If you’ve ever heard me speak about public education, chances are you’ve heard me say, “It’s all about the kids.” That’s not just a phrase I throw around — it’s the foundation of how I make decisions. As a mom, a former school board member, and now your state representative, I care deeply about making our schools better, safer, and stronger for every single child who walks through the doors.
This session, I was proud to help pass House Bill 2, the largest investment in public education in Texas history. With the strong backing of rural Republicans, we secured a Texas-sized package that includes $63 billion to fully fund our public schools, $7.7 billion in targeted support for K-12 education, $1.5 billion for special education, and nearly $1 billion in additional help for rural and mid-size school districts. But I believe no school funding package is complete without taking care of the teachers who make it all work. That’s why we included $3 billion specifi cally for well-deserved teacher pay raises.
So, what does that mean for us here at home? The amount of new funding each district receives will vary, but every school in House District 13 will see a significant boost. On average, schools in our area will receive an estimated $4,505 more per student over the next two years, with several districts receiving over $7,000 per student in the next two years. That’s money that will go toward things like new textbooks, special education, and smaller class sizes by hiring more teachers.
