Dear Klein ISD Families and Staff,
There are only 14 days left in the legislative session, which ends on June 2, and the future of school funding is at a breaking point.
What’s at stake?
Two very different versions of House Bill 2 have emerged from the Texas House and Senate.
The House version (HB 2) included a $395 per-student allotment increase—funding that would have allowed Klein ISD to provide meaningful raises to every employee across our system: from all our amazing teachers to our dedicated bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria teams, aides, nurses, and counselors. It was a strong step in the right direction, recognizing that every role matters and every individual contributes to our shared success.
But the Senate version (CSHB 2) strips that away. The Senate’s version:
- Lowers the basic allotment increase to just $55 per student
- Ties new funds to rigid criteria that exclude most employees, offering raises only to classroom teachers with 3 or more years of experience
- Leaves out all other employees including new teachers, counselors, support staff, police officers, and hourly employees
- Adds a $1.8 million burden in new mandatory retirement and Medicare contributions, without adding more funds to cover these new costs
What’s left? Only $5.5 million in locally-determined funding for everything else: raises for the rest of our staff, rising utility bills, and the increasing costs of everyday supplies after battling over 25% inflation since 2019. That’s simply not enough.
What This Means for Klein ISD
If the Senate’s version becomes law, Klein ISD will receive $7.9 million less than under the House version. That shortfall doesn’t just represent numbers on a page; it translates into very real, very hard choices that will directly impact our students and staff.
While we wholeheartedly support compensation increases for our experienced teachers, the current proposal leaves out so many others who matter deeply to our students’ success. Additionally, our AAA tradition of excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics will be negatively impacted if the state does not provide adequate funding to continue these important programs and learning experiences for our kids.
Our Call to Action
We need local control over compensation and budget decisions. We need funding that reflects the real cost of running schools in 2025. And we need all of our staff to be valued and supported—not just some.
Please help us. Contact your legislators today and urge them to:
- Restore the $395 per-student basic allotment
-
Trust locally elected leaders with the flexibility to make compensation and budget decisions that reflect local needs and job markets
-
Stop underfunding public education while Texas sits on a historic budget surplus
Time is Almost Up
This is the final stretch. What happens in the next few days will shape our schools for years to come. Your voice matters—and it might be the one that tips the scale in favor of our kids.
Senator Brandon Creighton, Chair of the Senate Education Committee
📞 (512) 463-0104
✉️ brandon.creighton@senate.texas.gov
These senators represent portions of Klein ISD:
Senator Paul Bettencourt
📞 (512) 463-0107
✉️ paul.bettencourt@senate.texas.gov
Senator Molly Cook
📞 (512) 463-0115
✉️ molly.cook@senate.texas.gov
Your voice matters. Let’s make sure this school funding bill supports every educator and employee working in our schools, not just a select few, and invests needed, meaningful new funding in our inflation-impacted school districts.
Thank you for continuing to stand with us. Our students and staff are counting on you.
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