[00:00:02]
AND I CALL TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FRISCO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.OUR FIRST AND ONLY ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS OUR DISCUSSION REGARDING LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
[1. Discussion regarding Legislative Update]
MR. STOCKTON.MR. WOLFE. THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND LET US CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT'S GOING TO START IN JUST JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH NOW.
SO, SEE, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO THAT.
I'M LOOKING AT IT ON MY COMPUTER, SO I MAY ACCIDENTALLY ADVANCE IT ON THE WRONG PLACE, BUT.
SO THIS IS OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH.
I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF THINGS.
SOME OF THOSE ARE REALLY SHORT.
SO YOU ALL YOU EACH HAVE A BOOK CALLED THE BLUEPRINT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL.
WE'LL GET YOU AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THIS.
AND AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THIS WILL ALSO BE POSTED ON THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WEB PAGE AS WELL.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THAT THROUGHOUT THE MAG, AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
SORRY, I JUST JUMPED AHEAD, DIDN'T I? SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS TODAY.
FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO TALK THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
AGAIN, YOU ALL ADOPTED THOSE IN OCTOBER, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THOSE REALLY QUICKLY.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF KIND OF BASIC SCHOOL FINANCE THINGS JUST TO SET THE STAGE FOR SOME OF OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET SURPLUS THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE THIS YEAR OR THE SESSION.
AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO DURING THE SESSION, HOW WE ENGAGE WITH LEGISLATORS, HOW WE ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE ENGAGE WITH PARTNERS, WHICH ARE KIND OF THE THREE COMPONENTS OF OUR MISSION.
SO LIKE DANNY MENTIONED, YOU GUYS HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS BLUEPRINT BOOKLET, AND IT ACTUALLY GOES INTO PRETTY MUCH ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO TODAY AND IT GOES INTO IT IN GREATER DETAIL AND YOU CAN USE THE PRINTOUT PRESENTATION TO FOLLOW ALONG.
I KNOW THE TEXT IS PRETTY SMALL.
YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS TO FOLLOW ALONG.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND YOU'RE LIKE, HMM, I WONDER IF THEY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
IT'S IN THE BOOK, ACTUALLY, THE BLUEPRINT.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
AND THAT TELLS YOU WHERE IN THE BOOK YOU CAN FIND THAT SAME INFORMATION.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND WE'VE GONE OVER IT KIND OF BRIEFLY IN THE PRESENTATION, IT'LL POINT YOU BACK TO THE PAGE THAT WILL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL SOMETIMES FOR YOU.
WE WERE MAKING LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS TO IT THIS MORNING AND SO THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T POSTED YET.
BUT WE WILL GET THAT POSTED ON THE BOARD BOOK AS WELL.
SO THAT THAT WILL BE ATTACHED TO THIS MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC.
EXCUSE ME. SO JUST AS A BRIEF KIND OF OVERVIEW BEFORE WE GET INTO SOME OF THOSE OTHER DETAILS, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE 100% THE SESSION HAS KIND OF ALREADY STARTED, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY DOWN IN AUSTIN YET.
AND THAT'S KIND OF A WAY FOR LEGISLATORS TO SET WHAT THEIR AGENDA IS GOING TO BE FOR EACH SESSION.
AND AGAIN, THE TEXT IS REALLY TINY IN HERE.
BUT THESE ARE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
THERE ARE SOME BILLS THAT WILL BE IN MORE THAN ONE OF THESE.
SO THEY SHOW UP IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
BUT I WILL JUST MAKE ONE POINT ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS THAT MOST PROPERTY TAX LEGISLATION ALSO REQUIRES A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE WAY THAT OUR CONSTITUTION DEALS WITH PROPERTY TAXES.
SO FOR EVERY NOT EVERY BUT FOR MOST OF THESE PROPERTY TAX BILLS, THERE'S REALLY TWO.
BUT EVEN EVEN WITH THAT, IT'S STILL THE LARGEST CATEGORY OF OF LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN FILED SO FAR.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TAKE A BITE OF A COOKIE? AND IT WASN'T RIGHT BEFORE I PRESENTED THIS PAGE.
I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE LONGER ON THAT.
OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE, WE ACTUALLY TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THIS IN OCTOBER.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT WE LIKE TO BRING THEM UP EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, BECAUSE THAT'S THE GROUP THAT DEVELOPS OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THEIR BIG DELIVERABLES.
[00:05:04]
CONNECT WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND TAXPAYERS AND STUDENTS, EMPOWERING THEM TO ENGAGE WITH FRISCO ISD COMMUNITY AND THEN ALSO RECOMMENDING LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND PROPOSALS FOR ADOPTION BY THE FRISCO ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES.SO THOSE ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU GUYS ADOPTED IN OCTOBER.
THAT INCLUDES STAFF MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HAVE IT EVENLY SPREAD OUT OVER HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
WE HAVE PRINCIPALS ON THERE, SO WE HAVE PRINCIPAL VOICE.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER CAMPUS STAFF VOICES, SOME ADMIN STAFF.
AND WE ALSO HAVE AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS GO, WE HAVE BUSINESS MEMBERS, WE HAVE NON PTA COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THEN WE HAVE PTA AND FRISCO EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOLKS THAT ARE ALL IN THAT GROUP AND ON THE NON PTA COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHAT THE NON PTA COMMUNITY MEMBER GROUP IS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WE TRY REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS REPRESENTATIVE GEOGRAPHICALLY.
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY 11 FEEDER PATTERNS HERE BECAUSE THE TERM STARTED BEFORE PANTHER CREEK OPENED.
SO WE HAVE WE USE THE FEEDER PATTERNS TO HELP US KIND OF PULL PEOPLE ON.
I JUST WANT TO HIT A COUPLE OF I JUST KIND OF WANT TO HIT THE FIVE CATEGORIES THAT THEY FELL INTO.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE THAT AS OUR SETTING OUR STAGE FOR THE REST OF OUR DISCUSSION.
HOUSE BILL 4545, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT MORE, AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW FROM AN ACCOUNTABILITY PERSPECTIVE OF SCHOOLS ONLINE LEARNING, WHICH IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUND STUDENTS WHO ARE TEMPORARILY OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT, LIKE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WHO REALLY STILL ARE OUR STUDENTS. AND THEN ALSO ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL LEARNING TO STUDENTS IN THE WAY THAT BEST SUITS THEIR NEEDS AND IS FUNDED THAT WAY.
ON THE SCHOOL FINANCE SIDE, WE HAVE INCREASING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION AND INDEXING THAT TO RATE OF INFLATION, WHERE WE TALK A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT AND THEN UPDATING SOME PROGRAMMATIC ALLOTMENTS, THINGS LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THEN THE OTHER FOUNDATION SCHOOL PROGRAM ALLOTMENTS.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUDGET.
THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE.
THANK YOU. SEE, I ADVANCED IT ON THE WRONG THING AGAIN THAT WE HAVE FEEL LIKE WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS A PROBLEM FOR FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE WAY THAT THAT'S SET UP AND THEN ALSO ALLOWING US TO DETERMINE LOCALLY OUR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PRE K PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE STUDENTS WHO CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FREE FULL DAY PRE K ON THE WHOLE CHILD SIDE, IT'S REALLY ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE COMING BACK FROM FROM THE HOSPITAL SETTING, MAKE SURE THEY'RE STILL GETTING THEIR EDUCATION WHILE THEY'RE IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING BY GIVING US ACCESS TO THEM FOR THAT PURPOSE WITH PARENTAL CONSENT OF COURSE, BUT THEN ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THEY COME BACK TO CAMPUS, WE HAVE A TRANSITION PLAN FOR THEM THAT THE HOSPITAL IS KIND OF HELPING US WITH.
AND SO THAT'S THOSE ARE THE TWO PRIORITIES THEY'RE.
SO YOU GUYS WERE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THIS MAP WHEN YOU CAME IN? I SAW SEVERAL FOLKS.
WE HAD SOME CHANGES BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING.
SO THERE'S NEW PEOPLE IN OFFICE, BUT THERE'S ALSO NEW LINES DRAW NEW DISTRICTS DRAWN.
AND SO WHERE WE USED TO HAVE SENATOR PAXON AND SENATOR NELSON, WE NOW HAVE GREAT MAJORITY, 73% OF IT IS SENATOR SPRINGER. AND HE IS NOT NEW.
HE WAS IN THE HOUSE BEFORE HE WAS IN THE SENATE.
AND THIS IS, I THINK, HIS SESSION, SECOND SESSION IN THE SENATE.
HE WAS PRIMARILY RURAL BEFORE COMING AND TAKING OVER THIS PORTION OF COLLIN COUNTY.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF NEW FOR HIM TO BE IN A SPACE THAT IS NOT SO RURAL.
AND THEN WE STILL HAVE FOUR HOUR PORTIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF FRISCO OR FRISCO.
WE HAVE SENATOR ANGELA PAXTON STILL, AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HER OFFICE A LOT LAST SESSION.
WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH SENATOR SPRINGER'S OFFICE A LOT ALREADY.
THEY LIKE COMING TO OUR EVENTS.
AND SO THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR US.
[00:10:02]
YES. SO OUR HOUSE DISTRICTS CHANGED QUITE A LOT.WE ONLY HAD FOUR PEOPLE LAST YEAR.
WE ALSO HAD NEW PEOPLE RUNNING.
SO WE HAVE TWO FAMILIAR ISH FACES ON THERE.
REPRESENTATIVE PATTERSON, OBVIOUSLY HIS DISTRICT DIDN'T CHANGE A TON.
HE REPRESENTED US LAST YEAR AS WELL.
HE WAS STILL VERY INVOLVED IN A LOT THAT WE DID.
BUT NOW HE'S GOT BASICALLY OUR THAT MIDDLE COLLIN COUNTY SIDE OF FRISCO.
AND THEN IF YOU GO OVER INTO THE EAST SIDE AND MCKINNEY ARE NEW ARE ACTUALLY OUR BIGGEST NOW REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE EXCUSE ME FREDERICK FRAZIER.
WE'VE STARTED TO REACH OUT TO THEIR OFFICE LIKE THEY'RE NEW.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD OUR CONTACTS THERE AND REACH OUT TO THEM AND DO SOME WORK WITH THEM.
REPRESENTATIVE LEACH IS NOT NEW TO THE HOUSE, BUT HE'S NEW TO US.
AND SO HE HAS 3% OF THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE PLAZA, A REPRESENTATIVE ELECT PLAZA DOWN BELOW 121 THERE IS NEW IN THAT PLANO AREA. SHE'S NEW TO THE HOUSE.
