Terrific expectations: Northwest ISD sets top priorities for Texas Legislature prior to special session

The Northwest ISD school board is making its position clear to lawmakers ahead of the expected education-focused unique session of the Texas Legislature.

The board voted 7-0 on Sept. 25 to approve two resolutions setting the district's legislative top priorities. The very first asks legislators to decline any variation of a voucher-like program and instead assistance increased public school financing. The 2nd suggests striking time out on A-F rankings while rolling out a revised system.

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The resolutions notify Northwest ISD's lawmakers where the district bases on these issues, Superintendent Mark Foust said in a declaration to the Fort Worth Report.

" At a time when educators are facing unmatched challenges, we anticipate all our lawmakers would support public school instructors; regrettably, some are using public education as a fulcrum," Foust stated.

Earlier this year, lawmakers proposed producing an education savings account program that would offer parents public dollars to fund their children's independent school tuition. The concept was a leading priority for Gov. Greg Abbott throughout this past spring's legislative session..

While moms and dads and organizations in Tarrant County are mixed on the effectiveness of school coupons, Abbott guaranteed political repercussions if lawmakers can not agree on passing them..

How lawmakers got here

In May, House Bill 100-- which would have enacted an education cost savings account program in Texas and increased funding to raise instructors' wages-- passed away after lawmakers failed to compromise..

Texas already has school option

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• Parents can select to send their children to a traditional public school, charter school or independent school or to homeschool them.
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• School districts likewise offer customized school choices to parents rather of standard area ones. Numerous districts enable moms and dads to send their kids to schools outside their district.
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• The October special session will focus on whether moms and dads can use taxpayer dollars for their kid's independent school.
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The program would have cost the state approximately $1.5 billion by 2028, according to the expense's cost quotes..

In its resolution, Northwest ISD stated that the education savings account program does not have responsibility for private schools.

" Our state is resting on a historical spending plan surplus of more than $30 billion, and some chosen officials are refusing to pass teacher and personnel raises unless funds for vouchers for private school option are diverted away from public schools," Foust said.

A-F accountability scores

Northwest ISD called on the Legislature to direct Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to not appoint the accountability rankings during the very first year of rolling out a revised system..

The brand-new responsibility system is planned to get here the same year TEA revised the state standardized test..

Modifications for A-F scores have remained in the works considering that 2021, and legislators approved a redesign of the standardized test in 2019.

Dang Le is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made separately of our board members and financial advocates.

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The Fort Worth Report retains the copyright for all of its published content. If you have any other concerns, contact Managing Editor Thomas Martinez.Great expectations: Northwest ISD sets priorities for Texas Legislature prior to unique session.
by Dang Le, Fort Worth Report.
September 26, 2023.

<< h1>> Great expectations: Northwest ISD sets top priorities for Texas Legislature before unique session<.
<< p class="" byline" > by Dang Le, Fort Worth Report << br/>> September 26, 2023<.

