An issue that could potentially cause challenges for local school boards when it comes to education funding due to it being tied to in-person schooling and not including virtual learning. | Pixabay
Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath sided with Attorney General Ken Paxton in an issue that could potentially cause challenges for local school boards when it comes to education funding due to it being tied to in-person schooling and not including virtual learning, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) reported in a press release.
Paxton's non-binding opinion was that school funding should only be fully given if schools have in-person instruction, making it so that school leaders will rush to get back to in-person schooling quickly for fear of losing funding instead of focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) also created additional barriers that add even more challenges to the school leaders trying to serve the children of the state, according to the TASB.
The agency reported that when students need insightful leadership from both state and local officials the most, TEA has added those challenges.
TASB says TEA's decisions are a stark contrast to previous plans that supported flexibility and progress, including $200 million in funding for technology for school districts to make sure students had the proper tools for remote learning; a transition period for school districts during the first eight weeks of the school year; waiver on STAAR grade promotion; funding for the 2020 spring semester was sustained; and allowing for remote learning and hybrid model instruction.
"This week’s announcements, however, seem to take a step backward," TASB said in its press release. "While we understand the argument for doing away with blanket approaches that don’t meet the needs of every single school district, the Texas Association of School Boards does not agree with tethering school district funding with in-class instruction in the face of a pandemic."
The TASB notes that every school district is independent and should have the authority to make its own decisions for what is best for students in that district.
"We implore TEA to rescind this decision based on a non-binding legal opinion and allow independent school districts the flexibility to make these important local decisions without the repercussions of lost funding," TASB said in the press release. "TEA’s role in these efforts is to help coordinate the flow of information from the state to districts, help districts solve problems, and provide guidance that will aid in districts’ decision making. When local health authorities state that it is unsafe to open classrooms, it is irresponsible for TEA to require them to do so."
Alerts Sign-up