strong public SCHOOLS

Quality education is a core value in our district and constitutionally mandated in Texas.
 

Despite an increase in public school funding by the state of 5%, we need to work to sustain and build upon those gains. Teachers and staff need to be treated like the professionals that they are and teacher pay increases approved by the Texas Legislature in 2018 need to be funded.

 

The GOP leadership in Austin has a long-running poor record on preparing our children for the future by properly supporting public schools. The COVID pandemic has contributed to reducing readiness for Texas school children. I'm a firm believer and example of how much a quality education can provide upward mobility for our most precious resource.  

 

We need to ensure that the new investments in 2018 are yielding the results we expect. We must resist the temptation to go backward, and fall back into the pre-2019 cycle of leaving schools with “whatever is left” in the budget.  We need to put more resources into schools, and we need to do it in a way that does not place an undue burden on homeowners who have covered the bill as the state has reduced its contribution to public school funding. We also need to fully fund special education, as we are required to by law; and support trade programs, community colleges, adult education and other ways to prepare the future workforce so we can not only attract employers but also be competitive with other states.