TRE/Bonds
According to TexasISD.com data, there were 10 School District TREs held on November 8th. Six were ratified and four were not. Bond election results for those elections held on November 8 were: 18 (75%) school districts passed at least one proposition and 6 (25%) failed to pass any propositions.
Local Propositions
Houston Independent School District (HISD) recapture proposition (Prop 1) failed by a 62-37 vote. Education Commissioner Morath sent a letter yesterday to notify the HISD board of trustees of his order and notice of possible detachment of property from the HISD and annexation to another school district(s). Some have questioned if the failed measure will force the Legislature's hand to address the subject of recpature in the 85th Session.
Leadership Loss
Some public education advocates will not be returning for the 85th Session, which includes:
Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock – Retiring
Aycock is best know as the author of HB 5 and an advocate for addressing school finance concerns. He is also the Chair of House Public Education.
Rep. Marsha Fanrey – defeated in Primary Election
House Public Education member & member of Subcommittee on Educator Quality
Rep. Myra Crownover – Retiring
House Higher Education member
Rep. John Otto – Retiring
You may also recall the joint hearing between House Appropriations and Public Education which met over the interim to hold an in-depth discussion on school finance. Chair John Otto of House Appropriations who took part in those discussions will not be returning to the 85th but recommended a joint hearing of the committees before session in the future to get a better understanding of school finance and its impact on state appropriations.
New Faces for the 85th
Of the new faces coming into the 85th Session many of them have a background or family familiar with public education.
HD 18 Ernest Bailes (R – Shepherd), wife is a teacher and his mom is on the school board
HD 20 Terry Wilson (R – Marble Falls), wife worked in public and higher education for 14 years.
HD 49 Gina Hinojosa (D – Austin), Austin ISD Board President
HD 64 Lynn Stucky (R – Sanger), former Sanger ISD Board President
HD 71 Stan Lambert (R – Abilene), Abilene ISD Trustee since 2006
HD 118 Tomas Uresti (D – San Antonio), Former Harland ISD Trustee
HD 120 Barbara Gervin Hawkins (D – San Antonio), Superintendent of George Garvin Academy and founder
HD 126 Kevin Roberts (R – Houston), Klein ISD Career and Tech. Ed. Adv. Council board member
HD 144 Mary Ann Perez (D – Pasadena), Houston Community College Trustee
SD 24 Dawn Buckingham (R – Lakeway), Lake Travis ISD Board Member
SBOE
The Texas State Board of Education has 15 members who serve four-year terms. Eight seats were on this year’s ballot. Six Republican incumbents seeking re-election successfully won their bid and the results for the two open seats (District 1 and 9) are also below*.
District 1- Georgina Perez (D)*
District 5- Ken Mercer (R)
District 6- Donna Bahorich (R)
District 8 – Barbara Cargill (R)
District 9-Keven Ellis (R)*
District 10- Tom Maynard (R)
District 14 – Sue Melton-Malone (R)
District 15 – Marty Rowley (R)