The Ysleta Board of Trustees is a member of the Far West Texas School Boards Association and actively participates in this local group, which is associated with the Region19 Education Service Center. This network of local trustees works together to identify local school district concerns. It keeps members informed of those concerns, promotes the exchange of information and ideas to address problems in providing a quality education to local students. The Far West Texas School Board meets annually with state legislators and state school board members to receive information and share educational concerns. 

These Region 19 Top 10 Priorities were approved by Far West Texas School Boards Association and represent current concerns to be addressed with the state legislature.

REGION 19 – Top 10 Priorities 

1. Equity of the School Funding System
TASB supports equity of funding for public education, because all districts should receive equitable amounts of state and local revenues regardless of the district’s ability to generate revenue so all students receive equal resources necessary to meet the state’s academic standards. 

2. Assessment and Accountability
TASB supports equitable resources to allow school districts to prepare all students to meet state standards. 

3. Career and Technical Education
TASB supports allowing students to substitute CTE courses for 4x4 courses, with the condition that the teacher is highly-qualified and that the class is aligned to the standards.

4. Funding for School Facilities
TASB supports funding for school facilities to include the Instructional Facilities Allotment and Existing Debt Allotment. TASB supports full funding for IFA and EDA to release school districts from the burden of going to the taxpayers in a TRE or bond election. 

5. Funding for Education Service Centers
TASB supports ESCs and they should be funded adequately by the state so that schools may operate economically and efficiently, since ESCs support school districts. 

6. Funding for At-Risk Students
TASB supports adequate funding to facilitate programs for at-risk students, such as accelerated instruction, dropout recovery, and reading academies.

7. Instructional Materials Allotment
TASB supports funding the instructional materials allotment based on student enrollment on a yearly basis.

8. No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
TASB supports proposed changes to NCLB that would include incorporating a student progress measure in determining accountability; focusing improvement strategies in the lowest performing schools and eliminating inappropriate labeling of schools; advancing the improvement of standards and assessments while not subjecting them to conflicting federal (AYP) and state accountability requirements. 

9. State Revenue
TASB supports state revenue sources for public education by closing current tax loopholes, allowing casinos to operate, and eliminating sales tax returns via manifiestos. In addition, rework the franchise tax and lottery overhead expenses in order to meet the original projections and expectations!

Ysleta ISD is a member of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), and the YISD Board is very active with this state organization. TASB provides both training for the trustees, locally and in statewide meetings, as well as a forum for advocacy.

The TASB Legislative Advisory Council (LAC) works to merge regional priorities from across the state into a statewide list of legislative priorities. Each of the 20 education service centers elects representatives to the LAC. YISD Trustee Shane Haggerty was elected this year to the LAC by the Far West Texas group. The LAC representatives from across the state will meet twice this year to complete a list of recommendations for the TASB Legislative Committee. Four LAC representatives will then be elected to serve on that committee to actively work with state legislators on educational priorities.

Ysleta Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, or age in its programs, activities or employment.

El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Ysleta no discrimina en base a raza, color, nacionalidad, sexo, discapacidad, y/o edad, en sus programas, actividades o empleo.