Buckley Pushes Enrollment-Based School Funding
State Representative Brad Buckley met with Temple ISD leaders to discuss legislative priorities for the upcoming session.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Administration
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Republican State Representative Brad Buckley visited Temple Independent School District on Thursday, November 12, to meet with the board of trustees and Superintendent Bobby Ott about priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Buckley voiced support for switching Texas school funding from attendance-based to enrollment-based funding.
Why it matters
Enrollment-based funding would change how state dollars reach districts like Temple ISD, which plan around enrollment rather than daily attendance. Board Secretary Virginia Suarez identified unfunded mandates as an area where the Legislature could help local schools.
Buckley met with the Temple ISD board and Superintendent Bobby Ott on Thursday, November 12, at the district administration office. The extraction does not include specific dollar figures tied to the proposed funding change or the unfunded mandates discussed.
The players
Brad Buckley
Brad Buckley is a Republican state representative from Salado who previously chaired the Texas House education committee.
Temple Independent School District
Temple Independent School District is the public school district serving Temple, Texas, whose board and superintendent met with Buckley.
The details
Buckley, a Republican from Salado who chaired the Texas House education committee, wants strict attendance guidelines and guardrails against excess classroom screen time to remain in place under enrollment-based funding. He said enrollment-based funding better reflects the cost of running a school because districts plan for enrollment.
Timeline
Thursday, November 12, 2026: Buckley visits Temple and meets with district leaders.
Upcoming legislative session: Legislature to consider district priorities, including funding and mandates.
Season Trajectory
Buckley's push to move Texas from attendance-based to enrollment-based school funding would reshape how state aid is calculated for districts statewide. The effort comes as House leadership changes and Democrats take the majority in the upcoming session, which Buckley says he expects to navigate with bipartisan cooperation with incoming Governor Gina Hinojosa.
If Texas moves to enrollment-based funding, the state aid Temple ISD receives would depend on how many students enroll rather than how many attend daily. Buckley has said he wants attendance guidelines and screen-time limits kept in place under any such change.
The takeaway
School funding structure changes often hinge on legislative details, so families and educators in Temple should track how the enrollment-based proposal and mandate relief develop during the session.
What happens next
The Texas Legislature convenes its upcoming session, where the enrollment-based funding proposal and district mandate issues are expected to be considered.
Further reading
Explore more administration coverage for Temple schools.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Temple Daily Telegram.
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Should Texas switch school funding from attendance-based to enrollment-based?
