Last week, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD school board 鈥渞egarding the vital role of educators and staff.鈥� The symbolic resolution requests that Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas lawmakers increase the state鈥檚 basic allotment to allow for higher teacher pay and better funded schools.
It was a 鈥減ublic statement to our teachers and other staff about their value,鈥� said board president Randy Schackmann, one the district has wanted to make for some time. And it鈥檚 not the only one.
At least two other districts 鈥� Mesquite and Mansfield 鈥� have passed near-identical resolutions in recent weeks as a new legislative session approaches and brings with it a new fight over school funding.
.
The resolution's author, Charles Randklev, is Keller ISD鈥檚 school board president. He brought the .
鈥淵ou know, I鈥檓 excited and glad that it was useful for other districts,鈥� Randklev said. 鈥淲e wanted to communicate very clearly to our educators that we hear you, and we see you, and we're advocating for you.鈥�
The resolution cites the state鈥檚 nearly $33 billion budget surplus in the last legislative session, then chastises the governor and lawmakers for failing to pass a budget addressing the unchanged basic school allotment, underfunded safety and security mandates, record inflation, and the need for teacher and staff raises.
Trustees in other north Texas districts, like Benita Reed in Mansfield ISD, passed the same basic resolution to tell lawmakers and constituents they all need funding help.
鈥淟et鈥檚 write our local legislators, let鈥檚 ask them to fight for us,鈥� Reed urged during a September board meeting, 鈥淟et鈥檚 ask our parents and students to send letters to the legislators.鈥�
In the fourth and last special legislative session last year, lawmakers withdrew the voucher-like Education Savings Accounts 鈥� ESAs 鈥� from a comprehensive school funding bill that would鈥檝e otherwise funded what educators and trustees said they wanted. But without ESAs, the bill died. Gov. Greg Abbott had warned that he would not sign an education funding measure without ESAs.
Randklev said he wanted the voucher-like measure voted on separately because he considers it a stand-alone issue.
With his district鈥檚 basic allotment of $6,160 per student still stuck and unchanged since 2019, he said Keller鈥檚 needs are now greater than ever.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how much longer district like ours can continue to operate the way that they are and provide the outstanding services and product that we do - the education experience - at 6160,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think something鈥檚 gonna happen this upcoming biennium.
鈥淚t has to.鈥�
Randklev said he knows many school boards share his sentiment, whether they passed a school funding resolution similar to Keller鈥檚 or not.
Bill Zeeble is 四虎影院鈥檚 education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X .
四虎影院 is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider . Thank you.
