March 26th, 2015
Dear Parents, Staff and Community,
As the 84th Texas legislative session rolls on, I am pleased to report that support for TSD among state lawmakers is finally coming to consensus.
As I last reported to you, the House Appropriations Committee has adopted ALL three of our budget requests, above base. Those are: additional direct service staff positions, new school buses and vans, and expansion of our career-technology trades in culinary arts and building/construction.
However, on the other side just yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) voted to adopt only 6.9 out of the 12 additional direct service staff positions TSD requested in Item 1, excluding staff requests for: one Communications Specialist, two Custodians, and one Teacher Aide.
For TSD’s Item 2, the SFC voted favorably to fully adopt the replacement of our worn school buses and vans.
But unfortunately, the SFC did not adopt our Item 3 request to expand our culinary and building trades.
Though we are not yet done until probably early June, overall, I am very pleased with the outcomes for TSD thus far.
Our next hurdle in the process now, will be Conference Committees for agencies such as ours, where there are now two different versions of support in the House and the Senate.
Conference Committees are formed of leaders from both sides of the legislature – House and Senate.
Typically, committees are assembled in mid-to-late April. Committee members responsible for debating the final bills for TSD have not yet been appointed, so I ask you to remain diligent in your support, as we continue to work with legislative leadership to advance full support of TSD’s Exceptional Item 3.
Before I close, I want to thank all of you who are a part of our TSD community. You have provided your support to me personally, and touched me deeply in how you’ve all come together in support of our beloved school all throughout this process so far.
I believe I speak for all of us here at TSD – our governing board, our hard working and dedicated teachers and staff, and most importantly, our students and families – because of the power of community among us, the unity, passion and support from across the nation for TSD, together we will remain as one of the best. It is because of YOU, that we work tirelessly so TSD will always be the best place for our students to learn, to grow, and to belong.
With gratitude,
Claire Bugen
Dear Parents, Staff and Community,
As the 84th Texas legislative session rolls on, I am pleased to report that support for TSD among state lawmakers is finally coming to consensus.
As I last reported to you, the House Appropriations Committee has adopted ALL three of our budget requests, above base. Those are: additional direct service staff positions, new school buses and vans, and expansion of our career-technology trades in culinary arts and building/construction.
However, on the other side just yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) voted to adopt only 6.9 out of the 12 additional direct service staff positions TSD requested in Item 1, excluding staff requests for: one Communications Specialist, two Custodians, and one Teacher Aide.
For TSD’s Item 2, the SFC voted favorably to fully adopt the replacement of our worn school buses and vans.
But unfortunately, the SFC did not adopt our Item 3 request to expand our culinary and building trades.
Though we are not yet done until probably early June, overall, I am very pleased with the outcomes for TSD thus far.
Our next hurdle in the process now, will be Conference Committees for agencies such as ours, where there are now two different versions of support in the House and the Senate.
Conference Committees are formed of leaders from both sides of the legislature – House and Senate.
Typically, committees are assembled in mid-to-late April. Committee members responsible for debating the final bills for TSD have not yet been appointed, so I ask you to remain diligent in your support, as we continue to work with legislative leadership to advance full support of TSD’s Exceptional Item 3.
Before I close, I want to thank all of you who are a part of our TSD community. You have provided your support to me personally, and touched me deeply in how you’ve all come together in support of our beloved school all throughout this process so far.
I believe I speak for all of us here at TSD – our governing board, our hard working and dedicated teachers and staff, and most importantly, our students and families – because of the power of community among us, the unity, passion and support from across the nation for TSD, together we will remain as one of the best. It is because of YOU, that we work tirelessly so TSD will always be the best place for our students to learn, to grow, and to belong.
With gratitude,
Claire Bugen