Subject: Texline No. 194 – URGENT CALL TO ACTION: MEDIA RESOURCES NOT
INCLUDED AS INSTRUCTIONAL COST
Posted: July 6, 2005
TLA TEXLINE NO. 194 - TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE ISSUES NETWORK
In this issue:
I. URGENT CALL TO ACTION: MEDIA RESOURCES NOT INCLUDED AS ELIGIBLE
INSTRUCTIONAL COST
I. URGENT CALL TO ACTION: MEDIA RESOURCES NOT INCLUDED AS INSTRUCTIONAL
COST
The House and Senate will soon form a conference committee to hammer out
final details on HB 2, the education reform bill. In a last minute change on
the House floor, legislators revised language that pertained to
instructional costs. Despite the fact that the education committees in both
chambers had drafted language to specifically include instructional
resources and media services in the definition of functions eligible for
“instructional” funding, the floor action replaced that language with a
requirement that a school district allocate at least 65 percent (by
2009-2010) of total revenue for direct instructional activities.
The language further defines direct instructional activities as
expenditures directly related to classroom instruction for courses in the
foundation curriculum, but it does not include expenditures directly related
to programs and services that are provided at the district’s discretion.
This language makes no provision for instructional resources and media
services.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION:
Library supporters are urged to contact their senator and representative
immediately. Ask them to work with the conference committee to restore
language that specifies that direct instruction costs includes the district’s
expenses related to instruction and instructional resources and media
services, as had been proposed in committee drafts of the bill.
Tell them that, without this language, school library programs will be in
financial danger. Describe the importance of school library programs for
student achievement and the role of school library resources and services in
the education process.
The members of the conference committee should soon be posted. Almost
certainly, Sen. Florence Shapiro (Plano) and Rep. Kent Grusendorf
(Arlington) will co-chair the conference committee.
To find out who represents you and how to contact them, go to:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/fyi/fyi.htm.
Library supporters should also contact the Speaker of the House (Tom
Craddick), the Lt. Governor (David Dewhurst), and Governor Rick Perry and
ask for that media services and instruction resources be included in the
definition of instructional activities.
a.. Speaker Tom Craddick:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/email.php?dist=82&rep=tom.craddick
b.. Lt. Governor Dewhurst:
http://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/Contact/?PHPSESSID=faa9cb1ee0d529287ee22939cf4397fa
c.. Governor Rick Perry: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact
*******************************************************
TLA-Texline is an irregular publication of the Texas Library Association
mailed directly to members interested in legislative and governmental issues
affecting libraries. To subscribe or to offer comments or suggestions,
contact Gloria Meraz, Director of Communications, Texas Library Association,
gloriam@txla.org.
Mary Ludwick, Librarian K-5 Elementary
Owen Elementary, The Colony, Texas (near Dallas)
ludwickm@lisd.net (school address)
ludwick@swbell.net (home address)
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