WE STARTED REACHING OUT TO BOTH HER OFFICE.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK IN THE TOP LEFT, THEY'RE REPRESENTATIVE ELECT RICHARD HAYES.
BUT WE'VE AGAIN, STARTED TALKING TO BOTH OF THEIR OFFICES TO FIGURE OUT WHO ARE YOUR STAFF MEMBERS? WHO ARE WE GOING TO BE TALKING TO IN YOUR OFFICE, LETTING THEM KNOW, HI, WE'RE HERE.
YOU REPRESENTED US. YOU REPRESENT US AND WE'RE SUPER NEEDY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO YOU A LOT.
SO IT'S WE ENJOY HAVING SIX PEOPLE, REALLY EIGHT PEOPLE, IF YOU INCLUDE OUR SENATORS, WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE AT ANY TIME THAT WE CAN REACH OUT TO AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE AN ISSUE OR HEY, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT X, Y, Z.
AND THAT'S A REALLY BIG, BIG DEAL FOR FRISCO ISD BECAUSE LOTS OF DISTRICTS ONLY HAVE A FEW IF THEY'RE NOT KIND OF SPREAD OUT AND THEY ONLY HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THEY CAN CALL, AND IF THEY IGNORE THEM, THEN THEY IGNORE THEM.
AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD SITUATION.
BUT WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE AT ANY POINT THAT WE CAN CALL AND SAY, HI, WE NEED SOMETHING FROM YOU.
UM, SO. AND YOU ALL FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS AT ANY POINT DURING THIS.
JUST IF YOU ALL WILL, JUST MAKE SURE YOU USE YOUR MICROPHONES FOR THE RECORDING.
SO JUST AS A REAL QUICK REFRESHER, JUST KIND OF FOR YOU ALL AND ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY, I WANTED TO GO THROUGH JUST A COUPLE OF POINTS ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE TO SET THE STAGE FOR HOW THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET SURPLUS AND AND KIND OF OUR OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY ON THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
SO THE FIRST PIECE IS IS JUST KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF OUR REVENUE.
AND KIMBERLY SMITH UPDATED THESE NUMBERS FOR US JUST YESTERDAY.
I THINK. UM, SO THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN HOW MUCH OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA IS DIRECTED BY THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA AND THEN KIND OF HOW MUCH IS OTHER REVENUE.
AND IN, IN FRISCO ISD, ABOUT 72.4% OF THAT IS PROPERTY TAXES AND THE REST COMES FROM THE STATE.
MOST OF THAT OTHER REVENUE THAT WAS IN THERE, THE THE FEDERAL REVENUE, THE MISCELLANEOUS LOCAL REVENUE, UM, THOSE ARE BOTH THINGS THAT ARE, ARE KIND OF SMALLER PIECES THAT SOME OF THAT IS KIND OF DIRECTED BY WHAT THAT REVENUE WAS DIRECTED FOR.
IT'S, IT'S FOR SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE CHILD NUTRITION AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM. I'M CONFUSED ABOUT MY SLIDES.
UM. OKAY. YEAH. I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON.
OKAY, SO JUST WANT TO TALK THROUGH KIND OF WHY DO WE THINK THAT THERE'S A CASE FOR INCREASING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT THIS SESSION? SO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA, WHICH, AGAIN, DRIVES MOST OF OUR REVENUE.
AND AS A GENERAL RULE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS OFTEN HARD FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF GRASP OR UNDERSTAND IS THAT INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES DON'T NECESSARILY ACTUALLY RESULT IN INCREASED REVENUE BECAUSE OUR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE AS A DISTRICT GET IS SET BY THE FUNDING FORMULA.
AND SO AS MORE PROPERTY AS PROPERTY VALUES RISE, THE SHARE OF THAT FUNDING THAT IS FROM PROPERTY TAXES GOES UP, BUT YOU SEE A DECREASE IN THE STATE REVENUE. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT IS IS OFTEN HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
YOU HEAR ABOUT LIKE PROPERTY, WEALTHY DISTRICTS A LOT AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND REALLY THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THOSE DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO GET MORE MONEY.
IT JUST MEANS THAT MORE OF THE MONEY THEY GET COMES FROM LOCAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS VERSUS THE STATE.
[00:15:01]
AND THAT'S WHY TWO SESSIONS AGO, BEFORE WE HAD HB THREE, ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES AS A DISTRICT WAS TO REDUCE THE THE BURDEN ON LOCAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS.BECAUSE WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE WAY THAT THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA WAS GOING PRIOR TO HB THREE, YOU WERE SEEING THIS DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE BURDEN ON PROPERTY TAXPAYERS VERSUS THE STATE AND STATE FUNDING.
H.B. THREE DID A LOT TO HELP CORRECT THAT.
BUT THEN INFLATION HAS HAS KIND OF MITIGATED SOME OF THOSE GAINS.
AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO ALL UNDERSTAND.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TWO PARTS OF OUR TAX RATE, BUT THE BULK OF OUR TAX RATE OF OUR OPERATING TAX RATE BECAUSE WE KIND OF HAVE TO SET THE DEBT RATE ASIDE BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF ITS OWN THING AND THAT'S SET SEPARATELY.
BUT THE BULK OF OUR OPERATING TAX RATE IS SET BY THE STATE, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD HEAR IS LIKE THE TIER ONE PART OF OUR OF OUR TAX RATE FOR US FOR THIS YEAR, IT'S 80.4 $0.06, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY.
HOPEFULLY I, I MEANT TO CHECK THAT, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S RIGHT.
WE ACTUALLY HIT THE FLOOR BECAUSE THERE'S ACTUALLY A FLOOR AND SO WE COULD NOT GO LOWER THAN THAT.
THAT 80.4 $0.06 ON OUR TIER ONE TAX RATE.
THE FIRST $0.08 OF THAT YIELD, ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING FOR US.
AND THEN THE 9/10 AFTER THAT ARE CALLED COPPER PENNIES.
AND THAT FOR US HAS BEEN COMPRESSED SIGNIFICANTLY.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST THAT 17 CENT ENRICHMENT RATE THAT WE HAVE TO TO USE AND THAT NINE OF THAT $0.17 ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE FROM THE FROM THE STATE. WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE AS A RESULT OF INFLATION.
THAT REALLY HAS TO COME IN THE FORM OF INCREASING OUR ENTITLEMENT VIA THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA.
SO HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN FOR US AS A DISTRICT OF OUR FUNDING FORMULA FOR THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE TIER ONE FUNDING, WHICH IS THAT THAT THAT FIRST PORTION OF OUR TAX RATE THAT THAT I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT, THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT EXACT TAX RATE OR WE DON'T GET ALL OF THIS FUNDING.
AND THAT SHOWS YOU KIND OF THE BASIC PROGRAMS. AND THEN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM ALLOTMENTS AND THOSE PROGRAM ALLOTMENTS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE, AGAIN, THOSE ARE SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY.
IT'S AN ALLOTMENT THAT'S RELATED TO GROWTH, OBVIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S OUR ACTUALLY OUR SECOND LARGEST ALLOTMENT BEHIND SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND THAT IS AN ALLOTMENT THAT WE WILL PHASE OUT OF AS WE START TO GROW LESS FAST.
AND SO SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD AND WHAT ADJUSTMENTS THE STATE WE MAY NEED FROM THE STATE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT THE LEVEL WE'VE BEEN OPERATING AT.
I WAS TALKING TO YOU ABOUT THOSE GOLDEN PENNIES WHICH WHICH AGAIN, FOR EVERY PENNY YOU TAX IN THAT GOLDEN PENNY, YOU GET ADDITIONAL AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF ENTITLEMENT FROM THE STATE. AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR OUR GOLDEN PENNIES, 58% OF THAT COMES FROM LOCAL PROPERTY TAX PAYERS, BUT 42% OF THE REVENUE FROM THOSE ACTUALLY COMES FROM THE STATE. AND THEN ON THE COPPER PENNY SIDE, IF YOU GO FOR EACH PENNY YOU GO OVER, YOU GET ADDITIONAL ENTITLEMENT.
BUT IF YOU COLLECT MORE THAN THAT ENTITLEMENT LOCALLY, YOU HAVE TO PAY BACK AND RECAPTURE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE LIGHT BLUE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THAT 100% LOCAL, THAT'S THE AMOUNT WE PAY IN RECAPTURE, WHICH I THINK KIM SAID WAS 6 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S REALLY NOT ROOM FOR US TO DO MUCH WITH OUR TAX RATE TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE ANYTHING OVER THAT COPPER PENNY, WE'RE GOING TO BE PAYING BACK A PORTION OF THAT IN RECAPTURE.
SO BRIEFLY, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET SURPLUS, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL A, UM, AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF INFORMATION ON THIS THAT'S NOT IN THE PRESENTATION OR THE BLUEPRINT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
BUT THE THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET SURPLUS RIGHT NOW.
THE COMPTROLLER IS PUTTING THAT AT $27 BILLION.
YOU ALL PROBABLY HEARD THAT NUMBER.
IT MAY ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN THAT.
AND THAT'S COMING FROM A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS THAT PROPERTY VALUES ROSE BY SO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT'S EXPECTED THAT THE STATE ACTUALLY PAID FOR LESS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SO SAVED A TON OF MONEY, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, COVID, COVID RELIEF MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
THEY DIDN'T ADD THAT ON TOP OF STATE OBLIGATIONS.
THEY USED IT TO SUPPLANT STATE OBLIGATIONS.
[00:20:02]
SO THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS.THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE YOUR SALES TAX RECEIPTS.
BUT WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT $27 BILLION.
AND THE REALITY IS THAT THE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY SUBJECT TO A COUPLE OF SPENDING LIMITS.
AND THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THEY CANNOT GROW THEIR APPROPRIATIONS.
THEY HAVE TO GROW THEIR APPROPRIATIONS WITHIN THAT LIMIT.
THEY CAN'T GO BEYOND THAT LIMIT EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES OR WITH CERTAIN VOTES.
NOW, SOME PORTIONS OF THE BUDGET ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THOSE SPENDING LIMITS.
AND SO THIS GETS REALLY COMPLICATED.
SO WE'LL GET A NUMBER FROM THE COMPTROLLER IN JANUARY RIGHT BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS THAT SAYS THIS LEGISLATURE, THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE TO SPEND THIS THIS SESSION IN YOUR BUDGET. BUT I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BACK OUT OF THIS HERE SO I CAN TELL YOU ALL THESE NUMBERS REAL QUICK.
