89th Texas Legislature

The 89th Session of the Texas Legislature convenes at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.

Allen ISD Legslative Priorities

Allen ISD and the Board of Trustees call on the Texas Legislature to provide appropriate funding for all Texas public schools. The Texas Legislature can support students and educators across the state by appropriately funding the following areas:

Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Rising Healthcare Costs for Teachers and Staff
Safety and Security Efforts
Special Education
Early Childhood Education
Rising Operational Costs Because of Inflation

The Governor and Legislature should fulfill their constitutional duty to "make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools (Texas Constitution, Article 7, Section 1).

Unfunded Mandates Continue to Grow

The Texas Legislature continues to burden school districts with unfunded mandates. In Allen ISD alone, unfunded mandates total to more than $10 million annually.

These unfunded mandates include, but are not limited to:

Teacher Retirement System (TRS) -- Payment Requirement on Salaries Above Teacher State Minimum
TRS -- Care Returee Insurance Plan (.65 percent of Total Payroll)
TRS -- State Contribution for First 90 Days for New Employees
Payment to County Appraisal Districts to Fund Operations
Special Education Program Mandates Exceeding State Funding
Full-Day Pre-K (1/2-Day Funding)
Armed Officer on Every Campus
Criminal Background Checks
PEIMS Data Reporting
Elections
Truancy Services
AED in Every Building
Open Records Requests
Budget and Tax Rate Hearing Notice
Schools First Hearing Notice