<< p>> The Northwest ISD school board is making its stance clear to legislators ahead of the anticipated education-focused unique session of the Texas Legislature.<.
<< p>> The board voted 7-0 on Sept. 25 to authorize 2 resolutions setting the district's legal priorities. The first asks legislators to reject any version of a voucher-like program and rather support << a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2023/06/18/fort-worth-area-districts-stuck-with-the-tab-after-texas-legislators-say-no-to-increasing-funding-for-schools-teacher-raises/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> increased public school funding<. The second recommends hitting pause on << a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2023/09/12/lower-than-expected-post-pandemic-outcomes-prompt-a-f-ratings-delay-for-texas-schools/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> A-F rankings< while presenting a revised system.<.
<< p>> The resolutions inform Northwest ISD's lawmakers where the district bases on these issues, Superintendent Mark Foust stated in a declaration to the Fort Worth Report.<.
<< p>>" At a time when teachers are dealing with extraordinary obstacles, we anticipate all our lawmakers would support public school teachers; unfortunately, some are utilizing public education as a fulcrum," Foust said.&& nbsp;. < p > Earlier this year, legislators proposed developing << a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2022/12/27/explainer-texas-lawmakers-want-to-expand-school-choice-what-you-need-to-know-about-vouchers-savings-accounts-and-tax-credits/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> an education cost savings account program< that would offer parents public dollars to fund their children's independent school tuition. The concept was a << a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2023/04/19/we-can-have-both-abbott-pushes-for-voucher-like-program-increasing-public-school-funding-during-fort-worth-stop/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> leading concern for Gov. Greg Abbott< throughout this past spring's legislative session. <.
<< p>> While moms and dads and organizations in Tarrant County are << a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2023/03/30/what-could-expanding-school-choice-mean-for-fort-worth-lots-of-questions-fewer-answers/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> mixed on the effectiveness of school coupons<, Abbott << a href=" https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/19/greg-abbott-school-choice-special-session-october/" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> promised political consequences< if lawmakers can not settle on passing them. <.
<< div class=" wp-block-algori-pdf-viewer-block-algori-pdf-viewer"><> < h3 class=" wp-block-heading">> How lawmakers got here<.
<< p>> In May, << a href=" https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=88R&Bill=HB100" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> House Bill 100<-- which would have enacted an education savings account program in Texas and increased funding to raise teachers' wages-- passed away after legislators failed to jeopardize. <.
<< div class=" wp-block-group alignright has-light-gray-background-color has-background">>.
<< h3 class=" wp-block-heading">> Texas already has school choice<.
<< ul>>.
<< li>> Parents can pick to send their kids to a traditional public school, charter school or independent school or to homeschool them. <.
<< li>> School districts likewise offer customized school choices to parents rather of conventional community ones. Lots of districts enable parents to send their children to schools outside their district. <.
<< li>> The October unique session will concentrate on whether parents can utilize taxpayer dollars for their kid's private school.<.
<.
<< p>> The program would have cost the state << a href=" https://hro.house.texas.gov/pdf/ba88r/hb0100.pdf#navpanes=0" target=" _ blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener">> approximately $1.5 billion< by 2028, according to the expense's cost quotes. <.
<< p>> In its resolution, Northwest ISD said that the education savings account program does not have responsibility for private schools.&& nbsp;. < p >" Our state is resting on a historical budget surplus of more than $30 billion, and some chosen authorities are refusing to pass instructor and personnel raises unless funds for vouchers for independent school choice are diverted away from public schools," Foust said.&& nbsp;. < h3 class=">wp-block-heading" > A-F accountability scores<.
<< p>> Northwest ISD contacted the Legislature to direct Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to not designate the accountability scores during the first year of rolling out a modified system. <.
<< p>> The new accountability system is planned to show up the very same year TEA modified the state standardized test. <.
<< div class=" wp-block-algori-pdf-viewer-block-algori-pdf-viewer"><> < p>> Revisions for A-F scores have remained in the works because 2021, and legislators approved a redesign of the standardized test in 2019.<.
<< p><> < em>> Dang Le is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at < < a href=" mailto:dang.le@fortworthreport.org"><> dang.le@fortworthreport.org or through < a href=" https://twitter.com/DangHLe" > < em> > Twitter < < em>>. At the Fort Worth Report, news choices are made separately of our board members and financial advocates. Read more about our editorial independence policy < a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/about/fort-worth-report-editorial-independence-policy/" > < em > here < em >. & nbsp; This < a target="><_ blank" href<= "https://fortworthreport.org/2023/09/26/great-expectations-northwest-isd-sets-priorities-for-texas-legislature-before-special-session/">article very first appeared on < a target=" _ blank" href= "https://fortworthreport.org">Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. < img src="" https://i0.wp.com/fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon.png?fit=150%2C150&ssl=1" style="" width:1 em; height:1 em; margin-left:10 px;" > < img id= "republication-tracker-tool-source" src= "https://fortworthreport.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=89555&ga3=UA-194640723-1""design= "width:1 px; height:1 px;" >. Copy to Clipboard. 1.