SO YESTERDAY, THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD MET, WHICH IS A IT'S A LEGISLATIVE AGENCY MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE THAT MEETS TO SET THOSE THOSE SPENDING LIMITS. THEY DETERMINE WHAT THAT RATE CAN BE.
AND THEY MET YESTERDAY AND SET BOTH OF THEM AT 12.33%.
SO THE PORTIONS OF THE BUDGET THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THOSE SPENDING LIMITS CANNOT GROW BY MORE THAN 12.33%, WHICH AMOUNTS TO RIGHT NOW SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF 12 TO $13 BILLION OF ADDITIONAL SPENDING AS OPPOSED TO THE $27 BILLION SURPLUS THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT'S THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NUMBER FOR US.
NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE THAT NUMBER.
AND AGAIN, IT GETS VERY COMPLICATED.
BUT THE LEGISLATURE GETS TO DO A THING EVERY SESSION WHERE THEY PASS WHAT'S CALLED A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WHERE THEY GO BACK AND MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE PAST BIENNIUM, WHICH ACTUALLY ISN'T OVER AT THE TIME THEY'RE MEETING.
THAT ACTUALLY INCREASES THE BASE LEVEL THAT WE'RE APPLYING THAT 12.33% TO.
SO THAT COULD ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL SPENDING.
THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO THAT SPENDING LIMIT WOULDN'T APPLY TO MONEY THAT'S SPENT ON PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
ANYWAY, A WHOLE LOT OF DETAIL IN THERE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A CONTROLLER TO DO ALL OF THAT.
I SHOULDN'T GO SAY, WAIT, THIS IS ATTACHED TO THIS AND THIS IS ATTACHED TO THIS.
BUT ALL THAT TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE 27 MILLION, WE HAVE MORE LIKE 12 TO 13 BILLION.
SO IF YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GO TO PAGE THAT'LL SAY IN HERE, PAGE 11 IN YOUR BOOK.
SO THIS YOUR BOOK ACTUALLY LISTS THE ENTIRE INTERIM CHARGE AS IT WAS WRITTEN BY THE HOUSE OR SENATE INTERIM CHARGES, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS CONCEPT, ARE AFTER THE SESSION ENDS, WHICH WAS REALLY LATE LAST YEAR AND WE GOT THE INTERIM CHARGES REALLY LATE THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAD ALL THOSE SPECIAL SESSIONS.
THESE ARE PUT FORTH IN THE SENATE BY THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND IN THE HOUSE BY THE SPEAKER.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL HAVE MEETINGS, DIFFERENT COMMITTEE HEARINGS, WE'LL TALK ABOUT COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
THEY'LL HAVE SOME OF THESE ON THE AGENDA.
BUT THEY START TALKING ABOUT THESE LONG BEFORE THE SESSION EVER STARTS.
SO ON THE SENATE SIDE, IT'S LIKE I SAID, VERY PARED DOWN ON YOUR ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
THEY'VE GOT WE'VE GOT ONE PAGE FOR EACH OF THEM.
THERE'S I CAN'T COUNT SEVEN OF THEM.
I WAS LIKE, I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONLY SEVEN, BUT I COUNTED EIGHT.
AND IT'S IN YOUR BOOK AND IT'S JUST MONITORING BOTH OF THEM ALSO SAY IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT, WE WANT TO MONITOR ALL THE LEGISLATION THAT WE JUST PASSED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
IS IT DOING WHAT WE WANTED IT TO DO? ALL SORTS OF THINGS. SO ALL OF THOSE I DIDN'T INCLUDE THEM ON THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S JUST KIND OF AN UNSAID.
WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO DO THIS, BUT ALL OF THE OTHER ONES ARE LISTENING THERE.
AND ULTIMATELY THIS IS ABOUT AFFIRMING THE PARENTS AS THE PRIMARY DECISION MAKERS.
AND I HIGHLIGHTED THAT ONE PLUS THE COVID 19 AND READ BECAUSE OF THOSE ARE TWO BIG TALKING POINTS.
AND DANNY IS GOING TO GET INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A SECOND.
BUT THOSE ARE TWO BIG TALKING POINTS THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN COME UP ALREADY.
[00:25:06]
ARE THOSE DOING WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO DO? THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TIA.THEY'RE THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'VE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TIA.
THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE RAISES THAT THEY PUT INTO HB THREE THAT ARE FOR NON ADMIN FOLKS, LIKE DID THOSE DO WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO DO? WE HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ON THIS, BUT COVID 19 IMPACT ON THE EDUCATOR PIPELINE IS A BIG DISCUSSION.
STUDENT DISCIPLINE IS ANOTHER ONE.
EVALUATE THE OPERATION OF YOUR EAP PROGRAMS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROGRAMS. THEY'RE LOOKING AT EQUITY AND ALL THE STRATEGIES THAT PEOPLE ARE USING AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. A LOT OF TIMES AND WE'VE HAD THIS ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO US, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL LOOK AT PROGRAMS THAT EXIST OR OR JUST PROCESSES THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT DO AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S REALLY GOOD.
AND WE'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN WITH US.
THEY CAME AND TALKED TO US ABOUT A BULLYING PREVENTION BILL THAT THEY TALKED TO OUR FOLKS ABOUT, AND THEY BASICALLY WROTE IT UP EXACTLY LIKE OUR POLICY IS, AND THEN THEY MADE IT LAW. SO THAT'S A THING THAT THEY'LL DO DURING THIS TIME.
THEY'LL GO SEE WHO'S DOING THIS WELL, AND THEN YOU HAVE VAPING IN SCHOOLS.
SO I'M GLAD THAT I DID SEE THAT.
SCHOOL LIBRARY ADVISORY COUNCIL REVIEW IS ON PAGE 13.
IT'S LOOKING AT THE CURRENT STANDARDS AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THEM.
LOOKING AT CURRENT STANDARDS ADOPTED BY THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION.
THEY HAD A MEETING SCHEDULED ON THIS THAT WAS CANCELED.
THEY MIGHT RESCHEDULE IT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THEY PASS A LOT OF LEGISLATION ABOUT THAT AND THEY'RE LIKE, IS THIS WORKING? ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING WHAT WE DID? BOND EFFICIENCY IS TO REVIEW THE BOND ISSUANCE PROCESS, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS, THE PROCESSES AND HOW UNSPENT.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD A HEARING ON THIS ONE THAT THEY INVITED US TO TESTIFY AT.
I THINK ANOTHER THING THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT IS THE POSSIBLE LANGUAGE IN IN BONDS.
AND SO THAT MIGHT CHANGE MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEY SEEM OPEN TO CHANGING IT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCLUSION IS THE NEXT ONE.
AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION EXEMPTION.
THERE'S AN OPTIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THEY CAN GIVE TO TAXPAYERS, LOCAL TAXPAYERS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO STUDY THE USE AND EFFECT OF THAT OPTIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
I THINK THE MONITORING ONE IS IN BOTH OF THEM ON THE BOOK.
THEY ACTUALLY PUT OUT INTERIM CHARGES EARLIER IN THE YEAR RELATED TO THE TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER.
AND THEY HAD ONE THAT RELATED TO EDUCATION.
AND IT WAS LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN CROSSING THAT BORDER.
AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT AFFECTING HOW MUCH PUBLIC SCHOOLS COSTS BASICALLY ARE COST TO ADDED TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARENTAL PARTICIPATION.
IF YOU JUMPED ON ANOTHER ONE I HIGHLIGHTED JUST BECAUSE THOSE ARE HOT TOPICS AND PARENTAL PARTICIPATION, THEY'RE LOOKING AT PROTECTING THE RIGHT OF PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.
THEY'VE GOT SEVERAL RELATED TO COVID 19, LIKE LEARNING LOSS.
HOW DID COVID 19 AFFECT OUR LEARNING LOSS? AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS HOW DID IT AFFECT MENTAL HEALTH AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES? ONE THING I JUST WANT TO NOTE ON THIS, BECAUSE YOU SEE ALL THESE COVID 19 IMPACT INTERIM CHARGES, THESE INTERIM CHARGES CAME OUT BEFORE STAR RESULTS FROM LAST YEAR. AND JUST LIKE IN GENERAL ACROSS THE STATE, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FRISCO ISD, BUT IN GENERAL, ACROSS THE STATE, STAR RESULTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN ANTICIPATED THIS PAST YEAR AFTER COVID 19.
[00:30:06]
PERFORMANCE AND THAT DIDN'T REALLY MATERIALIZE.SO THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS JUST BECAUSE THAT MAY IMPACT HOW MUCH THIS PLAYS INTO KIND OF WHAT THE COMMITTEES ACTUALLY DO THIS SESSION ON SOME OF THESE SPECIFICALLY ON THIS LEARNING LOSS. ONE IS REALLY WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
THE NEXT ONE ASSESSMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.
THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK THIS IS BASICALLY ALL ABOUT IMPROVING ASSESSMENTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
HOW DO THEY IMPROVE THE SYSTEM TO HELP STUDENTS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS AS WELL? NEXT IS YOUR CONSTRUCTION AND EXCUSE ME, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION MATERIALS WHERE THEY'RE JUST MONITORING, ANALYZING THE STATE POLICY ON CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS USED. ABSENTEEISM IS ALL ABOUT LOOKING AT THE CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTORS FOR CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES THAT HAVE BEEN UTILIZED BY DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ABSENT AND THEN RETURN THEM TO THE CLASSROOM. AND THEN THE LAST ONE ON THE HOUSE SIDE IS LOOKING AT THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THIS ALL HAS TO DO WITH ACTUALLY RUSSIAN MONEY.
AND SO IT'S ALL LOOKING AT HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE FROM THE PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND, DO WE INVEST OR PAY INTO BUSINESSES THAT ARE CONTROLLED OR OWNED BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OR RUSSIAN NATIONALS AND DETERMINE THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS? SO JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM LEGISLATORS AND STATE LEADERSHIP ON SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WE EXPECT THIS SESSION. OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST TALKING POINTS THAT HAS CONTINUED TO BE A TALKING POINT SINCE MAY IS SCHOOL SAFETY AND SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO FACILITIES AND FUNDING.
THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY TAKEN A LOT OF ACTIONS ALREADY.
BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT IS FUNDING.
AND WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THAT.
AND OUR WE ARE ALREADY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT BUT A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO THE SIZE OF OUR DISTRICT AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE NEW.
