House leaders propose $3 billion in new education money
February 3, 2005
The Texas Legislature is under court pressure to change its $30-billion school funding system after a judge last year ruled it unconstitutional.
Written by April Castro, AP
AUSTIN — Texas public schools would get at least a 3-percent increase in funding as part of a House education proposal rolled out Thursday.
The legislation, introduced by Republican Rep. Kent Grusendorf of Arlington, would add an additional $3 billion to K-12 public schools, including money for technology such as electronic textbooks. Schools also would get more money for transportation and bilingual education.
Unlike a preliminary plan introduced last month by the Senate, the House plan does not specify money for a teacher salary increase, but restores a $1,000 teacher health care stipend that was cut in half two years ago.
The legislation would reward some teachers with bonuses designed by local educators.
"We're moving full speed ahead to a destination we all want to reach, an education system with higher standards that allows all children to reach their potential," Grusendorf said.
The package also would push the school year start date to after Labor Day, giving students a longer summer break. Right now, many schools begin classes in late August.
The Texas Legislature is under court pressure to change its $30-billion school funding system after a judge last year ruled it unconstitutional. Both poor and rich school districts argued there isn't enough money provided in the share-the-wealth system to ensure all students an adequate education.
The judge gave the state an Oct. 1 deadline to dedicate more money to schools, or all funding would be halted.
The bill outlined Thursday is the first of a two-part House package intended to change the way education is funded for the state's 4.3 million public school students. The second part, which has not yet been detailed, will address how the state's tax structure will be reorganized to pay for schools.
Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick has said he expects the full House to vote on the education proposal by early March.
Republican Gov. Rick Perry has declared school finance an emergency, and the success of his 2006 re-election bid may depend on whether the Legislature approves a new education funding system. A special session he called on school finance last year failed to produce results.
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