Post-Legislative Conference:
A review of the 83rd Session
After the 83rd Legislative Session crosses the finish line, what will the end result be for Texas school districts? Find out what legislation made it through the session at the TASB 2013 Post-Legislative Conference held in conjunction with the Summer Leadership Institute.
Read more.
SLI registration deadlines approaching
May 24 is the deadline to register for Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) San Antonio, and May 31 is the deadline for SLI Fort Worth. The 2013 conferences are scheduled for June 6–8 in San Antonio and June 13–15 in Fort Worth. Remember: Registration fees for this year's Institute are waived for board members and administrators of school districts and ESCs; however, preregistration is required. To register and for a complete list of breakout sessions, visit the
SLI Web page.
"Fund public schools" campaign under way
This spring, TASB unveiled a new campaign, "Fund public schools. Our future depends on it!" to raise awareness of school finance as debates continue in the Texas Legislature. The ads link to factual information about Texas school funding at
www.fundpublicschools.org. Recently, the campaign expanded to the
Austin American-Statesman,
Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth
Star-Telegram,
Houston Chronicle,
San Antonio Express-News, and
Texas Tribune, along with bumper stickers and other signage. To request bumper stickers, e-mail
tasb@tasb.org.
Post-election Webinar and resources for school boards
With elections complete, school boards across the state are welcoming new trustees and electing officers. TASB Leadership Team Services has compiled resources to help boards through the reorganization process.
Read more.
Winners named in Claycomb Student Architecture Contest
Aspiring architects and designers in the Central Texas area recently were celebrated as winners of the first Claycomb Student Architecture Contest. Texas public high school students were invited to submit finished architectural designs for judging by professional architects and instructors. The 2012–13 contest is the debut project for Claycomb Associates, Architects, as part of TASB Partners.
Read more.
Nomination materials being sent to districts
The TASB Nominations Committee is reviewing the TASB Board of Directors roster; district superintendents and board presidents will receive official notification by May 31 of any TASB Board vacancies or expiring terms for their region. The packet will include the nomination form, biographical sketch, willingness-to-serve letter, and candidate questionnaire. July 1 is the deadline to nominate a local board member for a position on the TASB Board. Information on the nomination process is available
on line.
Board members discuss budget cuts
The latest in TASB's video series focuses on the impact of the school funding cuts implemented during the last legislative session. Gloria Casas of La Feria ISD, Fred Contreras of Grape Creek ISD, Jim de Garavilla of Silsbee ISD, Teresa Flores of Ingleside ISD, and Carla Ranger of Dallas ISD discuss the importance of supporting our public schools. The video is posted in the
Board Service section of tasb.org and on
TASB's Children at Risk Web page. District staff and trustees are encouraged to share the video with their communities and legislators.
More Texas educators could see pay raises in 2013–14
Texas school districts are optimistic about pay raises for the coming school year, according to a TASB HR Services quick poll conducted in April. Of the 437 districts that responded, 79 percent anticipate giving some type of increase to their employees. Last year, only 64 percent of districts expected to give raises.
Read more.
TASB membership renewals at 100 percent
TASB is proud to call all 1,031 Texas school districts and 20 education service centers members of the Association. This marks the 24th consecutive year that 100 percent of school districts have renewed their TASB membership. In addition, Texas's 50 community colleges and 38 appraisal districts have renewed their memberships. Thank you for your commitment to the Association. Your combined voice creates a powerful force for improving Texas public education.
Walsh Anderson offers training on board governance
Training to help school board members explore their roles and become better leaders is now available in a free online course. The law firm of Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green and Treviño, P.C., has developed this one-hour presentation as a project of TASB Partners.
Read more.
Time to update trustee information
If your district recently held elections, TASB needs your updated board contact information. Superintendent secretaries should update district data through their
myTASB accounts under the Member Profile menu option. Board members also can access and update their contact information through
myTASB. Click the "Request Access" link on the myTASB log-in page if you don't have an account or don't remember your user ID or password.
Districts invited to submit resolutions
TASB is calling on districts to submit new or revised resolutions for the 2012–14 TASB Advocacy Agenda. Trustees should review the
Advocacy Agenda for examples and to avoid duplicating current resolutions.
Submissions are due July 1. Following review by the TASB Resolutions Committee and TASB Board of Directors, the resolutions will be forwarded to the 2013 Delegate Assembly for consideration.
TRE guide for November elections
Planning a tax ratification election (TRE)? TASB Legal Services has prepared a
step-by-step guide outlining relevant deadlines and procedures for holding a TRE. Please note: The dates are provided purely for planning purposes, and districts should review final TRE dates with local counsel.
Districts receive Loss Prevention Grants
Grants totaling $620,000 have been awarded to
221 public school districts and education entities. Since 1998, the TASB Risk Management Fund has distributed 2,451 grants of more than $6.24 million to Fund members in the workers' compensation and property and auto programs. The 2013 grants will be used to implement loss prevention and safety initiatives to raise awareness of safety issues and reduce the potential for property losses and on-the-job injuries.
TASB looking for the next class of leaders
School board trustees interested in taking their leadership skills to a new level are invited to apply for the 2014 Leadership TASB program. The year-long training is aimed at building relationships while discovering solutions for today's public education challenges and learning how to address future challenges.
Read more.
Mobile device use increasing among TASB members
According to the 2013 TASB Member Survey, more than 43 percent of TASB members are using tablets, double the number of users from last year's survey. Less than one percent of survey respondents do not use a mobile device. More than 1,190 members contributed their thoughts about public service and education in the 2013 survey. Overall, members gave TASB high marks, with 95 percent of responders grading the Association an A or B in customer service. Results of the survey will be highlighted in the June issue of Texas Lone Star magazine.
Risk Management Fund Members' Conference recap
The TASB Risk Management Fund hosted close to 500 attendees at the 2013 Fund Members' Conference, April 21–23, in Austin. This year's conference featured breakout sessions and roundtable discussions covering a range of risk management topics. The training included a special session on school security and emergency management.
Read more.
Educators and districts receive Excellence in Education Awards
Eleven statewide winners were named at the 2013 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards held May 3 in Austin. The winners were selected from the regional finalists of 40 educators, eight school districts, and five early childhood facilities.
Read more.
Extending a helping hand
Texas public schools are doing great things in their communities and beyond. After learning that their school librarian was from West, Texas, students at Pflugerville ISD's Caldwell Elementary started a fundraiser. The students collected around $2,500 for the West disaster relief fund. See the
news report on the KXAN News Web Site.
Texas districts recognized for technology integration efforts
Two Texas school districts made the top 10 list in the
2012–13 Digital School Districts Survey. Northwest ISD (San Antonio) ranked fifth and Klein ISD took 10th in the large district category. Completed by the Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association, the survey showcases the use of technology in district governance, communications, and operations. The top 10 rankings are awarded to school boards/districts that most fully implement technology benchmarks in the evolution of digital education, as represented in the survey questions.
Florida hosting annual Southern Region Conference
The
2013 National School Boards Association Southern Region Conference is set for July 7–10 in Destin, Florida. The conference location rotates among the southern region states and will be hosted this year by the Florida School Boards Association. Cost is $395 for the conference and $100 for preconference workshops. Registration deadline is June 21; housing reservations are due by June 6 to secure special conference rates.