AND SO THE LEGISLATURE IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO EXAMINE THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO THEY SUPPORT SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMING UP TO THIS THIS LEVEL OF OF WHAT THEIR FACILITIES LOOK LIKE FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
BUT THE WAY THAT THAT IS STRUCTURED, IT'S SET UP BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS YOU HAVE.
IT'S AN ALLOTMENT PER STUDENT, WHICH WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FUNDING SOURCE THAT IS REALLY PRIMARILY DESIGNED TO BE USED FOR FACILITIES IN A LOT OF WAYS THAT DOESN'T REALLY WORK BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT A SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE.
THE COST OF RETROFITTING ONE OF THEIR BUILDINGS IS REALLY NOT DIFFERENT THAN THE COST OF RETROFITTING ONE OF OURS, BUT THEY GET A LOT LESS FUNDING THAN WE DO BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT MORE STUDENTS THAN THEY DO. RIGHT.
THERE'S ALSO POTENTIAL FOR GRANT PROGRAMS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ABOUT THE SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT, BECAUSE IT HASN'T REALLY BEEN USED FOR PERSONNEL BY MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A PERMANENT FUNDING.
THE AMOUNT IS NOT A PERMANENT FUNDING AMOUNT.
SO THE ALLOTMENT EXISTS, BUT THE ALLOTMENT AMOUNT IS SET BY THE BUDGET.
SO THEY COULD JUST MAKE THE ALLOTMENT AMOUNT ZERO IF THEY WANTED TO IN THE BUDGET.
I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD DO THAT.
BUT THE POINT IS, WITHOUT KNOWING, WITHOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF CERTAINTY AS TO WHAT THAT ALLOTMENT IS GOING TO BE, MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE VERY HESITANT TO USE THAT MONEY FOR FOR ONGOING COSTS LIKE PERSONNEL, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT'S GOING TO BE GONE IN TWO YEARS.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I THINK THAT THEY MAY LOOK AT IS HOW DO THEY SET THAT ALLOTMENT AMOUNT? THE OTHER THING THAT WE PUT ON HERE THAT THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITH LEGISLATORS ABOUT AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD ONE LEGISLATOR TRIED TO DEFEND THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION AT THIS POINT IS HOUSE BILL 4545.
SO WE DO EXPECT THE CLEAN UP ON THIS.
[00:35:04]
PATERSON'S OFFICE. IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET THE DEA TO COMMIT TO SAYING, YES, YOU AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN CHOOSE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO OPT OUT OF CAN CAN GIVE THAT OPTION TO PARENTS. THEY JUST DID NOT WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY.I THINK WE MAY HAVE ASKED SIX OR SEVEN TIMES BEFORE WE FINALLY GOT AN ANSWER, AN ACTUAL ANSWER.
SO ANYWAY, WE EXPECT THE LEGISLATURE TO REVISIT THAT AND MAKE THAT MORE SPECIFIC AND EXPLICIT.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION, JUST BECAUSE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK LAID OUT KIND OF HIS 21 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR THE SESSION YESTERDAY, AND HE A COUPLE OF THOSE WERE RELATED TO EDUCATION SPECIFICALLY.
ONE WAS INCREASING TEACHER PAY, WHICH I THINK GOES TO THE WHOLE TEACHER RETENTION QUESTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WEREN'T THE WAY THAT THEY LAY OUT THESE PRIORITIES.
THEY'RE NOT GOING INTO SPECIFICS OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
SO WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WHAT HE'S THINKING IN TERMS OF HOW HE WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS PUT INTO HOUSE BILL THREE WAS THAT ANY TIME THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS INCREASED AUTOMATICALLY, 30% OF THE INCREASE IN FUNDING FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT HAS TO GO TO TEACHER COMPENSATION AND IT HAS TO GO TO INCREASING TEACHER COMPENSATION.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'RE TALKING WITH LEGISLATORS ABOUT AS WELL.
ANOTHER PIECE THAT HE SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT WAS SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING AS WELL.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPECIFICS ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THE GOVERNOR'S VERSION OF THE PARENTAL BILL OF RIGHTS THAT CAME OUT ACTUALLY A LOT OF THAT WAS IS ALREADY IN THERE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY A WHOLE SECTION CALLED PARENTS RIGHTS IN THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. AND A LOT OF THAT WAS ALREADY IN THERE.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS IN THERE AS WELL, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPECIFICS ON THAT YET.
SO I'M SURE WE'LL SEE MORE OF THAT AS AS THE SESSION GOES ON.
WE ALWAYS AND THIS ACTUALLY COMES FROM DANNY'S BACKGROUND, WORKING AS A SENATE STAFFER, TALKED ABOUT THE TYPES OF PEOPLE BASICALLY THAT THEIR OFFICE WOULD LISTEN TO VERSUS THE TYPES OF STRATEGIES THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD USE THAT JUST WEREN'T EFFECTIVE.
AND SO WE ARE ALWAYS POSITIVE WITH ALL OF OUR LEGISLATORS.
WE ARE WANTING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR THINGS.
I GOT IT RIGHT. YOU CAN'T FIX A BAD BILL.
AND SO THEY JUST WANT TO KILL THE BILL.
AND WE'RE LIKE, WELL, ACTUALLY YOU PROBABLY CAN FIX A BAD BILL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WHEN WE LOOK AT A BILL AND WE NEVER TAKE POSITIONS ON BILLS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE IN A SECOND, BUT WE DON'T SAY WE'RE PRO OR FOR THIS BILL OR PRO OR AGAINST THIS BILL.
SO ONE TIME, LIKE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, FOR EXAMPLE, AND KEN WILL PROBABLY REMEMBER THIS, I WAS WE WE HAD THIS BILL THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO INCREASE PAY FOR A CERTAIN SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND THEY WERE LIKE, OH YEAH, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO.
AND SO WE SAT DOWN AND KIM'S OFFICE AND WE KIND OF WENT OVER THE CALCULATIONS.
THEN IT WILL ACTUALLY DO WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET IT TO DO.
SO WE I MEAN, WE DO ASK THEM, LIKE, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL IN THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION? AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF HELP THEM SAY, WELL, IS WOULD THIS ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL? AND SO WHEN WE'RE SOLUTION ORIENTED, THAT'S THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE MEAN.
WE DON'T EVER JUST WANT TO SAY, THROW THE BILL IN THE FIRE.
WE WANT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AND HELP THEM DO THAT.
WE'RE ALSO MINDFUL OF POLITICAL REALITIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE ONE DEMOCRAT.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF THEIR POLITICAL REALITIES LIKE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVES OR I'M SORRY, PEOPLE THAT THEY REPRESENT THAT VOTED THEM INTO OFFICE THAT WANT THEM TO DO X, Y, Z, AND WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GO SAY, WELL THEN YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER.
AND USUALLY WE DON'T RUN INTO THOSE THINGS VERY MUCH ANYWAY.
[00:40:01]
BUT WHEN WE DO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.LIKE, OKAY, SO YOU HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON SOME WAYS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE BECAUSE OF YOUR POLITICAL PARTIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE STANCE ON THIS ISSUE. AND WE'RE JUST UNDERSTANDING OF THAT AND WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THOSE THINGS STILL.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THINGS.
SO IF THEY NEVER CHANGE THEIR MIND, THAT'S FINE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE SOMEONE'S MIND.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION.
WE ALSO TRY TO AVOID, AS BEST WE CAN, PUBLIC CONFLICT.
WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AND ALL OF THE OFFICES.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF THEM.
A LOT OF TIMES, IF THERE'S A CONCERN THAT THEY SEE, THEY CALL US FIRST.
OR THEY JUST WANT TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE LIKE, I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE THIS, BUT I WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND GET SOME CLARIFICATION AND WE CAN CONNECT THEM WITH THE RIGHT PERSON AND GET THEM CLARIFICATION. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ARE QUELLED LONG BEFORE THEY WOULD EVER, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO GO MAKE A POST ABOUT IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE TRY TO AVOID THAT IF WE CAN.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE COORDINATED EFFORTS WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WITH WITH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, WHETHER IT'S STAFF, WHETHER WE'VE GOT FOLKS ALSO TALKING TO LEGISLATORS.
STAFF ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
WELL, HOW MANY BILLS? 7000 BILLS.
THAT WAS LIKE TEN SOUNDS HIGH, 7000 BILLS THAT WERE FILED.
AND THEY CAN'T POSSIBLY KNOW ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND ALL OF THE BILLS.
AND SO THEIR STAFF REALLY SUPPORTS THEM IN THAT WAY.
AND WE KNOW THAT. AND SO WE TRY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR STAFF AND ALSO BE A RESOURCE TO THEIR STAFF SO THAT IF THEIR STAFF MAYBE THEY WEREN'T EMPLOYED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND THEY READ SOMETHING AND THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD AFFECT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND THEY KNOW, TOO, THAT IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT A PUBLIC EDUCATION BILL, THEN WE'VE READ THAT BILL.
AND SO THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN CALL US AND SAY, HEY, I WAS LOOKING AT THIS AND I'M NOT SURE IF I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS OR WHAT THIS WOULD DO OR WHAT THE CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE. AND THEY KNOW, SINCE WE'VE READ THAT, WE CAN TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT OR WE CAN CONNECT THEM WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT THAT KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T NEITHER OF US CLAIM TO BE EXPERTS ON EVERY SINGLE TOPIC PUBLIC SCHOOL, BUT WE WILL FIND THE PERSON IN FRISCO ISD WHO IS OR SOMETIMES A PERSON OUTSIDE OF FRISCO ISD WHO IS THAT YOU CAN TALK TO? AND SO WE TRY TO JUST BE A RESOURCE TO THEM BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAVE GOOD RESOURCES, THAT'S THAT LOOKS GOOD ON THEM TO THEIR BOSS OR THEIR BOSS EXPECTS THEM TO HAVE ALL OF THESE ANSWERS AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THESE BILLS.
AND WHEN WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM, IT'S REALLY HELPFUL FOR THEM.
SO WE LIKE TO BE HELPFUL FOR THEM.
DID I JUST GO TOO FAR? I DID. UM, SO I THINK IT'S FUNNY THIS SAYS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I THINK THAT WAS A HOLDOVER FROM THE TEMPLATE.
THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO THIS I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRACK LEGISLATION THIS YEAR.
