Player represents region in effort to teach legislature about schools

Members from local school boards across the State of Texas are attempting to sway Texas legislators in the upcoming 80th session.

Ray Player, a member of the Sabine Independent School District board and a member of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), will representing his region as part of the Legislative Advisory Council.

Player said he attended a meeting on April 1 in Austin at which 108 regional representatives were reviewing and consolidating ideas from 21 regions. "The top priorities are school funding and local control, " said Player. "With the Supreme Court giving legislators until June to solve the Texas school funding issue, it's hard to talk about anything else at this time."

Player said in his opinion this special session will not solve the problem but just "put a BandAid on it, hoping to satisfy the courts... The issue is to make school funding adequate and equitable for all school districts, big and small," said Player. "At one time the state funded almost all of school finances but now the state only pays approximately 36 percent."

Player said he would hope the legislators will "back up" on some of the unfunded mandates which are "costing school such as Sabine money they just don't have... The teacher pay raise cost Sabine $97,000 that had to come from somewhere else in the budget. The state mandated it but didn't pay for it," said Player.

Player said there is no doubt teachers need and deserve pay raises but in addition to salary increases, the district is dealing with tax rates that are extended to the cap with very little relief coming in that direction.

Player said another issue on the table is more local control for school districts. "The school start date is one good example," said Player. "It should be left up to each school district when classes should start, not mandated across the boards for all schools to start at the same time."

Player said every school has different reasons for setting its start date and they know best when this should be, not legislators sitting in Austin.

Another issue on the table, Player said, is forced consolidation. "Bills have been introduced several times for school consolidation and, fortunately, they have been defeated," said Player. "I like the idea of my children attending a small school like Sabine and want to keep this option open to all parents."

"The council will meet again on May 20 an attempt to finish its business at that time," said Player. "We will continue to lobby legislators on these priorities and hope they listen to the wants and needs of the districts."