The Texas Legislature started its session on January 8th. Texas PTA has a list of priorities, and one of them is to increase funding for all Texas schools. There is another group JustFundItTexas.com that is working to share the message statewide.

Legislative Priority

Public School Funding System Reform

Pursue an adequate and equitable solution for school funding that maintains accountability and responsibility for educating the whole child and includes funding for enrollment growth.

Download information on Public School Funding System Reform here.

Background

• The current funding system is a result of a series of short-term, “band-aid” solutions that have produced outdated, inequitable, and insufficient solutions for the needs of our diverse student population.
• Over the past decade, the state has continually decreased its share of public education funding to less than 40%, allowing rising local property taxes to fill the gap.
• The Texas Education Agency (TEA) projects an additional reduction in the state’s funding for public education by more than $3.5 billion over the next two years.
• The economic situation in Texas looks more positive than it has in recent years.
• According to Comptroller Glenn Hegar earlier this year:  1) The state will have $110.17 billion for general purpose spending for the 2018-19 biennium.  2) The Economic Stabilization Fund, also called the Rainy Day Fund, will have a balance of $11.9B at the end of fiscal year 2019. 3) Sales tax revenue, the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 57% of all tax collections, is up by 10.5% for 2018 over 2017.
• Texas PTA believes the legislature must dedicate new, increased revenue to replace the funds lost to years of budget cuts and to support a growing student population with a wide range of learning needs.
• It’s time to create a funding system that equitably supports all students and relies on statewide funding sources rather than local property taxes.

What can you do???

Let’s help Texas PTA help our kiddos.   We need 42 memberships or 21 family memberships to go to hit our goal of 775 PTA Memberships  We are getting closer to our goal, but we need a little bit more help. Thank you for your commitment to be the strongest possible voice for all students.

Rally Day

Join 2,000 PTA members from across the state to tell our legislators that we want equitable and adequate school funding NOW, among other things. Rally DAY will be held on February 25 8am, at the Capitol

Why participate in Texas PTA Rally Day?

·         Meet with legislators to share Texas PTAs Legislative Agenda

·         Raise awareness on needs of public schools / children

·         Hear from political leaders and bill sponsors

·         Join others to advocate on behalf of Texas children/youth

·         Learn more about issues affecting Texas children

Please remember if your child has been diagnosed with the flu to consult with your child’s pediatrician to determine the child’s return to school date. Persistent symptoms like excessive coughing and sneezing, which spread germs, even without fever may still warrant the child staying home from school.   

AISD return to school policy for all illnesses is: 

·         Students must be fever free 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medication, before returning to school.  DO NOT give fever-reducing medication in the morning and send your child to school. Your child may still be sick and could cause others to become ill. 

·         Students with temperatures greater than 99.9 must be picked up from school. 

·         Students must be free from symptoms of viral gastroenteritis (diarrhea, loose, watery stools, vomiting) for 24 hours, without the use of anti-diarrheal medication, before returning to school.  Students with symptoms while at school may be sent home. 

Congratulations to Hill Teacher of the Year, Sally Armstrong and Hill Teacher of Promise, Madison Mischnick!  We are so proud of these outstanding teachers!

Congratulations also to Jason Schafer and Brandi Watson, our other nominees for Teacher of the Year! We are so proud of all of our new teachers at Hill!!

This week we will enjoy celebrating and appreciating Sheila Wessels and Stephanie Winfrey for their work as Counselors at Hill School.

In 2005, the Texas School Counselor Association began a program called CREST to recognize schools with outstanding counseling programs. This year, 101 schools will be recognized for excellence in school counseling. CREST stands for Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas.

Schools receiving CREST awards have demonstrated a commitment using the school guidance and counseling program to improve the lives and achievement of students in academic, career, and personal social domains.

Congratulations to Sheila Wessels and Stephanie Winfrey from Hill Elementary School in the Austin Independent School District for being one of a group of only 101 schools from across the state to win the CREST Award for Counseling Excellence for 2018-2019.

Please attend our annual MMS Choice Sheet Night in order to learn more about the rigorous and engaging classes and exciting extracurricular opportunities we offer our students at MMS!

What: An important night to learn about MMS classes to help you make your 2019-20 course selections

Date: February 5, 2019

Time: 5:30-8:30 (Incoming 6th Grade reserved for 5:30-6:30) Information session in the small gym from 5:30-6:00 and talking to teachers from 6:00-6:30 

Who: Parents of incoming 6th graders (and students if you would like)

Just kidding. I’m not selling your kids’ things. The Lost and Found will be brought to the front of the school for a few days this week starting Monday. After school Thursday all jackets and sweatshirts found before Winter Break will be FREE and will be laid out on the tables at the front of the school Friday morning. Items will be collected for donation by 8:15 a.m. Friday.

Clip those boxtops, put them in an envelope or baggie with the student’s name, teacher’s name and grade and feed them to our hungry Boxtop Robot by the yellow brick wall. Earn rewards for your class and earn free money for Hill!

Come join your fellow Dillos for a night of fun – you won’t want to miss it! Tickets and sponsorships are available for purchase online by accessing www.bidpal.net/hillhoopla2019.  

Click here to see a preview of some of the awesome auction items and buy-in parties!  100% of the proceeds from these items go to back to Hill PTA to benefit the school!

