DALLAS — While teachers and students are counting down the days to the end of the 2022-2023 school year, some superintendents, administrators and parents from public school districts across North Texas are gathering to focus on funding.
“We are here, today, to declare an emergency,” said Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District.
Representatives from more than 10 Dallas area school districts were among those staging press conferences on May 1. Their mission was to raise the alarm about public school funding.
“I am sounding the distress alarm. Mayday! Mayday! Mayday,” said Melinda Samberson of Texas PTA and Frisco Council of PTAs.
The educators and advocates said they were sending a call to action to Texas lawmakers as they count down the days to the end of this legislative session. They’re urging the lawmakers to consider increasing public school budgets statewide.
"Eighty-five percent of our budget is in people, and most of them are teachers. If we're not made whole for inflation, then we're not able to make our teachers and the support staff, all of our valued team members whole, just to keep the rate of inflation flat,” Elizalde explained.
The administrators said the current budget being negotiated by state lawmakers leaves Texas public schools about $7 billion short from what is needed to cover inflation. Administrators shared, in some cases, teachers are burned out, support staff is underpaid, districts are cutting corners around the high prices of fuel and materials, and school programs are in jeopardy of being cut, among other things.
“Future teachers are turning away from their passion and their calling, because they just can't afford to be educators,” explained Irene Cordozo, a teacher in Cedar Hill ISD.
Members of the coalition said the Texas legislature has more than $30 billion in surplus funds. They believe Texas students deserve more than a $90 per pupil increase.
“It's embarrassing to be in one of the largest states and we are at the bottom of funding our kids. That's not okay. That is not okay,” said Dr. Katrise Perera, superintendent of Lancaster ISD.
For now, the educators and supporters are urging parents, community members and business leaders to contact local lawmakers. This legislative session ends May 29.