Aledo ISD: Take Action Now!

October 9, 2023

Dear Aledo ISD staff, parents and community members:

We are writing to you today with a sense of urgency regarding our Texas Legislature because of a Senate Education Committee meeting tomorrow that is coming on the heels of the third special session that started this afternoon. The two senators who represent Aledo ISD sit on this committee, and they are meeting at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tues., Oct. 10) to discuss your public schools, school children and teachers in Aledo ISD. We need you to take action NOW; please read further for steps on how to do just that.

As busy people, it can be challenging to keep up with the actions of those who represent us in Austin and the impact on our children, our teachers, and our families here in Aledo. NOW is the time to pay attention and take action while state leaders are in Austin making critical decisions about your schools.

Here are the facts:

• Texas ranks 43rd in the US in per-student funding.
• Because the state determines the amount of funding per student Aledo ISD receives - and because that formula hasn’t increased since 2019 despite a $33 billion state surplus and record inflation - Aledo ISD will be forced to make cuts to student programs and change staffing ratios to increase class sizes next school year.
• This year, Aledo ISD adopted a deficit budget despite requiring a 10% cut from all discretionary campus and department operating budgets. Remember the district already sends your property tax dollars to the state for Robin Hood (approx. $875,000 for the 2023-24 school year).
• Adequate funding for Aledo children, teachers and schools is being held hostage over negotiations for taxpayer-funded private school vouchers. The priority of our state leadership is clear, and it is NOT adequate public school funding as it is completely absent from the agenda this special session.
• A private school voucher program would likely increase Aledo ISD’s “Robin Hood” payments to the state.
• Unlike AISD, private schools that would receive taxpayer dollars would have no requirements related to:
  • Their finances and how taxpayer dollars are used, 
  • Who governs their schools, how those who govern are chosen and the transparency of their meetings and actions (no control by local taxpayers),
  • The safety of their schools, 
  • The performance of their students, 
  • The qualifications of the adults serving students, or 
  • How or if they serve students with special needs.
• A private school voucher program creates bigger government at the state level, adding an additional government program (the cost of the Texas Senate’s last voucher proposal would have reached $1 billion in just 5 years).

How do you TAKE ACTION NOW?
We urge you to act now alongside us. Send an email, make a phone call, or make a social media post seeking action to: 

• Senator Drew Springer: (512) 463-0130; drew.springer@senate.texas.gov or X: @DrewSpringer
• Senator Phil King: (512) 463-0110; phil.king@senate.texas.gov or X: @PhilKingTX
• State Representative Glenn Rogers: (512) 463-0656; glenn.rogers@house.texas.gov or X: @RogersforTexas

WHAT DO YOU SAY in your messaging?
Please thank our legislators for their service to our state and then tell them:

• You support public schools and are FOR our school children and teachers in Aledo ISD
• What makes you proud of your community’s public schools
• What it means to be a Bearcat
• The things that are important to you that require additional funding to maintain:
  • A program that has made a difference in your child’s life
  • A teacher or staff member who has made a difference in your child’s life
  • An experience that your child and/or family has had in your public schools.

We have created a legislative website that you can view here to help you keep up with and read factual information about public school funding and taxpayer-funded vouchers. Please do not hesitate to contact any of us with any questions or to have a deeper discussion about these very complicated issues.

All In,
Forrest Collins, Board President - fcollins@aledoisd.org
Jessica Brown, Board Vice President - jbrown@aledoisd.org
David Lear, Board Secretary - dlear@aledoisd.org
Jennifer Loftin, Trustee - jloftin@aledoisd.org
Jennifer Taylor, Trustee - jtaylor@aledoisd.org
Zach Tarrant, Trustee - ztarrant@aledoisd.org
Hoyt Harris, Trustee - hharris@aledoisd.org
Susan K. Bohn, Superintendent - sbohn@aledoisd.org