SO LAST SESSION, WE ATTEMPTED TO SUMMARIZE EVERY PUBLIC LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION BILL THAT WAS THAT WAS PROPOSED, WHICH IS OVER 1000 BILLS, BUT ABOUT 110 OF THOSE PASSED IN THE END.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THAT.
SO THIS IS KIND OF OUR BILL TRACKING PLAN FOR THIS SESSION.
AND I'LL GO THROUGH KIND OF EACH ONE OF THESE AND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S THAT'S STEP NUMBER ONE IS JUST FIGURING OUT IS THIS PUBMED RELATED? AND IF IT IS, WHAT KIND OF SUBCATEGORY DOES IT FALL UNDER? BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT ISSUE CATEGORIES THAT WE USE TO GROUP GROUP BILLS.
ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO DETERMINE NOW WHICH ONES SHOULD WE SUMMARIZE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO START BY PRIORITIZING BILLS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THAT WE THINK ADDRESS OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IN SOME WAY, AND THEN BILLS THAT ARE STATE LEADERSHIP, PRIORITY BILLS.
SO THE FIRST 20 BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND THE FIRST 30 BILLS IN THE SENATE ARE RESERVED FOR LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES, THE SPEAKER'S PRIORITIES, AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES. SO A HANDFUL OF THOSE WILL ADDRESS PUBLIC EDUCATION, MAYBE TWO OR THREE IN EACH CHAMBER, DEPENDING ON THE SESSION, MAYBE MORE SO THOSE
[00:45:05]
BILLS WILL GET SUMMARIZED AS SOON AS THEY'RE FILED, BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE STATE LEADERSHIP PRIORITY BILL BILLS RELATED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, ALONG WITH THE ONES THAT WE TIE TO OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.AFTER THAT, WE'LL START SUMMARIZING SENATE BILLS.
YOU'LL GET THE LIST OF ALL OF THE BILLS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR.
AND IT CAN BE 30 BILLS SOMETIMES.
SO THAT'S A LOT TO SUMMARIZE IN 24 HOURS.
AND SO WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO SUMMARIZE SENATE BILLS ESSENTIALLY AS WE HAVE TIME SO THAT HOPEFULLY THEY'RE ALREADY KIND OF SUMMARIZED BEFORE WE GET THEM, GET THEM SCHEDULED FOR A HEARING. THE HOUSE, ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY GIVE US FIVE DAYS NOTICE FOR THEIR HEARINGS, SO THAT'S MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE.
AND THEN WE WILL UPDATE THE SUMMARIES AS THE BILLS MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THAT BILLS CAN BE AMENDED MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGH THE PROCESS WHEN IT PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE AFTER IT PASSES ITS ORIGINATING CHAMBER, AFTER IT PASSES THE SECOND CHAMBER AND SO ON.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND UPDATE THOSE SUMMARIES EVERY TIME IT HITS ONE OF THOSE PIECES.
YOU HAVE A QUESTION. GO FOR IT.
IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW AS THEY COME IN.
AND ARE WE ALSO GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO CHARTER BILLS THAT COME IN AS WELL? SO CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ARE WE CONSIDER THOSE PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS? THANK YOU. OR SEARCH TERMS ACTUALLY PULL ANYTHING THAT SAYS SCHOOL I'M PRETTY SURE NOW.
WELL, YEAH, WE HAVE REALLY BROAD SEARCH TERMS INTENTIONALLY.
AND THEN OUT OF THAT 2500, WE ENDED UP WITH 1000 THAT WERE ACTUALLY PUBLIC EDUCATION RELATED.
SO WE HAVE PRETTY BROAD SEARCH TERMS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
BUT IT INCLUDES CHARTER SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE ONE OF OUR SEARCH TERMS IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WE GET EVERYTHING THAT DEALS WITH ANY KIND OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, OKAY. ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS SESSION, WHICH WE DID THIS LAST SESSION WHERE WE HAD PRIORITIES LIKE OUR QUORUM ALLOWS US TO HAVE PRIORITIES WE DON'T TAKE SINCE WE DON'T TAKE POSITIONS ON LEGISLATION THE WAY WE USE THAT LAST YEAR WAS KIND OF LIKE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH IMPACT WOULD THIS HAVE ON THE DISTRICT, KIND OF IN ANY DIRECTION. WOULD IT REQUIRE WOULD IT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT? WOULD IT HAVE A MEDIUM AMOUNT OF IMPACT OR WOULD IT HAVE ALMOST NO IMPACT? AND WE KIND OF USED HIGH, MEDIUM AND LOW THAT WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
THIS SESSION WE FOUND LAST SESSION WE HAD A TENDENCY TO JUST KIND OF TAG A LOT AT MEDIUM AND THEN WE'D FIND OUT LATER, WELL, THAT PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN LOW OR THAT PROBABLY NEEDED TO BE HIGH AND THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE WE WERE KIND OF JUST DOING IT ON OUR OWN BASED ON A REVIEW WITHOUT ANY KIND OF LIKE SPECIFIC POINTS.
SO THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE THEM.
BASICALLY, ANYTHING THAT IS A STATE LEADERSHIP PRIORITY BILL THAT'S TIED TO A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY OR WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE IN DISTRICT POLICY PRACTICE OR PROCEDURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT OR WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE DISTRICT.
THOSE WILL ALL BE CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITY.
AND THEN IF IT HAS TWO OF THOSE THINGS OR ONE OF THOSE THINGS AND GARNERS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC ATTENTION, THEN THAT WILL GO INTO PRIORITY ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE AN EXTRA WE'RE GOING TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO THIS BILL.
DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION? HOW YOU PRIORITIZE EACH BILL? OR AM I GETTING AHEAD? OR.
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THE NEXT SLIDE.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. AND THE PUBLIC WILL, TOO.
IT'S NOT JUST Y'ALL. SO YEAH, WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT.
UM, WELL, AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT Y'ALL MAY ASK US TO MAKE A TWEAK, AND THAT'S TOTALLY FINE.
SO WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE, AND YOU ALL CAN CHIME IN ON THAT TOO.
SO. OKAY. AND THEN THIS IS OUR RESPONSE MATRIX.
SO AGAIN, WHAT WE WANTED TO TRY TO DO IS WE WANTED TO TRY TO HELP OUR REALLY THIS IS TO HELP MEGAN AND I, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE NEED TO DO IT. SO OUR GOAL WITH THIS WAS TO COME UP WITH WHAT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH CERTAIN TRIGGERS? LIKE WHAT? WHEN WE HAVE CERTAIN ACTIONS WE TAKE, LIKE WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY THE WHOLE BOARD ABOUT THIS THING HAPPENING WITH THIS BILL OR WHATEVER, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE THAT'S GOING TO TRIGGER THAT RESPONSE? BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT IN HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO LEGISLATION.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS.
SO JUST KIND OF LIKE OUR STANDARD KIND OF RESPONSE OR NORMAL READINESS IS WHAT WE NAMED IT.
[00:50:07]
WE REGULARLY PROVIDE UPDATES TO OUR DEPARTMENTS ON BILLS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.THAT'S JUST GOT KIND OF GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO THAT'S MEDIUM PRIORITY BILL SCHEDULED FOR HEARING OR FOR FLOOR ACTION.
WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THIS GOING TO BE? SO WE CAN DETERMINE IS THAT A BILL THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON OR NOT? PRIORITY TWO BILL BEING SCHEDULED FOR A HEARING OR ON A FLOOR CALENDAR.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S HIGH PRIORITY THAT IN THAT CASE, WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY THE BOARD LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE, KIND OF OUTSIDE Y'ALL'S NORMAL MEETING SCHEDULE.
WE'RE GOING TO WE HAVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT NETWORK WE WORK WITH, SO WE'LL NOTIFY THEM.
I MEAN, THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY, RIGHT? THIS COULD BE A BILL THAT LIKE IS GOING TO IMPACT US IN A REALLY POSITIVE WAY.
OR IT COULD BE A BILL THAT WE'RE CONCERNED IS GOING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT IN SOME WAY.
SO IT'S REALLY THE PRIORITIES AREN'T REALLY ABOUT POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACT.
THEY'RE REALLY JUST ABOUT IMPACT IN GENERAL, EITHER ANY DIRECTION.
AND THEN THE NEXT STEP UP WOULD BE PRIORITY ONE.
SO THIS IS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF BILLS.
I MEAN, IN THAT SITUATION WE MAY LOOK AT DO WE NEED TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT, DO WE NEED TO TALK WITH THE LEGISLATOR AND SAY, KIND OF LIKE MEGAN WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE, HOW WHAT ARE YOU REALLY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? DO YOU WOULD YOU ALL BE WILLING TO AMEND IT? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. AND THEN WE ALSO WILL PROBABLY LOOP IN OUR OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE ON THAT.
AND THAT'S ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS.
AND SO WE ORGANIZED A JOINT LETTER WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND ASK THEM TO CONSIDER ADVANCING THAT LEGISLATION AND NOT JUST LEAVE IT.
AND THEY DID. AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER THING.
CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? SURE. BACK ON THAT SLIDE FOR UNDER DEPLOYMENT FOR PRIORITY ONE BILL SCHEDULED FOR HEARING OR ON FLOOR CALENDAR, CAN WE GET NOTIFICATION? CAN THE BOARD GET NOTIFICATION OF THAT, THOSE BILLS AS WELL? SURE. I WOULD JUST LOVE THAT CHECK MARK FOR BOARD WHEN YOU WRITE IT DOWN ON HERE.
I JUST KNOW THAT THERE WERE TIMES THAT LAST SESSION.
IF WE HAD HAD IF WE HAD KNOWN AND THIS ISN'T ON Y'ALL, WE JUST THERE'S SO MUCH TO KEEP UP WITH.
SO I JUST NOT THAT WE WOULD DO THAT UNILATERALLY, BUT IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL TO FOR US TO HAVE THAT SO THAT IF IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO GO DOWN AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR DISTRICT, FOR ALL DISTRICTS, THAT WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE A PLAN TO DO THAT.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WE DEFINITELY LIKE THIS RESPONSE MATRIX, THOSE PRIORITIES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOWN THERE MORE THIS SESSION THAN THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST TWO SESSIONS.
SO THIS IS REALLY WE KIND OF KEEP SAYING THIS IS LIKE OUR FIRST NORMAL SESSION.
AND THEN LAST SESSION IT WAS COVID.
COVID WAS STILL KIND OF WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THAT.
AND SO, UM, SO IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY, IT'S DEFINITELY THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST KIND OF NORMAL ONE.
