Aldine ISD Sets Priorities for 87th Legislative Session

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With the 87^th Texas Legislature underway, Aldine ISD has set five priorities it would like Texas lawmakers to consider to benefit Aldine students.

FA922P Texas State Capitol building located in Austin, Texas, USA.

Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney and her Executive Leadership Team (ELT) established the priorities and have had informal discussions with local elected official’s staff concerning the district’s legislative priorities.

Aldine officials are hopeful they will meet at some point with lawmakers in Austin, but those plans are on hold due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the State Capitol.

The district’s five legislative priorities for the 87^th Legislature are:

• Priority 1 – School Finance: Aldine ISD believes that to ensure funding is sustainable, the state must maintain a finance system authorized by HB 3. AISD believes in a public school finance system that provides equitable funding. Aldine would like the state to continue funding levels set for HB 3, protect HB 3 funding for students in need of greater resources, particularly those who come from economically disadvantaged homes and provide options and support for districts to address tax collection issues the result of COVID-19.
• Priority 2 – Digital Learning: Aldine ISD believes that legislation is required to bridge the digital divide. The district would like to see the state support families with remote instruction, necessary technology, and training to enable student education. It also recommends that the state assist supporting families with remote instruction, necessary technology, and training to continue the education of students and provide funding to help with the management of electronic devices that include asset management, software application, and engagement tracking. Aldine also supports the state provide funding for staff development training, additional certification, digital learning academies for teachers providing virtual learning for public school students and allow school districts to shift to remote instruction as needed following emergencies and disasters.
• Priority 3 – School Choice: Aldine ISD remains steadfast in giving its students access to high-quality schools and programs. The district is committed to providing the community with options to meet student needs best. AISD recommends the state prohibit charter school expansion next to traditional schools rated “B” or better, require more transparency and accountability for existing charters, and continue funding SB 2177 to ensure the district can keep students in Aldine with programs that work best for them.
• Priority 4 – Mental Health and School Safety: Aldine ISD believes schools should be safe and secure learning environments that focus on the social, emotional, and cultural needs of every student. AISD supports the state ensuring students and staff have the supports they need (as part of the school mental and behavioral health recommendations from TEA), allow schools district flexibility to determine how school safety and mental health funds are spent to meet local needs, and assist school districts with additional resources to address health and safety needs, mental health issues, homelessness, food insecurity, suicide prevention, staff shortages, attendance, and engagement that have occurred as a result of COVID-19.
• Priority 5 – Accountability: Aldine ISD believes the state accountability system should be a tool that helps local school districts and educators improve student performance. Aldine ISD supports removing the expiration date for the Individual Graduation Committees currently set to expire in 2022.