School Funding
While school funding can be an incredibly complex and difficult to understand, what's crystal clear is that we are failing our students and teachers by not holding our lawmakers accountable, and demanding that they support our Texas school systems.
UNDERSTAND THE MATH
STUDENTS
BASIC ALLOTMENT
Had education funding passed, the basic allotment for all students in Rockwall ISD would have increased by $540. Rockwall ISD currently serves more than 18,700 students.
18,700 students x $540 = $10,098,000
That's $10,098,000 in classroom funding that Rockwall ISD students and teachers lost.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
In addition to the basic allotment increase, had education funding passed, Special Education students would have received an additional $104 per student. 11.8% of Rockwall ISD students are classified as Special Needs.
2007 students x $104 = $208,728
That's $208,728 that our most vulnerable students are not receiving.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
The education funding bill that did not pass also included an increase of $104 per student for every English Language Learner. 10.47% of Rockwall ISD students are English Language Learners.
1958 students x $104 = $203,632
That's $203,632 in educational resources that our teachers are forced to operate without.
Our Rockwall ISD students lost more than $10,500,000, because the adults failed to do their jobs.
TEACHERS
TEACHER PAY INCREASES
The education funding bill that failed to pass included a $4,000 pay increase for every teacher. Rockwall ISD has 1052 teachers pouring their time, energy and personal money into our students.
1052 teachers x $4,000 = $4,208,000
That's $4,208,000 that was stolen from the single most important people on our campuses.
RETIRING TEACHERS
For any teacher looking to retire without the increase from above, they will receive $400 less every year for the rest of their life if they retired with 20 years of service.
Those who retired with 30 years of service would receive $540 less per year for the remainder of their life.
TAXPAYERS
PROPERTY TAX INCREASES
To offset the lack of funding, Rockwall ISD is proposing an increase to the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) taxes. This will increase each taxpayers $90 for every $300,000 of taxable property. Spread over 30 years, that's $2,700 more per taxpayer.
Why are these numbers important? Because the money that was left on the table for our students and teachers is sitting unused, waiting for lawmakers to decide what to do with it. If elected, I will hit the ground running, and will to fight to get Rockwall ISD the money we deserve.