TASA, along with 22 other organizations, sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott on December 15, 2020, that urged him to extend the provision in TEA guidance that provides assurances of 100 percent ADA funding for the remaining 18 weeks of the 2020-21 school year for both virtual and in-person learning.
If enrollment declines continue after the first 18 weeks, school district funding is in jeopardy, and districts’ ability to continue to serve students will suffer. Budget cuts will be inevitable and will result in layoffs of some teachers and other essential school personnel at the worst possible time. Educators and other school staff members have put their lives on the line to keep schools open.
Please contact your legislator today and ask them to urge Gov. Abbott to extend the hold harmless provision for the entire school year. Any realistic timeline of legislative action on this matter would be too late — past the time when districts would be forced to make budget cuts. For school districts to continue to serve students and staff through the second half of this school year, assurance from the state that districts will receive sustained ADA funding is critical.
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