The House Public Education Committee held its first hearing of the special session Monday at the Texas Capitol. After championing public education during the regular session, Chairman Dan Huberty (R-Houston) made clear that the committee will continue to devote its time to real solutions to public education issues, beginning with school finance.

House Public Education Committee meeting July 24, 2017.

HB 21 by Chairman Huberty remains House leadership’s priority school finance bill, and the refiled special session version contains a few changes from the engrossed version approved by the Texas House during the regular session. The current bill would roll the transportation and high school allotments into the basic allotment, which would increase by $375 to $5,140 from $4,765, and would increase the guaranteed level of state support for interest and sinking (I&S) funding. HB 21 would create a weighted allotment for students with dyslexia or related disorders and increase the weight for the bilingual allotment. The legislation adds $25 million in charter school funding and would gradually increase the small-sized district adjustment over a five year period. It includes $159 in hardship assistance grants for districts that are scheduled to lose funding under additional state aid for tax reduction (ASATR).

ATPE lobbyist Mark Wiggins testified in support of HB 21, pointing out that the committee’s decision to focus on meaningful school finance solutions sends a strong message that the Texas House continues to put children first. ATPE supported HB 21 during the regular session as well.

HB 23 by Chairman Huberty is identical to HB 23 filed during the regular session, which would create a five-year grant program to provide money for districts and charters that provide innovative services to students with autism. The total number of eligible school programs would be capped at ten, giving priority to collaborations between multiple districts and charters. Funds would be capped at $20 million total, and $1 million for each individual program. According to the fiscal note, HB would cost the state $258,000 through 2019 and $10.1 million each following year. Chairman Huberty argued the pilot program would help drive innovation in a much-needed area of education. ATPE supports this bill.

HB 61 by state Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) would grant school districts required to reduce their wealth per student the ability to count their transportation allotment against the total amount of attendance credits the districts is required to purchase.

HB 62 by Rep. Hinojosa would order the Texas Education Agency (TEA) commissioner to reduce the taxable value of property of a school district that provided social security coverage for district employees before January 1, 2017, by a percentage of value equal to the percentage of the district’s required contribution for social security coverage.

HB 194 by state Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) would gradually increase the small-sized district adjustment under the Foundation School Program over a five year period and eliminates the bracketing to districts that contain at least 300 square miles. ATPE supports this bill.

HB 197 by Vice-chair Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would increase the weight for the bilingual education allotment to .25 from .1. ATPE supports this bill.

HB 234 by Vice-chair Bernal would increase the weight for the compensatory education allotment to .25 from .2. ATPE supports this bill.

HB 258 by state Rep. Mary González (D-El Paso) would increase the basic allotment by $1,075 and increase weighted funding for bilingual education and students with disabilities. It would also eliminate the high school allotment and increase the guaranteed level of funding per cent of tax effort. Additionally, HB 258 would order a study of the funding weights and a review of the state’s school finance system following each legislative session. ATPE supports this bill.

All bills were left pending Monday. The committee is scheduled to convene Tuesday morning to discuss additional legislation.