Northside TEXAS HOUSE Independent School District Please express your support of these District 116 – Trey Martinez Fischer Legislative Priorities to your elected District 117 – Philip Cortez officials who represent Northside ISD District 122 – Lyle Larson in the Texas Legislature. District 123 – Diego Bernal District 124 – Ina Minjarez Texas’ fourth largest and Bexar County’s largest school district District 125 – Ray Lopez Northside ISD is the largest public school system To contact your State Representative, in Bexar County with a 2020-2021 enrollment direct your correspondence or calls to: of over 103,000 students in pre-kindergarten The Honorable (Full Name) through twelfth grade. Since 1995, voters have Texas House of Representatives approved almost $4 billion in bonds to build PO Box 2910 additional schools, renovate existing facilities, Austin, TX 78768-2910 add technology, and upgrade safety and security. TEXAS SENATE The Community and its Elected School District 19 – Roland Gutierrez Board of Trustees District 25 – Donna Campbell Northside ISD Trustees represent approximately 218,000 households located in 355 square miles District 26 – José Menéndez in northwest Bexar County and parts of Medina To contact your State Senator, and Bandera counties. Seven single-member direct your correspondence or calls to: district Trustees advocate for the needs of more than 103,000 students, 14,000 employees, and The Honorable (Full Name) 346,580 registered voters. Texas Senate Capitol Station PO Box 12068 Mission Statement Austin, TX 78711 At Northside ISD, our mission is to transform the To stay informed on legislation during the 2021 learning experience for students so that every Legislative Session, visit www.capitol.texas.gov day, every student grows in confidence, curiosity, and capability. 2021 Legislative Brian T. Woods, Ed.D., Superintendent Northside ISD • 5900 Evers Road • San Antonio, TX Priorities 78238-1606 • 210-397-8500 Benefitting students, nisd.net taxpayers, and employees December 2020 2021 Legislative Priorities • Protect a district’s ability to maintain a healthy fund ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Carol Harle, Ph.D. balance without penalties or mandates on use of said President, District 6 Benefitting students, taxpayers, balance. • Allow school districts to use accountability information to and employees hold themselves accountable to their communities rather • Maintain a defined benefit plan for the Teacher than a one-size-fits-all mandate, which will break the chain The Northside Independent School District Retirement System (TRS). of consecutive years of unacceptable ratings held over Board of Trustees supports legislation that from 2019 for purposes of accountability interventions and protects the whole infrastructure of the Public • Maintain funding to offset the increased cost of Karen Freeman, legislatively-mandated increases in TRS contributions. sanctions, with consideration for the complex effects of the Vice President, School System in Texas to include full state District 7 COVID-19 pandemic on student learning and STAAR test funding, transparency of all taxpayer-funded results generated by: public schools, fair and responsible student SCHOOL CHOICE/CHARTER SCHOOLS assessments, and local control to address the - Two consecutive school years disrupted by mandatory • Support legislation that amends the State Virtual School school closures/tiered in-person learning; diverse needs of each individual school district. Network (TEC Chapter 30A) to allow school districts fair Joseph H. Medina access to funding, curriculum, programs, and services Secretary, We respectfully ask the 87th Legislature to: - Mixed student response to virtual learning; and District 1 so they may offer students the choice to attend school virtually part-time or full-time. - Challenges of engaging virtual learners. FINANCE Use assessment results as a diagnostic tool to inform • Hold open enrollment charter schools and boards of • • Protect all programs and funding in HB 3 (86R). charter schools to the same standards of transparency instructional decisions that support individual students Gerald B. Lopez that apply to traditional public schools. rather than a high-stakes instrument for accountability Trustee, Extend the deadline for teachers and District 2 • purposes. principals (grades K-3) to complete the • Support legislation that aligns the commissioner process teacher literacy achievement academy as Reinforce statute regarding campus rating standards to mandated in HB 3 (86R). for expansion of existing open enrollment charter • schools to the charter authorization process, including ensure the distinction between “forced failure” ratings of “D” and “F”. • Study the effects of the COVID-19 an analysis of the charter school’s cost to the Permanent M’Lissa M. pandemic on the certification process of School Fund and its impact on surrounding school district Chumbley families qualifying for the National School Multiple-year unacceptable status should only apply Trustee, funding and anticipated enrollment growth. - District 3 Lunch Program, resulting in a loss of data to overall performance for campuses or districts; and to measure the needs of educationally • Support legislation that forces charter schools to serve disadvantaged students who qualify for a population of students similar to the area in which the - Each district or campus should receive the rating compensatory education funding. school is located and to comply with the elements of TEC that is calculated via the scaling process and Chapter 37. methodology with no special provisions. • Adequately fund the Instructional Materials Robert Blount, Jr. Allotment, recognizing the need for Trustee, • Encourage the Commissioner of Education to strictly follow District 4 additional technology funding, including • Oppose private school vouchers, tuition tax credits, newfound needs for digital connectivity, grants, or any private education program funded by statute as outlined in HB 22 (85R) to allow boards to and connect the allotment to the State public tax dollars including the use of the Permanent develop and implement local accountability plans. Board of Education adoption cycle. School Fund for funding, credit enhancement, or financing of charter school facilities. • Protect and expand funding for SB 11 GOVERNANCE Katie N. Reed (86R) that addresses school safety, trauma- Trustee, Support changes to accountability and transparency Allow school boards to maintain all powers and duties District 5 informed care, and mental health resources • • in schools; allowing discretion at the local of charter schools including timely, well-advertised to govern their respective school districts if not otherwise level. public hearing notices regarding charter expansion/ outlined in statute and not allow a state agency or other amendment requests, reforming charter school wait lists, entity to impede on those powers and duties. • Fund the actual cost of providing any and restructuring the application process through TEA, and all programs required in legislation, rules limiting the approval of new charter schools based on Allow school boards to set maintenance and operations tax Brian T. Woods, and/or regulations, and by the Texas • Ed.D. proximity to traditional public schools. rates without separate voter approval. Superintendent, Education Agency (TEA). Northside ISD.