I received a mailer from Shawn Thierry today. I had already placed it in my recycle box when I decided to fact-check what she was taking credit for.
Secured 18 million dollars for public school Safety.
Not sure what she means by securing, but that 18 million is suppose to cover all the schools in Texas. Below is what some of the local districts had to say about that money.
The TEA’s website shows Spring Branch ISD received $87,614 for Silent Panic Alert Technology which states was authorized in 2022 when lawmakers “announced $17,104,000 in funding to TEA to distribute to school districts to purchase silent panic alert technology.”
The website nor TEA officials explain how the districts will get funds following the signing of Alyssa’s Law.
Spring Branch ISD leaders say to follow the new law and equip the technology in every classroom would cost between $8 and $10 million dollars for its district.
“They give us no additional money despite inflation since 2019 and so we’re going to be left with a pretty terrible choice, follow the law and install panic buttons and cut academic programs I mean which is it? Which do they value more? Do we need to be keeping our children safe, that’s always a number one priority that will come at the extent of academic programming,” Alpe said.
Authored Legislation to stop the State Takeover of HISD.
Well, maybe she did, but the following article does not indicate that she was the one who authored a bill to stop the takeover.
The newly proposed bills would change state law to give the TEA options other than replacing the school board and school closure to address performance issues within a district.
The legislation was authored by State Senators Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, Borris Miles, D- Houston, and John Whitmire, D-Houston. State Rep. Alma Allen, D-Houston, also filed a companion bill.
Author of the Teacher Supply Reimbursement Act.
That is true; the bill did not pass. Similar programs have been tried locally, but they usually do not work as intended.
Public Education Committee chair Rep. Dan Huberty, R- Houston, reminded the committee that teacher reimbursement programs have not historically worked in Texas. “Several years ago they had money that was appropriated by the state, it was matching funds,” Huberty mentioned. “And it was very rarely used because of the cumbersomeness of the reimbursement process.”
The funding for the reimbursements were initially to be pulled from the state’s Rainy Day Fund. The Legislative Budget Board estimated the total amount would add up to approximately $107.3 million if all eligible teachers used all $600.
According to LBB, the Texas Education Agency estimates there are 178,751 classroom teachers instructing grades 6 and below in school year 2016-17.
Voted to increase Teacher Salaries.
I am sure that she probably voted as such.
Voted to increase Retired Teachers’ pension.
I have no reason to doubt that she voted that way.