GOOD MORNING & HAPPY FRIDAY!
Legislative Advocacy- As you are aware, the Texas Legislature is currently in session. Our Texas Legislators are Senator Drew Springer and Representative David Spiller.
I encourage you to be informed and to contact Senator Springer and Representative Spiller regarding legislation that will impact public education in general and Graham ISD. A great place to begin is by reading the legislative priorities of the associations that support public education. The ones I have reviewed so far are linked below.
On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I was in Austin visiting legislators with a group of superintendents from ESC 9 and the Texas Association of Midsize Schools. Out talking points and questions included-
- Increase in the Basic Allotment for schools.
- An increase in the basic allotment triggers and sustains funding for a teacher pay raise.
- Education Savings Accounts, Tax Credits, Vouchers- Our stance is that tax dollars should not be used to fund private schools.
- There is talk at the Capital that funding may be increased for small/midsize/rural schools to get their legislators to accept a voucher bill.
- Our stance is that if vouchers are going to be debated and considered they need to be considered on their own merit and not connected to funding for public schools.
- Tax Compression vs Increase in the Homestead Exemption- School district “hold harmless” can go away in future legislative sessions. Tax compression impacts all taxpayers- homeowners and business taxpayers. Tax compression is revenue neutral for school districts.
- The State share for public school funding is 31%. The State claims this number to be 41%. State adds recapture as state revenue but it in effect locally collected taxes.
- Methodologies used prior to HB 3- State share- 38%
- If you remove charter school funding the state share drops to about 29%
- Current spending for Texas Public Schools
- $17 B for Regular Public Schools (93% of Schools in Texas)
- $4 B for Charter Schools (7% of Schools in Texas)
- Ch. 313- The removal of this program has eliminated local control for school districts. Particularly harmful for small, midsize, and rural school districts as they have very limited ways to increase their local revenue.
- Special education funding gap of $2 B. Schools need to be funded for what we are required to do.
- Legislation is needed to allow for the prosecution of truancy and the ability to discipline young students who have extreme behavior challenges.
Lady Blues and Graham Steer Tennis- Our tennis teams will be competing in the Cowtown Classic today. GO NETTERS!
Lady Blues Soccer- Congratulations on the Monday evening victory over Mineral Wells. The Lady Blues will be playing Wichita Falls High School at Memorial Stadium. The start time will be 5:30 pm. GOOD LUCK LADY BLUES!
Graham Steer Soccer- The Steers are at Memorial Stadium this evening facing Old High. The contest will begin at 7:30 pm. GO STEERS!
Lady Blues Softball- The Lady Blues are playing in the Abilene ISD tournament today and tomorrow. GO LADY BLUES!
Lady Blues and Steer Track- Our track athletes will be competing in the Mineral Wells Track Meet today! RUN FAST!
Graham Steer Baseball- Graham Steer Varsity Baseball Tournament- GO STEERS!
One Act Play- Mark Your Calendar- Our GHS One Act Play will be competing in the UIL District One Act Play contest on Saturday, March 4, 2023. The performances will begin at noon with the following order- Glen Rose, Mineral Wells, Graham, Brownwood, and Stephenville. A public performance will be held at 7:00 pm on Thursday, March 2nd in the GHS Auditorium.
Today…
I have responsibilities to fulfill today.
Today I get to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy (icy) or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because I am blessed with shelter for my mind, body, and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Have a nice day...unless you have already made other plans!
CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY:
What kind of doctor is Dr. Pepper? (Scroll down for the answer.)
A Fizzician!
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