SO 100% WE WANT TO, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE'LL ABSOLUTELY AGILE TO THAT.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU GUYS ARE JUST STARTING TO ASK, LIKE WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? WE THE WAYS THAT WE ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY FIRST, WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS WEB PAGE ON THE WEBSITE, I HOPE.
[00:55:01]
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WRONG ONE.WE HAVE THIS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PAGE ON THE WEBSITE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALL OF OUR PAST SESSION INFORMATION ON THERE AS WELL.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS WONDERING WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE 86 SESSION, YOU CAN STILL FIND IT THERE.
AND SO IT'S IN MY BRAIN, 88TH SESSION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE COMING UP ON.
AND THAT ACTUALLY LINKS RIGHT NOW TO OUR BILL TRACKER.
AND WE MIGHT UPDATE THIS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU GUYS TODAY.
WE REALIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE UNDER THE SUN GEEKS OUT OVER IT LIKE DANNY AND I DO, BUT WE WANT EVERYONE TO KIND OF KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AND OUR EVERYDAY LIVES AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DICTATED BY OUR STATE GOVERNMENT.
AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW THAT.
I DON'T THINK I EVEN KNEW THAT COMING FROM THE CLASSROOM EIGHT YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM.
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU THINK ABOUT.
AND SO ONE OF OUR MAJOR GOALS JUST ALL THE TIME IS TO BE ABLE TO JUST PUSH INFORMATION OUT.
WE WANT TO HAVE EVERYTHING AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE WHO'S INTERESTED.
AND SO WE PUT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO ON THE WEBSITE.
I THINK WE'VE EVEN LINKED TO THE VIDEO, PEOPLE COULD GO WATCH THE VIDEO.
YOU SEE ALL OF OUR BILL TRACKING IT AS ACTUALLY A LIVE UPDATED SPREADSHEET OF ALL OF OUR BILLS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO REALLY ENCOURAGE SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND GIVE THEM RESOURCES THAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW THIS STUFF AND SEE WHAT MIGHT BE AFFECTING YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT.
IT IS BECAUSE OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE OUR TIME.
BUT IF IT GETS SCHEDULED FOR A HEARING, IT'LL HAVE A SUMMARY ON THERE.
AND THAT BILL MAYBE NEVER EVEN MADE IT TO A COMMITTEE.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, I THINK IF YOU SEE AND YOU'RE LIKE, CAN YOU LOOK AT THIS BILL, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GO OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL SCHEDULED SUMMARY SCHEDULE AND SUMMARIZE IT FOR YOU IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.
BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS YOU SEE BLINKS.
AND SO ALL OF THAT STUFF IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO THIS IS FAIRLY NEW.
DID IT GO? YES. SO THIS IS FAIRLY NEW AS OF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS OR AM I TALKING ABOUT THIS? I AM ME. YAY, FUN.
LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS YESTERDAY.
WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS THAT WE SET THIS UP.
WE'VE ALSO KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED HOW MANY OF THOSE SO FAR ARE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
SO THAT MEANS THAT NO ONE HAS FILED ANYTHING SINCE FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY.
BUT ALSO YOU CAN SEE BILLS IN THE TOP, RIGHT? THOSE THOSE ACTUALLY THE BILLS THAT ARE PASSED AND PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS THAT ARE PASSED THAT WILL BE VERY END OF SESSION.
SO THAT WILL STAY ZERO FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
ANYTHING THAT'S MARKED HIGH PRIORITY OR MEDIUM, YOU'LL SEE IN THOSE GROUPS.
AND THEN ON THE COLORFUL BARS YOU SEE ACTUALLY, AND THIS WAS KIND OF THE SLIDE AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT DANNY WAS POINTING TO THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE IS YOU SEE ALL OF THESE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED BY SUBJECT.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SCROLL AND SEE THOSE ARE ALL OF THE SUBJECT AREAS THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING.
AND WE KIND OF USED OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND FRISCO ISD TO INFORM THAT FOR THE MOST PART.
QUORUM DOESN'T ALLOW US TO LINK YOU STRAIGHT TO THOSE BILLS.
[01:00:04]
NO, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. WE CHANGE THAT SINCE 5 MINUTES AGO.OKAY. SO THIS IS ALL WE WE LITERALLY DID THIS YESTERDAY.
YEAH. SO WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
BUT SO THIS IS THIS IS WHAT THE PUBLIC WILL SEE.
IF WE CAN'T EMBED IT, IT WILL JUST BE LINKED THERE.
SO PEOPLE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
WE'RE JUST FIGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT WE MAY. BUT THIS WILL BE LINKED THERE EITHER WAY SO PEOPLE CAN GO IN THERE.
BUT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IS A LINK TO THE BILL TRACKING SPREADSHEET.
AND THIS IS THAT SAME SPREADSHEET MEGAN WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT HAS ALL THE PUBLIC EDUCATION RELATED BILLS ON THERE AND IT'S GOT THEM CATEGORIZED AND EVERYTHING SO PEOPLE CAN GO IN AND FILTER BY ISSUE IF THEY WANT ON HERE.
IT DOESN'T USUALLY TAKE THIS LONG TO LOAD, BUT THIS WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE LINKED ON THE WEBSITE AND SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE THAT IT SHOWS ALL OF WHAT WE DETERMINE TO BE KIND OF RELEVANT INFORMATION. IT'LL GIVE YOU THE SOURCE LINK IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY GO READ THE BILL, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE A SUMMARY AND YOU WANT TO READ WHAT IT IS.
YOU CAN GO CLICK ON THE SOURCE LINK AND IT WILL TAKE YOU THERE.
IT TELLS YOU THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TAGGED IT TO, BUT IT'LL TAKE YOU TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE ONLINE LEGISLATURE ONLINE WEBSITE AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE TEXT TAB AND IT'LL READ THE BILL OR YOU'LL HAVE THE BILL TO READ.
THE GENERAL RULE IS THAT IF SOMETHING IS UNDERLINED, IT'S NEW.
IF IT'S CROSSED OUT, THEY'RE TAKING IT OUT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF LINKING IT BACK TO LIKE IF THEY SAY, WELL, THIS SECTION OF THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, THERE'S LOTS OF LINKING IT BACK TO WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN CODE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. SO IT'S NOT AS EASY AS JUST READING IT STRAIGHTFORWARD AS WE WISH IT WAS.
OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN SESSION, NOTHING HAS BEEN MOVING.
YOU CAN YOU CAN ORGANIZE THIS THIS LIST AND LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN ALSO, AS ARE YOU SHOWING I CAN'T SEE FROM HERE LIKE IF I WANT TO SEE CURRICULUM, EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH CURRICULUM, YOU CAN FILTER IT AND THEN EVERYTHING TAGGED TO CURRICULUM WILL BE FILTERED OUT FOR YOU.
SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY 17 BILLS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, AGAIN, SOME BILLS ARE TACKED TO MORE THAN ONE LIKE THIS ONE.
YOU DON'T SEE CURRICULUM BECAUSE THAT'S THIS LITTLE DOT HERE.
SO THIS IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND PEOPLE CAN MANIPULATE IT LIKE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.
WE MADE THIS PUBLIC LAST YEAR AND I THINK I'M SURE EVERYONE LOOKED AT IT AND EVERYONE WENT THROUGH AND MAYBE LIKE NOT NOT AS MANY AS WE WOULD LIKE, BUT THIS IS ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LOOK.
YEAH, AND THAT'S THE CASE RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, IT WILL ALSO BE ON THIS DASHBOARD AND DEPENDING ON HOW WE'RE ABLE TO PUT THE DASHBOARD ON, IT MAY EITHER THE LINK MAY EITHER LIVE IN THE DASHBOARD OR IT MAY BE STANDALONE DEPENDING ON HOW WE CAN DO THE DASHBOARD.
BUT THE OTHER THING AND THIS GOES TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER, MARVIN, IS THE BILLS THAT WE'VE TAGGED BY PRIORITY, RIGHT? SO RIGHT NOW THE DASHBOARD ONLY HAS JUST BECAUSE OF HOW MANY THE DASHBOARD ONLY HAS PRIORITY ONE AND PRIORITY TWO, BUT IT IS THE LIST OF EVERY BILL THAT WE'VE TAGGED AS PRIORITY ONE OR PRIORITY TWO. SO OBVIOUSLY SO FAR NONE ARE PRIORITY ONE.
THESE ARE THE EIGHT THAT ARE PRIORITY TWO.
ALL EIGHT OF THESE ARE TAGGED THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY DEAL WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
SO NAVIGATING FROM THE YOU HAVE ONE PAGE THAT HAS ALL OF THE BILLS ON IT THAT YOU COULD SORT BY SUBJECT, THEN IT TAKES YOU TO THE PAGE THAT WAS JUST BEFORE THIS, CORRECT? SO THIS IS ACTUALLY KIND OF THE MAIN HOME PAGE.
AND YOU ACTUALLY GO TO THAT LIST FROM FROM THIS BUTTON DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.
THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SET UP RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S THE WHOLE SHEET WITH ALL OF THE DETAILED INFORMATION.
DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? WE'RE HOPING THIS IS GOING TO BE SUPER USEFUL FOR PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS BILL BY STATUS.
DID YOU TALK ABOUT THAT ONE? NO. SO THE BILL BY STATUS BOX IS ALSO KIND OF EXCITING.
JUST FILED STAGE. HOW MANY HAVE GONE TO COMMITTEE? HOW MANY HAVE PASSED THE FIRST CHAMBER? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT'LL ALL AUTOMATICALLY POPULATE AND UPDATE AS WE GO THROUGH THE SESSION, WHICH WILL BE REALLY NICE AS WELL.
SO WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY GREAT.
IT'S GOING TO GIVE SOME GOOD OUT OF GLANCE INFORMATION.
[01:05:08]
OKAY. SO THEN I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE THINKING FROM A BOARD INVOLVEMENT STANDPOINT.AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS KIND OF JUST WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.
SOME OF THIS IS WHAT WE'VE JUST DONE IN THE PAST TWO SESSIONS.
SO YOU ALL FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT THIS OR THAT OR THE OTHER THING.
AND SO THAT LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY, WILL MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK.
I THINK WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN JANUARY.
I THINK I THINK WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN JANUARY, AND THEN NOTHING'S REALLY HAPPENING IN JANUARY.
AND THEN WE HAVE A MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
THINGS ARE STARTING TO ACTUALLY MOVE.