New this year bidding on silent auction items and the ever so popular buy-in parties will all be online via web browser courtesy of BidPal mobile bidding! Be sure to register your credit card information online at www.bidpal.net/hillhoopla2019 prior to the event so you will be ready for the bidding action. Once registered, you will receive an email with additional information and your credit card will be saved so you can start bidding on items at Hoopla

Come enjoy food featuring a grilled quesadilla bar, chips, queso, salsa and shrimp ceviche, dancing, revelry, online and live auction bidding access, and casino games! Drinks are cash bar (credit cards will be accepted). Be sure to check out our available family sponsorships that include drink tickets, and a lyft voucher for a safe ride home!

It’s Vegas, Baby…come dressed in your Vegas inspired best, or just as you are (sequins, jeans, feathers, jorts or Elvis…anything goes)!

Bambino babysitting app has partnered with Hill Hoopla Armadillo Casino this year to make sure your little Dillos are covered.  Please use code HILLHOOPLA for $5 off babysitting.  Code is valid for one time use January 24-February 24.

Questions? Contact us at hoopla@hillelementary.com.

School Funding as it applies to AISD

The Texas Legislature is in session and Rally Day is coming up on Feburary 25th.  Please read, educate yourself, and find out what you can do to improve education for the children in Texas.

Below are some data points that will make the budget discussions more personal for our campus and for the families who support us.

AISD budget data points to consider:

• AISD will pay back $600 million to the State of Texas for recapture (Robin Hood) this year alone.
• Last year AISD paid back $530 million to the State in recapture monies.
• Essentially AISD pays out 46% of the local property tax dollars received from property owners back to the State of Texas.
• This amounts to just over $8,000.00 per student in AISD that we pay back to the State of Texas.
• The recapture amount for AISD climbs every year due to the Robin Hood formula, rising property values and no appeal process for AISD to challenge the payout amount that is crippling our school resources.
• No other major urban district in Texas is “feeling the budget pinch” to the extent of Austin. Other districts paying out for recapture include Houston, Dallas and Plano, but no other district is anywhere close to the amount Austin pays back.
• AISD is currently operating at a $30 million dollar deficit (dipping into reserve funds to make ends meet this year; but, this cannot continue).
• Overall, 25% of what the entire State of Texas funds for public education comes directly from what AISD pays back in recapture dollars.
• State of Texas funds 32% of public education costs with the remainder coming from local property taxes.
• State of Texas funds 100% of charter school costs.
• Regardless of political philosophy, the current Texas school finance system/formula has been found unconstitutional multiple times by Texas courts.
• Austin ISD is diligently working to continue to provide comprehensive, effective education for all students. When the budget is so restricted that student services and instructional resources are affected, the intent/spirit of the law has to be revisited by our legislators.

Here are some websites that examine this issue from varied perspectives:

• https://www.texastribune.org/2017/04/10/analysis-state-school-finance-system-can-choke-citys-growth/
• http://www.kut.org/post/how-does-recapture-affect-school-funding-texas
• https://empowertexans.com/features/which-texans-paid-the-biggest-robin-hood-tax-in-2018/
• https://tea.texas.gov/Finance_and_Grants/State_Funding/Chapter_41_Wealth_Equalization/Chapter_41_Wealth_Equalization/
• https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas-isd/2018/07/04/property-taxes-staying-isd-record-number-d-fw-districts-give-millions-back-state
• https://forabettertexas.org/images/EO_2018_RecaptureExplained.pdf

Please take a few minutes to be informed on this issue as AISD needs community support to get through this dilemma. Until a legislative remedy is operational, AISD must devise a plan to continue educating about 80,000 students each school year. Thus, the budget for next school year must cut $30 million in order for AISD to remain solvent.

What cuts are being considered?
There were actually over a hundred possible cuts when the process started. Some have to do with eliminating particular positions or programs; others have to do with changing how schools function or how they are staffed. There are conversations about closing or combining under-enrolled schools and other discussions about reworking staff benefits.

What cuts are being seriously considered?
Changing the way schools are staffed is on the table. There is definite momentum behind raising the the teacher to student ratio for general education student.  Changing the number at which a school receives another Assistant Principal, Counselor or more classified assistance (think registrar, book keeper and office staff) is also being highly considered.

Why does it seem like all the cuts are to jobs?
Across the district most of our money goes to human capital (86% of the entire AISD budget is salaries), that means staff (campus and district) salaries and benefits. Yes, there are some expensive programs and buildings have maintenance and operations costs, but still, the majority of money is spent on people, so when you are looking for cost savings in the tens of millions of dollars it’s hard to do that without looking at people’s jobs.

What can you do???

Join the PTA!!  There is strength in numbers and Texas PTA has a goal of 50,000 members.  Become a part of their voice on Texas School Finance Refom.  Go the the marketplace on the Hill website to join!

Rally Day

Join 2,000 PTA members from across the state to tell our legislators that we want equitable and adequate school funding NOW, among other things. Rally DAY will be held on February 25 8am, at the Capitol.

Come on out to Hill School for activity and education! Work towards those New Year’s Resolutions and join the Hill Dillos for a day of exercise and wellness. We will have sessions with Camp Gladiator, the Meditation Bar, The Fitness School, and Studio Mantra Yoga, try one or try them all! Bring your bike and helmet to participate in the Bike Rodeo or come visit with our specialists to learn more about personal hygiene and general wellness. Join us from 10 am -Noon on Saturday, February 23 on the Hill playground!!! If you’re interested in volunteering for the event, please email Coach Schafer at jason.schafer@austinisd.org.

Click here to volunteer to work a shift during the Heath Fair!