Two bills to keep an eye on as the Texas legislative session wraps up
As the final week of the Texas legislative session begins, there are a few education bills that could make it to the finish line.
One of those is the public school funding bill, which is most likely to make it to the governor's desk.
The public school funding bill, known as House Bill 2, would increase funding for public education to $8.5 billion. That's a $500 million increase compared to the deal earlier this month.
Schools will see per-student funding, or basic allotment, increase by $55, which opponents have said isn't enough. Even with the small increase, it would be the first bump to basic allotment since 2019.
The Texas House will most likely accept the bill this week, then it will move to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.
Another bill that could cross the governor's desk is House Bill 6 – school discipline for younger students.
This bill details how to discipline students in pre-K through second grade and homeless students when there is a repeated and significant disruption. It would overturn Texas laws that previously protected those students.
Senators have softened those guidelines, which gives individual schools more autonomy to discipline students. The latest version allows in-student suspensions for as long as the school sees fit, as long as principals review placements every 10 days.
The House must concur before it goes to the governor.