SO IN APRIL AND MAY, WHEN REALLY KIND OF STUFF IS GOING, WE'LL MEET WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE EVERY WEEK AND WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BILLS THAT WE'RE WATCHING THAT WE THINK ARE MOVING FORWARD FOR YOU IN THOSE IN THOSE.
SO YOU ALL GET THAT AFTER THE AFTER THE MEETING.
BUT WE'RE THERE TO TALK MORE IN DEPTH WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO EVERY SINGLE MONTH? NO, JUST LET US KNOW AS LONG AS THEY'RE ARE AT LEAST 2 HOURS.
WE'RE ALSO PLANNING SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE CAPITOL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN TARGETED TRIPS WITH THE BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND BY TARGETED, I MEAN, LIKE WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE LIKE THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE WANT TO GO DOWN AND TALK ABOUT THAT WE THINK THE BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE SHOULD BE A PART OF THOSE BECAUSE, AGAIN, MEG AND I WILL BE DOWN THERE KIND OF REGULARLY, BUT WE WANT THE BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE TO COME DOWN AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TWO TRIPS PLANNED FOR THE FULL BOARD.
I KNOW Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW ABOUT ONE OF THEM.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE GIVEN YOU ALL DATES ON THE OTHER ONE YET, BUT BUT THE FIRST ONE IS, IS THE TRIP THAT WE TAKE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF FRISCO AND THE FRISCO CHAMBER, WHICH IS FOR FRISCO DAY, AND THAT WILL BE IN FEBRUARY.
AND THAT ACTUALLY ALSO COINCIDES WITH THE ASB LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE.
SO IT'LL ALL BE KIND OF ONE THING.
AND THEN THE SECOND TRIP THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR THE FULL BOARD WILL BE IN APRIL AND WE DID THAT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE APRIL AGAIN, LOTS MORE IS HAPPENING AND SO WE'LL HAVE MORE SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU ALL COULD, COULD ENGAGE IN AND TALK ABOUT IN THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AGAIN, WE WELCOME FEEDBACK ON ANY OF THAT.
MM HMM. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO, AND AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING ENGAGED WITH OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER ABOUT THIS THIS TIME.
BUT WE DO ALWAYS SAY THAT, BUT IS GOING TO BE MAKING REGULAR UPDATES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TRIED IN THE PAST AND I LIKED IT AND WE JUST NEED TO WE JUST NEED TO DO IT MORE IS TO PROVIDE KIND OF LITTLE SNIPPETS OF BILLS THAT ARE LIKE IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
LIKE WE DID THIS TWO SESSIONS AGO ON SENATE BILL 11, WHICH WAS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.
I THINK WE DID ONE ON HB THREE AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND SO WE TRY TO PUT THOSE LITTLE SNIPPETS OUT SO PEOPLE KIND OF THESE BIG BILLS THAT THEY MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT BUT MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON TO KIND OF GIVE THEM A DIGESTIBLE. THIS IS WHAT THAT BILL IS ABOUT.
IN OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO PUSH AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT AS WE CAN.
THESE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WERE ON THE DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE HAVE ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERY CAMPUS THAT'S A TEACHER.
AND SO WE TAPPED INTO THAT GROUP AND THEY ARE NOW OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADORS.
IT'S DIFFERENT IN COLLEGE AND DENTON COUNTY, SO IT'S KIND OF COMPLICATED.
AND THEN A LOT OF OUR STAFF DOESN'T EVEN LIVE AND DIDN'T IN COLLIN COUNTY.
WE'RE SUPER CLEAR ABOUT NEVER TRYING TO TELL SOMEONE WHO OR WHAT TO VOTE FOR.
[01:10:07]
SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG PART.BUT ALSO DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF PUSH INFORMATION OUT THROUGH THAT GROUP SO THAT THEY CAN SEND IT TO THEIR STAFF, TOO, SO THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS CAN STAY ENGAGED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE WANTED KIND OF A BIGGER REACH.
WE ALSO AND WE HAVEN'T TOLD THEM THIS YET, THE TEACHERS DON'T KNOW THIS YET, BUT WE PLAN TO DURING THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, INVITE THEM AND TRY TO TAKE AS MANY OF THEM DOWN AS WE CAN TO AUSTIN, JUST LIKE WE DID A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BEFORE COVID.
AND THIS IS I THINK BEFOREHAND WE SEND OUT TO THEM, HERE'S THE EDUCATION RELATED BILLS AND WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OR THEY TALK TO THE LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THOSE BILLS. FROM A CLASSROOM TEACHERS PERSPECTIVE, THEY GO DOWN THERE KIND OF WITH THE SAME GUIDANCE THAT WE DO, THAT WE'RE NOT PRO OR AGAINST A BILL, BUT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS BILL SPECIFICALLY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT ME IN MY CLASSROOM.
SO THEY HEAR STRAIGHT FROM TEACHERS HOW THAT'S AFFECTING THEM.
ARE THE DO ANY OF THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADORS COME FROM THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE OR ARE THEY ALL UNIQUE? THEY WOULD ALL BE ON OUR DISTRICT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
SO WE SINCE WE PULLED THEM FROM THAT GROUP AND THEY'RE NOT USUALLY LIKE THERE'S IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT EXISTS ON BOTH OF THOSE COMMITTEES, THEN IT WAS PROBABLY AN ACCIDENT. SO.
AND SO THERE'S ELECTIONS AND IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.
MLC SO WHICH WE KIND OF SAW AS A POSITIVE.
AGAIN, IT'S GETTING MORE STAFF EDUCATED AND AWARE OF KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THAT WAS THE APPROACH WE KIND OF THOUGHT THIS WOULD WOULD TAKE.
SO. AND WE ACTUALLY DO SOME OF THE SAME STUFF WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE.
SO WE GET SOME CROSSOVER THERE.
SO OUR TEACHERS ON THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADORS ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES GETTING THIS INFORMATION.
OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE, THEY ALL GET THE INFORMATION.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE A CAMPUS THAT HAS TWO PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE GETTING THIS INFORMATION.
BUT WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE, THEIR PRIMARY JOBS, AFTER THEY'VE RECOMMENDED THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THROUGH THIS YEAR, THIS LEGISLATIVE YEAR IS TO THEY'LL RECEIVE UPDATES, THEY'LL PUSH STUFF OUT IF WE WANT THEM TO JUST KIND OF PUSH INFORMATION OUT.
AND THEN ALSO THEY WILL BE A GROUP THAT'S GOOD FOR QUICK FEEDBACK.
WE HAVE PRINCIPALS FROM ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND SAY, HEY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS BILL? OR HEY, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO COME DOWN AND TESTIFY SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A PRINCIPAL DO THOSE THINGS? AND OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE HAS THE FULL CONTEXT.
THEY WERE WORKING ON OUR PRIORITIES.
THEY HAVE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THINGS KIND OF THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS.
THEY'RE JUST KIND OF A THEY'VE GOT MORE INFORMATION AND SO THEY'RE BETTER FOR FEEDBACK PURPOSES.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT.
AND WE DID THAT A LITTLE BIT IN THE PAST YEARS.
WE'RE DOING A TRIP TO THE CAPITOL WITH THAT GROUP THAT WE'VE INVITED.
AND SO THEY LET US KIND OF PIGGYBACK ONTO THAT AS THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE PARENTS THAT GO DOWN AS PART OF THE LLC, TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, I THINK.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED.
WE COULD LIKE 50 PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN PTA IS PAYING FOR THOSE BUSSES.
SO WE'RE LIKE, YEAH, GET EVERYBODY WE CAN.
AND THEN LASTLY, MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS.
WE ACTUALLY THIS WAS A REALLY COOL EVENT THAT WE DID IN PAST YEARS.
AND THEN THEY GET TO TALK TO THEM.
BUT I THINK ALL OF OUR LEGISLATORS LAST TIME, EXCEPT FOR SENATOR NELSON, WERE ABLE TO COME TO THAT.
AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
[01:15:03]
AND IT WAS JUST A REALLY COOL ZOOM MEETING.BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE HOW UNIQUE IT IS BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LIKE THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM LEGISLATORS WAS IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE WE TOLD THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ON IT AND WE TOLD THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE GONNA BE ON THE ZOOM.
AND I MEAN, THEY DID NOT STOP COMMENTING ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY GOT ON THERE.
AND SO, UM, SO IT'S, THIS IS DEFINITELY A UNIQUE THING AND WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT JUST HELPS MAKE SURE THAT KIND OF EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS GEARED TOWARDS WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WON'T SAY WHO, BUT IT WAS A STAFFER WITH ONE OF OUR LOCAL DELEGATION AT THE END OF THE LAST SESSION THAT WAS SAYING BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE AND THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE FRISCO ISD IS DOING IT RIGHT AND DEVELOPING A REPUTATION DOWN IN AUSTIN FOR DOING SO.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT.
WE, WE DID IT HERE BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
DOES EMERSON HAVE SENIORS YET? I DON'T KNOW. SUPER IMPORTANT. WE GET IT RIGHT.
BUT ANYWAY, EVERY GRADE LEVEL AT ALL 12 CAMPUSES ARE REPRESENTED ON THE ON THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE ACTUALLY GO IN TO THEM AT MEETINGS.
I THINK WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS WITH THEM WHERE WE GO IN AND WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW DO YOU LOOK AT LEGISLATION? WE ACTUALLY SHOW THEM TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE, WHICH IS THE STATE WEBSITE WHERE ALL OF THE BILLS ARE LISTED AND HOW TO GO IN THERE AND SEARCH FOR THINGS.
AND WE KIND OF SHOW THEM HOW THEY CAN ACCESS ALL OF THAT AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY TAKE TIME TO GO THROUGH AND THEY CONDUCT THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND THEY PICK A BILL OR AN ISSUE THAT THEY CARE ABOUT. IT COULD BE PUBLIC EDUCATION RELATED.
AND THEY THEY GO AND THEY SPEND TIME RESEARCHING AND THEN WE COME BACK AND MEET WITH THEM AGAIN AND THEY KIND OF DEVELOP AN ELEVATOR PITCH OF WHAT THAT WHAT THAT ISSUE MEANS FOR THEM.
AND SO WE THEN TAKE THEM ALL TO AUSTIN, WHICH IS A SUPER FUN TRIP, AND THEY GET TO SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME WITH LEGISLATORS TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM. AND THE LEGISLATORS ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE DID WITH REPRESENTATIVE SHAHEEN.
AND HE MET THEM OUT FRONT AND TOOK PICTURES WITH THEM AND WAS TALKING.
I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL.
AND THE KIDS ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.
