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.

• Speaker Tom Craddick: http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/email.php?dist=82&rep=tom.craddick

• Lt. Governor Dewhurst: http://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/Contact/?PHPSESSID=faa9cb1ee0d529287ee22939cf4397fa

• Governor Rick Perry: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact