Issue # 1-

Rural districts in Texas struggle significantly with recruiting and retaining qualified teachers. Rural districts start beginning teacher salaries an average of $15,000 to as much as $27,000 less than larger better funded suburban and urban school districts which make it harder to recruit and retain teachers to rural schools. This gap must be bridged.

TEA 2022-23 school year data

Rural Median Beginner salary $41,187

Charter Median Beginner salary $49,013

Major urban/suburban Beginner $56,931

It is important to remember that is the median beginner rural teacher salaries and many rural school districts start teachers at $33K to $35K. It is hard to attract a new college graduate to a rural district by offering less than $3K per month.

Solution # 1-

The Texas Association of Rural Schools (TARS) strongly advocates for a significant increase in the Small and Mid-Sized District Allotment (SMSDA) to address financial disparities between small and large school districts. Due to their size, smaller districts often face higher per-student operational costs, making it challenging to provide the same quality of education as larger districts. The SMSDA, as outlined in Texas Education Code Section 48.101, is specifically designed to counter these challenges by offering additional financial support.

The current allotment formula multiplier of 0.0004 is inadequate for small districts to cover essential costs, which are disproportionately higher per student due to their lack of economies of scale. TARS recommends increasing the multiplier to 0.00065 for districts with fewer than 1,600 students. This increase in allotment funding will ensure that rural schools can bridge the current salary gap with larger, better-funded school districts and offer competitive teacher salaries, attract and retain high-quality educators, which are vital for rural school student success.

Issue #2-

The special education funding crisis in Texas is a complex issue involving federal funding cuts, inadequate state support, and political challenges. This situation has left many school districts struggling to provide necessary services to special education students while managing broader budgetary constraints

Solution #2-

TARS endorses the Texas Commission on Special Education Funding recommendations: Service-Based Funding: Shift to funding based on service intensity instead of student placement. Increased State Funding: Add $100 million over the biennium to close funding gaps. Expand SSES Program: Increase funding for the program offering $1,500 in services to families. Boost CCMR Bonus: Double the outcomes bonus for special education students.

Issue #3-

Texas is facing significant challenges in funding school safety initiatives. Despite legislative efforts and available grant programs, many school districts are struggling to meet safety requirements due to inadequate funding. The reliance on grant- based funding poses logistical challenges, especially for smaller and rural districts that may lack the resources to navigate complex application processes.

Solution #3-

TARS recommends legislators should consider reducing the scope of mandates to align with available funding and increasing the basic allotment to provide districts with flexible resources to meet safety requirements. Establishing formula-based funding tied directly to legislative mandates would ensure that districts receive adequate support for implementing safety measures, adopting a "no funding, no mandate" policy. Additionally, reducing reliance on grants and simplifying access to necessary funds would help districts, especially those with limited personnel, to effectively manage and utilize safety resources.

Issue #4-

Approximately 926 school districts in Texas have fewer than 3,000 students. These districts often lack adequate administrative support to participate in critical Texas Education Agency (TEA) initiatives designed to improve funding and enhance district operations for student success. Currently, fewer than 75% of these districts have the technical staff to engage fully in many TEA programs.

Solution #4-

TARS recommends establishing a program to provide assistant superintendent-level administrators to aid districts with limited administrative staff. These Technical Assistant Superintendents (TAS) will support rural districts by ensuring their active participation in TEA and state programs aimed at enhancing district operations and achieving high student outcomes. The TAS will focus on supporting programs such as the Texas Incentive Allotment (TIA), School Safety Grants, the Rural Pathway Excellence Partner (R-PEP) grant, and the Effectiveness District Framework (EDF), among other state initiatives. The TSAs will be housed at ESCs around the state.

Issue #5-

The transportation allotment is calculated based on a rate per mile, but this rate from 1985 and 2019 still does not cover the rising bus costs, including fuel, maintenance, and driver salaries. As a result, only about 25% of transportation costs are covered by the state allotment, with the remainder needing to be subsidized by local district funds. This shortfall strains the already limited budgets of rural districts.

Solution #5-

TARS recommends that Texas legislator increase the per-mile funding rate to better reflect current operational costs from the current approximately average of $1 per mile to an increase of $2.50 per mile. This rate would more accurately cover the average cost per mile, which was reported to be $2.01 for regular routes and $2.85 for special education routes as of the 2015-16 school year.

Issue #6-

The Texas Education Code has not undergone a significant overhaul since 1995. This comprehensive revision was intended to streamline and improve the educational framework within the state. However, as educational needs and societal contexts have evolved, there is a compelling case for revisiting and potentially rewriting the Texas Education Code to better align with current educational priorities and challenges.

Solution #6-

TARS recommends establishing a commission to revisit and rewrite the Texas Education Code. This state commission can address educational policies to be relevant and effectively focus on preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century. This process would involve collaboration among educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders to create a flexible, responsive, and student-centered educational framework.