Legislative Affairs

In order to best represent you, our legislators must know the issues that matter most to you. Contact your legislators, and let your voice be heard.

• Email the nine Senators and Representatives representing Northwest ISD 
• Local legislators' contact information
• Find out who represents you

• NISD Resolution for Additional Funding and Against Vouchers
• NISD Resolution Against A-F Ratings

The 88th Legislative Session

The Texas Legislature adjourned the 88th Regular Legislative Session on May 29, 2023. Of the 8,046 bills filed, approximately 1,246 bills passed with 81 of those relating to education. Amid political tension, the regular session ended without an increase in the basic allotment or teacher and staff salary increases despite the state’s $33 billion budget surplus. While the first special session to address property tax and human smuggling/border concerns resulted in no action, the second special session ended on July 13 after the House and Senate were able to reach an agreement on property tax relief. The 88th Legislative Session is expected to continue as Governor Greg Abbott has indicated that a third special session will be called to address “school choice”.
 
Passed Public Education Bills of Interest – June 27, 2023

The 87^th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature began on January 12, 2021. The historic session was shaped by the COVID pandemic and the  unusual February winter storm which impacted the state’s electric grid. The 87^th Regular Session adjourned on May 31, and was followed by three special sessions. 

• Northwest ISD's 87th Legislative Session Summary
• Second Special Session Update - September 3, 2001
• Public Education Passed Bills of Interest - June 21, 2021

Congressional and state legislative district lines were redrawn and approved during the Third Special Session following the 2020 Census. Click here to view the impact on Northwest ISD's boundary and the district lines, and click here to view the impact on Northwest ISD's delegation for the 2022 elections. 

The 87th Legislature passed House Bill 4545 intending to assist students who did not perform satisfactorily on the state’s standardized test – STAAR. While Northwest ISD certainly agrees with supporting students and providing additional structures and systems as needed, there are grave concerns with the specific requirements of HB 4545 and the limitation of parental and local control over decisions for our students.

HB 4545 includes several new requirements, including a mandate for 30 hours of supplemental accelerated instruction for each area in which a student did not reach “Approaches” or higher on last year’s state assessment or if they did not take the STAAR test (even if it was due to COVID health and safety concerns). Parents and caregivers of impacted students were notified prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year and some students’ schedules were changed so that they could be placed in intervention courses as required by HB 4545.

While Northwest ISD is taking steps to implement the requirements of the new bill, Superintendent Ryder Warren and the school district’s leadership team have been sharing concerns about the potential negative impact of implementing HB 4545 with local legislators. In collaboration with fellow area school districts, Northwest ISD also sent a joint letter outlining concerns for the bill and recommended changes.

HB 4545 immediately became law and is in effect, but you are encouraged to share your thoughts and/or concerns about the requirements of HB 4545 with your local legislators now. A new bill has been introduced in a special session, House Bill 233, as a possible "fix" to many of the concerns school districts have with HB 4545.