COLORADO ISD board reviews legislative priorities with TASB, highlights rural needs and data-center concerns

At a special meeting April 13, 2026, COLORADO ISD trustees met with Kelly Rasti, Associate Executive Director of Governmental Relations at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), for a workshop to shape the district's legislative priorities.

Rasti told the board that current state accountability systems "do not reflect full students readiness" and urged a framework that includes a holistic accountability system and "full and sustainable funding (including PreK)." She also said rural districts need flexibility because of geographic and economic differences and urged the board to seek a "seat at the table" in state conversations about data centers, which she described as both opportunities and potential infrastructure strains for small, rural districts.

Board members listed several priorities during the discussion, including pushback on unfunded mandates, calls for restoration of local control, and concern that test-based accountability limits how student readiness is measured. Rasti summarized suggested language for a priorities packet the board can present to legislators and staff as the district prepares to engage with state policymakers.

The workshop focused on policy framing rather than binding decisions. Attendees included the full board and district staff; Rasti handed out a packet of materials and encouraged the district to present concrete examples to lawmakers to illustrate rural needs and infrastructure pressures related to data centers.

The board did not adopt final language at the meeting; the workshop served to collect direction from trustees and provide TASB guidance for drafting a legislative priorities framework.