Legislative Priorities

Dear Klein ISD Families and Community,

The 89th Texas Legislative Session began this week, and we find ourselves standing at a critical moment in time—one where our collective voices can positively impact the future of public education. Decisions made in Austin by our elected officials over the coming months will directly affect our ability to keep providing the high-quality education our Klein ISD students deserve.

As always, I want to thank our state elected officials for their service to Texas. In Klein ISD, we’re proud to offer our students so many choices and opportunities to prepare them for their future, and we know our state lawmakers share that same commitment to our kids.

Challenges Facing Public Education—Inflation & Underfunded Mandates
It’s no secret that inflation has taken a toll on folks everywhere, from the grocery store to the gas pump. But did you know that even in light of rising costs, it’s been over five years since the state-determined per-student funding level, known as the basic allotment, was last increased? No wonder we saw so many school districts across Texas making headlines as they faced tough financial challenges at the start of the school year, cutting needed positions, programs, and services for students.

And that’s why we need your help to prevent what’s happening all around us from happening here at home, too. Without an increase in funding the state allocates to public schools, we will likely encounter the same challenges as our neighboring school districts in facing some hard decisions concerning cutting student programs and personnel in future school years.

Impact of the 89th Legislative Session
Ensuring our students’ success is made possible by the dedication of our educators, staff, and families, but it also depends on funding provided at the state level to adequately support our teachers and our schools with necessary resources and pay. Klein ISD has a proud history of conservative fiscal responsibility, and we have maximized every dollar to ensure we are providing an excellent education.  

We remain optimistic that legislators will take action to address critical school funding needs, especially school safety, special education, and transportation which currently are millions of dollars underfunded in Klein ISD. Our students and teachers deserve a funding system that reflects the growing demands of public education.

Klein ISD’s Legislative Priorities
This legislative session, we are focused on ensuring that our lawmakers will Fund Our Schools F.I.R.S.T. At our most recent Board meeting, Klein ISD’s Chief of Staff and Chief Financial Officer provided a report about our Legislative Priorities, which you can view here.

Community Call to Action
We need your help to ensure lawmakers prioritize funding public education for our students and staff this session. To assist you, we have created a Legislative Priorities Webpage. This resource is designed to provide you with helpful information and tools you need to communicate effectively with elected officials about the importance of funding public education. On this page, you’ll find contact information for our elected officials, updates on legislative actions, public education bills to watch, and ways you can get involved.

In Klein ISD, our kids, our staff, and our community come F.I.R.S.T. Let’s continue standing together on behalf of this place we love and, together, work to create a brighter future for the next generation of leaders we have the privilege of educating today.

Gratefully,
Dr. Jenny McGown
Klein ISD Superintendent