Video Apples Project

Project Overview:

This project is to give legislators “video apples” featuring students and other educators telling their
personal reasons why education funding (currently totally $7.8 billion) should not be cut by the state (as
outlined in House Bill 1), and how those cuts will actually directly affect their learning and the viability of
education here in Texas.

The idea for video apples came from this printable flyer for students to complete and send to Gov. Rick
Perry:

http://www.mikevillarreal.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=N6G6Q66doag=&tabid=122

But instead of paper apples—why not video apples?

All videos will be posted to a YouTube Channel created for this project:

http://www.youtube.com/user/videoapples

To upload videos from a cell phone:

pnlthmjl6vo8@m.youtube.com

Videos Featuring Students:

 Make sure not to include a student’s full name, or any other detailed personal information.
 The student should have parental permission to appear in a video posted on the Internet.
 The content of the video should not go against the policies of YouTube, and should not include
profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs, political rants, and the like.

How will these financial cuts affect schools across the state? See the following links for some
examples:

Main talking points of how budget crisis will impact state (education is 1st bullet):

http://www.mikevillarreal.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=kIZbKGFomac%3d&tabid=112

Express-News Article about budget cuts to education:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/State-budget-cuts-to-cripple-Texas-schools-
1325685.php

NYTimes Article: After Years of Cost Cuts, Texas Tries to Find More (April 8, 2011)

Outlines how HB1’s education cuts will affect schools/students:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/09/us/09texas.html?_r=3&hp

HB1 Passes in House of Representatives:

http://www.tsta.org/news/current/#approves

Apple a Day Flyer:

http://www.mikevillarreal.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=N6G6Q66doag=&tabid=122

Additional Resources:

Chart showing how HB1 cuts will affect districts statewide:

http://www.moakcasey.com/articles/viewarticledoc.aspx?AID=2187&DID=2177

VIDEO—Interview with House Public Education Committee Chair Rob Eissler

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/politics/session-11-rep-rob-eissler

AUSTIN (KXAN) - On this edition of Session '11, Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, talks about proposed budget cuts to public
education. Also, Dr. Richard Middleton of the Texas Association of School Administrators, Bill Hammond of the Texas Business
Association, Clay Robison of the Texas State Teachers Association, and James Golsan of the Texas Public Policy Foundation
participate in the onpolitix panel.

CBS News Video: State Budgets--Day of Reckoning

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7166293n&tag=related;photovideo

Texas on the Brink Report:

http://shapleigh.org/system/reporting_document/file/3/focus_documents3.pdf

Guest Column: A teacher explains the reality of what education budget cuts will mean for classrooms

http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/04/08/opinion/doc4d9f757b85179178167967.txt?viewmode=f
ullstory

Texas School Districts Leading--Survey Results To Date (Google Spreadsheet):

http://tinyurl.com/4q4uejr
How is your Texas district saving money or bringing in more revenue? Demonstrate to the legislature
that your district IS making efforts to reduce costs, or is finding ways to bring in revenue. (This is not
about staffing cuts--OTHER forms of saving your districts are doing.):

http://tinyurl.com/6kbonlj