AND ACTUALLY, REPRESENTATIVE SHAHEEN EVEN FILED A BILL TO OR AN AMENDMENT TO A BILL TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE ISSUES ONE OF THE STUDENTS BROUGHT UP HAVING A SELF DEFENSE CLASS AS A AS AN ELECTIVE CREDIT, A P CREDIT.
I MEAN, SO IT WAS THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE THE KIDS DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH, FIND OUT THINGS THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND THEN BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES IN AUSTIN AND THEN TO SEE THE LEGISLATORS REALLY GET TO INTERACT WITH STUDENTS AS WELL.
THEY DO SO MUCH THAT IMPACTS STUDENTS.
AND SO FOR THEM TO GET TO BE WITH THOSE STUDENTS WAS WAS JUST REALLY SPECIAL.
AND SO WE DID THAT AGAIN LAST YEAR HERE IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO TAKE THE KIDS BACK DOWN THIS SESSION.
THEY LOVE HOPPING ON A BUS AT 5 A.M.
AND DRIVING OUT TO AUSTIN AND THEN COMING BACK IN THE SAME DAY AND ALL HAVING TO EAT SPICY CHICKEN STRIPS AT CHICK-FIL-A BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET CHICK-FIL-A TO GIVE THEM TO ALL THE STORES. ANOTHER THING THAT WE DO AS FAR AS PUTTING OUT INFORMATION, YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING A TREND HERE.
WE JUST TRY TO MAKE IT PUBLIC SO THAT EVERYONE CAN ACCESS EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO NEWSLETTERS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
WE SENT THEM OUT BI WEEKLY LAST YEAR.
WE'RE LOOKING WE'RE CONSIDERING DOING THEM WEEKLY THIS YEAR.
THESE WERE THIS IS TRICKY BECAUSE THINGS IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CHANGE LIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND SO IT WAS KIND OF CRAZY TRYING TO GET THESE OUT.
BUT WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK ON THIS.
I WAS KIND OF HOPING EVERYONE WOULD COME BACK AND SAY, WE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT, MEGAN, DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT DOING IT ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEN I WOULD HAVE MORE TIME ON THE MORNINGS THAT WE WOULD SEND IT OUT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I SAY UNFORTUNATELY IT'S GOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS STUFF.
[01:20:03]
IT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A TIME TO SQUEEZE IT ALL IN.AND SO THIS GOES OUT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE.
IT WILL GO OUT TO OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADORS.
WE, I THINK, SENT THIS TO THE BOARD EVERY OTHER WEEK.
WE SENT IT TO OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK WE HAVE A LIST OF LIKE ALMOST 400 PEOPLE THAT WE SEND THIS TO.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE AND READ.
AND WE LINK BACK TO THINGS, WE LINK BACK TO OUR SPREADSHEET.
OUR OUR BILL TRACKING SPREADSHEET WILL PROBABLY LINK IT TO OUR DASHBOARD AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS NEXT SESSION.
I THOUGHT WE WERE MISSING THE SLIDE, BUT HERE IT IS.
ANOTHER COOL THING THAT WE DO, IF YOU SOME OF YOU GUYS KNOW THIS, THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE, BUT AFTER OUR FIRST SESSION, WE KIND OF LOOKED AROUND AND REALIZED, OR ACTUALLY WE WERE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHO WHO IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOES WHAT WE DO.
LET'S TALK TO THEM, LET'S SHARE INFORMATION, LET'S SHARE RESOURCES.
AND THEN AS WE STARTED LOOKING AROUND, WE'RE LIKE, WHOA, PEOPLE LIKE US DON'T REALLY EXIST.
AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE LIKE A LITTLE WORKSHOP AND WE CAN INVITE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IF THEY WANT TO COME AND WE'LL GIVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD. AND WE HAVE 30 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AT THE FIRST ONE.
I WANT TO SAY, AM I MAKING THAT UP? MAYBE 19, MAYBE I EXAGGERATE A LITTLE.
WE HAVE TEENY TINY SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT COME.
WE HAVE BIG SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT COME, AND THEY ALL FOUND IT REALLY USEFUL.
SO WE JUST KIND OF KEPT DOING IT.
AND SO WE DEVELOPED THIS LEGISLATIVE NETWORK THAT IS VERY MUCH A GRASSROOTS THING THAT WE COORDINATE, BUT WE WORK WITH A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON, AND WE HAVE HAD WORKSHOPS, WE'VE HAD TWO CONFERENCES.
WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD OUR PRE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONFERENCE.
IT WAS A TWO DAY THING AND WE HAVE SPONSORS THAT MAKE IT COMPLETELY FREE FOR EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS.
AND REALLY WHAT IT IS, IS A SHARED RESOURCES GROUP.
THAT'S KIND OF THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE DO, IS SHARE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES.
WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, SOMETHING THAT DR.
WALDRIP HAS SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AS A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS.
THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE LIKE.
AND SO WE WANT TO TALK TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF DIFFERENT SIZES, OF DIFFERENT MAKEUP.
YOU KNOW, ARE THEY RURAL, URBAN, SUBURBAN, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES WHEN WE GO AND TALK TO OUR LEGISLATORS, TOO.
SO PUSHING OUT RESOURCES IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING CONFERENCE CALLS LIKE JUST BIWEEKLY WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUMP ON THEM, WHERE WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT I THINK WE TALKED TO DENTON ABOUT LEADING THIS ONE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF SHARE THE WEALTH A LITTLE BIT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD THIS THING WHERE WE ALL JUST JUMP ON EVERY WEEK OR EVERY OTHER WEEK AND WE SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS SEEING? BECAUSE LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, DANNY TALKED ABOUT THE ONLINE LEARNING BILL THAT HAD STALLED IN THE SENATE.
WE SAW THAT IT WASN'T MOVING, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHY.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE GET OUT OF THIS GROUP.
WE'LL BE SENDING THEM BILL ALERTS IF WE FEEL LIKE AN ACTION WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT DELEGATION THAN WE DO.
MAYBE THEY HAVE A DELEGATION THAT INCLUDES A PERSON THAT'S ON AN EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
[01:25:04]
YEAH, ON THOSE ON THAT NOTE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S LEGISLATORS HAVE A TENDENCY TO FOCUS ON THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHICH TOTALLY MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? USUALLY IF THEY'RE ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEES, THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE OPEN TO TALKING TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.BUT BUT THE BENEFIT OF ONE OF THE BENEFITS, LIKE MEGAN WAS SAYING, IS, YOU KNOW, IF, YOU KNOW, KELLER ISD IS IN GIOVANNI LEON'S DISTRICT AND HE'S ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.
IS GOING TO ACTUALLY HURT ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THEN ALSO MAKING SURE WE'RE SHARING RESOURCES, MAKING SURE WE'RE HELPING ALL OF THE LEGISLATORS INVOLVED GET EDUCATED AND NOT JUST OUR OWN AS KIND OF REALLY THE GOAL OF THIS GROUP.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT DOING A COORDINATED TRIP WITH THIS GROUP TO KIND OF JUST GO DOWN.
AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE GROUP HAVE SAID THIS TO THAT WE'VE TALKED TO.
WE NEVER WANT TO BE A GROUP THAT IS HIGH.
WE'RE COMING DOWN HERE AS THE FAST GROWTH SCHOOL COALITION, NOT TO KNOCK ON THEM OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST WE DON'T WANT TO BE ANOTHER GROUP AND THAT WHEN WE WALK IN, THEY SEE OUR FACE AND THEY GO, WELL, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU'RE THE NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEGISLATIVE NETWORK.
IN FACT, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY, THE LEGISLATORS, EVER EVEN KNOW THAT NAME.
BUT WE'RE JUST, LIKE I SAID, A GRASSROOTS GROUP.
IF WE HAVE A COORDINATED TRIP WHERE WE GO DOWN THERE, IT'LL BE US AND A FEW OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS PROVIDING SOME TIPS AND TRICKS AND HELPING THEM SET UP MEETINGS AND GO DO WHAT THEY DO. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKSHOPS.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WHEN WE WORK WITH PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IS REALLY ABOUT US TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT AND UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES AS WELL AND NOT DUPLICATE WORK.
OBVIOUSLY OUR TAS TESSA AND BE, WE HAVE SEVERAL GROUPS THAT WERE A PART OF THAT FOCUS ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF SCHOOL FINANCE AND THOSE KINDS OF AND ISSUES SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN TYPES OF SCHOOLS. TEXAS SCHOOLS COALITION IS REALLY FOCUSED ON RECAPTURE FAST GROWTH SCHOOLS.
COALITION IS FOCUSED ON ISSUES RELATED TO FAST GROWTH SCHOOLS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CHAMBER NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION IS A GROUP OF PRIMARILY ACTUALLY BUSINESSES, AND IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY FOCUSED ON BUSINESSES AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WALDRIP IS ON. AND SO THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE WORK WITH AS WELL.
AND SO THESE ARE JUST THESE ARE JUST ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE TALK TO, AND THEY HELP PROVIDE INFORMATION SO THAT TO US AND ON THE ISSUES THAT THEY FOCUS MORE ON, AND IT JUST HELPS US MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING OUR RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY AND NOT NOT DUPLICATING WORK.
IT DID NOT TAKE US TWO FULL HOURS.
DO YOU HAVE A GOLDFISH? WE CAN FILL WHATEVER TIME YOU GIVE IT.
WHAT GOLDFISH? YOU KNOW. DID THEY GROW AS BIG AS THEIR CAGES? DO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ABOUT GOLDFISH? OKAY. DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GOLDFISH CAGE.
BUT WE APPRECIATE IT AND WE KNOW HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE YOU ALL.
NOT EVERY DISTRICT HAS A GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM.
AND SO FOR YOU ALL TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WITH WITH OTHER DISTRICTS WHO AREN'T AS LUCKY AS FRISCO ISD TO HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. IT'S JUST LIKE YOU SAID, MEGAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL USE THAT ALL SESSION LONG.
BUT TO SHARE WITH WITH ALL OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT NEED THAT SUPPORT AS WELL AS IS AWESOME.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST I'M APPRECIATIVE OF YOU ALL.
AND I KNOW THAT YOUR WORK IS ABOUT TO GET VERY, VERY BUSY.
I MEAN, YOU'RE ALWAYS BUSY, BUT SESSION IS CRAZY, SO REST UP.
I MEAN, DANNY, YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES MORE LIKE.
ARE YOU SURE? DON'T TEMPT HIM.
WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.