can record a brief video addressing your concerns with Texas leaders’ efforts to ban and defund diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.

House Passes an Illusion of School Safety

The House passed several school-related measures last week that now move to the Senate. HB 3 and HB 13 are both related to increasing school hardening measures and armed personnel in schools. While evidence suggests more armed personnel on school campuses does not enhance school safety, these bills focus on armed staff, emergency response training, and enhancements to school facilities. Neither of the bills make substantial investments to school-based mental health supports.

Corporal Punishment Still Remains Legal in Texas Schools

The House also considered but failed to pass a ban on corporal punishment in schools. Texas school personnel may slap, spank, hit or paddle a student as a means of school discipline by district policy and with only a parental opt-out option.

Last Sunday IDRA recognized International Day to End Corporal Punishment of Children. Though the House neglected to pass a ban, we encourage Texas school districts to put a stop to corporal punishment in their schools.

Small Steps for School Funding, but with Censorship Concerns

The House chamber also passed two bills related to teacher compensation and school funding. HB 11 increases teacher pay according to a new salary schedule and extends public pre-kindergarten and childcare eligibility to teachers’ children.

HB 100 also includes adjustments to teacher compensation and makes changes to school funding formulas. The bill increases the basic allotment by $90 to $6,250 per student and institutes an adjustment for inflation.

The compensatory allotment weights are slightly increased, and several allotments are revised to be based on enrollment instead of attendance, which would generate more funding toward those program areas.

These include: the bilingual education allotment, special education services, career and technical education, the early education allotment, and several others. New allotments include a fine arts allotment and a book safety allotment that allocates $3 per enrolled student to pay for books and materials that meet state library standards. This unfornuately funds potential school censorship of library books.

Testimony Presented Last Week

Texas Must Prioritize Evidence-Based Practices to Create Safe and Supportive Schools – IDRA Testimony On Senate Bill 11, submitted by Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., to the House Public Education Committee, April 25, 2023 - See video