After school choice rejected, some state lawmakers still want to pass bill to boost funding for schools, teachers
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The fourth special session has come to a legislative standstill after the Texas House voted last Friday to strip taxpayer subsidies for students to attend private school out of a comprehensive bill that would have also increased funding for school districts and teacher pay raises.
But Democratic lawmakers and the 21 Republicans who voted against the state-financed education savings accounts or ESAs, still want to approve more money for schools and teachers.
Democratic State Senator Royce West of Dallas told CBS News Texas the House should pass Senate Bill 2, which provides more money for schools and teachers. "I think they should pass it, and I think the Democrats should support that."
Nearly two weeks ago, Governor Greg Abbott warned lawmakers that if they don't send him a bill that includes ESAs, he would veto it and bring lawmakers back for a fifth special session next month, and additional sessions beyond that if necessary.
Senator West said lawmakers should be prepared if that happens. "Obviously, the governor has a right to continue to push this, but we also have the right as legislators to make certain we use every political parliamentary procedure that we can to if we have the ability to do a workaround, override a veto, then that's what we should do."
Under the measure which passed 27-1 in the Senate Nov. 9, the state would increase school districts per student allotment by $75, from $6,160 to $6,235.
In addition, teachers in school districts with more than 5,000 students would receive an extra $3,000.
In districts with 5,000 or fewer students, teachers would receive an extra $10,000.
The bill says the increased funding will maintain the educators' salary increases.
One of the 21 Republicans in the House who voted against ESAs, Representative Justin Holland (R-Heath), told CBS News Texas last week that public schools and teachers need to be supported.
"We do need to make sure that our teachers are taken care of—not only retired, but current, in the future," Holland said. "We need to retain talent. We need to pay them. We need to make sure that they're bonused appropriately, and that these school districts who have passed deficit budgets, get an increase in the basic allotment so that they can fund these budgets."
A House committee hasn't held a hearing on this bill or considered it yet.
Lawmakers are set to return to the Capitol Monday.
Rena Honea, president of the teachers' group Alliance AFT in Dallas, said lawmakers need to provide additional increases in funding for schools and teachers. "I'm grateful that was considered, but still, it is not enough to meet the need for our kids in Texas. The consideration is great, but the funding allotment has to be increased."
Michael Williams, a Republican who served as TEA commissioner for Governor Rick Perry, told CBS News Texas that he doesn't believe education savings accounts will be approved by the legislature anytime soon. "It's not going to pass in the near term because we haven't learned enough."
Williams said he has supported education savings accounts for decades and still does, but that Republicans need to re-imagine how they would work. "What we've done for 30 years, we had been thinking about moving a kid from Thomas Jefferson High School to St. Thomas Aquinas High School. But that's not what parents are asking for today. What parents are asking for today is, 'Can you get my youngster the unique educational experience that he or she wants?'"
He said instead of sending students to private schools, there could be more partnerships with community colleges and universities. "That, but I'm also talking about engaging the private learning providers. How do you engage Rosetta Stone and Babble, and all of these private learning providers, into this conversation?"
Williams said those courses could be for accelerated math or a foreign language and taught online.