State and Federal Legislative Update
82nd Legislature Update
Cash-strapped districts and colleges are preparing for the worst as state lawmakers consider cuts to public and higher education to help address a $28B shortfall for the next biennium, largely due to lower than expected revenues from sales tax.
Close to 60 percent of the state budget is dedicated to education, forcing lawmakers to make tough decisions about funding priorities like education. There is insufficient revenue to cover growth in enrollment or offset reductions in school district property values. Revenue projections will be revised if consumer spending grows, but lawmakers are proceeding with efforts to balance the budget as required by the state constitution.
In Texas, the impact on career and technical education (CTE) programs will be subject to potential cuts at state and federal levels. In Texas, proposed cuts of up to 13 percent to school finance formula entitlements in the Foundation School Program which includes the per student basic allotment, otherwise referred to as WADA. CTE generates .35 in weighted funding of the per student basic allotment.
Both the House and Senate released their proposed state budgets which cut over $5 billion per year to the Foundation School Program for the 2012-2013 biennium. Additionally, both budgets propose almost
universal elimination of all discretionary grant programs, including the Student Success Initiative, the Technology Allotment, Pre-K Early Start Grant, Texas High School Completion and Success Initiative, D.A.T.E., Texas Virtual School Network, Teach for America and many others.
Statutory changes in the Senate's version of the budget include reducing the state's contribution to the Teacher Retirement System to 6 percent and TRS-Care to 0.5 percent. In the Senate version of HB 1, however, TEA will receive $400 million in discretionary grant money (i.e. Rider 53) which must be used to improve public education. Both budget proposals do not use the Rainy Day Fund ($9 billion) and do not contemplate raising taxes.
In reaction to the proposed cuts for education in Texas, leaders from districts across the state are asking for relief from state mandates. The Senate Education Committee met earlier this month to discuss potential statutory changes. Senator Shapiro provided opening comments and expressed "the new normal is doing more with less." During the hearing, district leaders asked for the ability to reduce salaries and issue furloughs in hopes of retaining staff instead of being forced into layoffs.
You can help by contacting state and federal lawmakers in support of CTE. Members of the Texas House and Senate committees on education need to hear from you! Implore lawmakers to make use of the rainy day fund and avoid cuts to the Foundation School Program. CTE should remain a cornerstone of the Texas education system.
Information on Advocating
Download the 82nd Legislature Advocacy Information Sheet
Download the CTAT Advocacy Worksheet
Advocacy Resources
Download Richard Froeschle's Texas Labor Market Data Powerpoint
112th US Congress Update
At the federal level, the House Appropriations Committee introduced a new FY 2011 appropriations bill on the 11th, H.R. 1. The legislation cuts funding for the Perkins Act by 8 percent by completely eliminating funding for the Tech Prep program for the 2011-2012 school year, and makes drastic cuts across other education and workforce development programs. This Perkins cut will affect all states if enacted. View ACTE's chart of exactly how much your state would lose under this bill.
The House began voting on the bill today, and debate is expected to last through Thursday. If the House passes the bill, it will then go to the Senate, so advocacy efforts targeting all Members of Congress are critical. This bill poses the most serious threat to CTE funding in years and requires all CTE stakeholders to take action!
Visit www.acteonline.org/saveCTEfunding for the latest information, more background and ways you can join the fight to save CTE funding! You can also register for a free, members-only Webinar on CTE and the budget process at 3:00 EST on February 16.
Date: February 16, 2011
Time: 2:00 p.m. CST
ACTE Press Release in Response to Proposed Cuts
Tell Congress What You Stand To Lose If Perkins Funding Is Cut