Blog
HB3 Summary and Update
- By: TXGifted
- On: 05/30/2019 11:43:48
- In: Announcements
The Texas Legislature finally finished its work on House Bill 3, the school finance and property tax reform bill that increases public education funding by $4.5 billion and earmarks more than $5 billion for school property tax compression.
Although we are disappointed that designated funding for G/T services has been repealed, we are so proud of TAGT and our members' advocacy efforts. Through your constant emails, Twitter advocacy, and hours sitting together at the Capitol, the changes that we were able to make in the final bill highlight the importance of serving our unique G/T students. In the new law, districts are required to continue G/T services and G/T requirements and certifications have been strengthened, in addition to the significant additional investment from the state to our schools.
HB3 Summary and Update
The Texas Legislature finally finished its work on House Bill 3, the school finance and property tax reform bill that increases public education funding by $4.5 billion and earmarks more than $5 billion for school property tax compression.
Although we are disappointed that designated funding for G/T services has been repealed, we are so proud of TAGT and our members' advocacy efforts. Through your constant emails, Twitter advocacy, and hours sitting together at the Capitol, the changes that we were able to make in the final bill highlight the importance of serving our unique G/T students. In the new law, districts are required to continue G/T services and G/T requirements and certifications have been strengthened, in addition to the significant additional investment from the state to our schools.
HB 3 will cost the state $11.6 billion for the 2020-2021 biennium and will increase the state's share of public education spending from 38% to 45%. HB 3 now heads to Gov. Abbott's desk; Abbott has until June 16 to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without his signature.
Highlights of HB3 include:
- The new Basic Allotment is $6,160 (up from $5,140)
- Special Ed Allotment: The mainstream weight was increased to 1.15, which benefits all ISDs
- Dyslexia Allotment: Creates a brand new weight (0.10) for students identified as dyslexic
- Compensatory Ed Allotment: Funding will now be dispersed based on a spectrum of student needs
- Early Education Allotment: Creates a new weight of 0.1 for each educationally disadvantaged student in ADA in grades K-3, and weight of 0.1 for each student in a bilingual program; students can get both weights
- Career and Technology Allotment: Extends current weight (1.35) to grades 7-8
- Creates an allotment of $50 for each student in attendance at a campus designated as a P-TECH school or at a campus that is a member of the New Tech Network
- Bilingual Education Allotment: Maintains current 0.10 weight for limited English proficient students in traditional bilingual and ESL programs
- Creates a new weight of 0.15 for limited English proficient students in programs using dual language immersion
- Creates a new weight of 0.05 for a student that is not limited English proficient in a dual language immersion program
- College, Career, or Military-Readiness Outcomes Bonus: Awards of bonus funds to districts for graduates that meet criteria in numbers that exceed a threshold rate to be set by the commissioner
- Award amounts are $5,000 for educationally disadvantaged
- $3,000 for those not educationally disadvantaged
- $2,000 for students enrolled in special education programs
- Teacher Incentive Allotment: For classroom teachers with a designation of “master,” “exemplary,” or “recognized,” based on a local appraisal system that qualifies, a district is entitled to an allotment of from $3,000 to $32,000, based on the designation and place of work of the teacher
- Higher amounts are awarded for teachers at “high needs” or “rural” schools; at least 90% of the allotment must be used for compensation at the campus at which the teacher that earned the award is employed
- Mentor Program Allotment: The commissioner is authorized to establish a formula to distribute funds to support mentor teachers.
Other Education Bills
- SB 1374: Allows students to take Algebra I and Geometry at the same time
- SB 213: Continues the Individual Graduation Committee Option, which allows high school students to graduate if they do not pass all 5 EOCs
- HB 678: Allows students to earn high school credit for American Sign Language (ASL) courses taught in elementary school.
- SB 1451: Authorizes teachers to document conduct by a student that violates the student code of conduct and to submit that documentation to the principal