Retooling Your Legislative Advocacy

By taking advantage of informational resources and networks of professional associations, superintendents can make a real difference in these intensely partisan times

The 88th session of the Texas Legislature, which adjourned in late May, had begun with much promise. A combination of factors had created a record budget surplus of $33 billion. Yes, billion. And that does not include the state’s “Rainy Day” fund, which is projected to stand near the statutory cap of $30 billion.

That substantial surplus came about from record sales tax collections due to inflation, high oil and gas severance taxes and unspent funds tied to lower-than-expected public school attendance.

Texas ranks as the second largest economy in the United States and the ninth largest in the world, but the needs of our schools — like those in other states — are considerable. Texas sits among the bottom 10 states in spending per pupil, and teacher pay is far below the national average. Teacher turnover and a lack of viable replacement candidates has reached near crisis levels. Even in a deeply red state like Texas, these conditions led to Gov. Greg Abbott creating a teacher vacancy task force that met for most of a year to develop recommendations.