Monday, November 5, 2012
Six for the Money
As of October 22, 2012 our school finance system is on trial, which involves more than two thirds of Texas's school districts and many of its charter schools, due to its weak financial structure. Throughout the years Texas's school funding system has been put to question a number of times. It is currently facing 6 lawsuits, which entails complaints from many school associations and coalitions directed to the financial issues in the school systems and covers three major topics; "efficiency, adequacy, and meaningful discretion".
The way Texas distributes the money to districts is based on a formula which contains regional cost of living expenses, the districts number of bilingual, low income and special education students, as well as, yearly raised property taxes and other factors. Unfortunately, this formula is based on estimates that haven't been updated in several years, thus creating a major factor on why our schools may be failing.
In court, there might be some conflicts on how they want to approach certain topics, but all in all, they together will state the same argument of how the state has "failed to adequately fund our public education".
Obviously something is wrong with Texas's school system if schools are forming together against it, and I agree, we've seen schools that have shut down due to low testing scores, and teachers who have been let go. Billions of dollars have been reduced from our funding for public education, while simultaneously raising school standards. By raising the standards and including harder testing, such as STAARS, and having huge budget cuts we're failing our students. With the tremendous population growth in Texas updating the information we use to determine the amount of funds given to the school districts could be a start to providing able funds. This trial is expected to end in January, i guess we have to wait until then to see if there will be any improvements.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree with the opinion shared in TX: Affairs of the State’s blog titled “Six for the Money.” The funding of the public education is continuing to decrease while the number of students has continued to increase. It is disturbing to the number of schools closed due to low test scores, and the other schools that closed due to the lack of funding by the state. In my opinion the funds that were saved by the permanent school closures should be used to help adequately provide for the needs of the current schools that are struggling to provide for the needs of the students as well as services and supplies for the staff and educators The Texas School funding program has been in question a number of times over the years and now they are facing six lawsuits directed to the financial issues in the school systems covering three major topics: efficiency, adequacy, and meaningful discretion.
ReplyDeleteThe increase in property taxes, the Texas Lottery, and the funding that the U.S. Government offers or tries to provide some assistance with the funding of Public Education. This all depends on whether Governor Perry will except funding from the U.S. Government or reject it. Something needs to happen and soon to help remedy the current dilemma between the state and the schools. All children in America have a right receive and education without any discrimination of any kind.
The courts will hear from six different schools around the State of Texas on how the districts are continuing to fall short. What is it truly going to take for the Texas Government to open their eyes to the reality that the education system needs updated and that the funding needs to increase or the dropout rate will continue to increase due to the lack of teacher support in the overcrowded classrooms. Hopefully in January we will have some new information to determine what is going to be done to improve the Texas’s School for the good of the parents and the children. Then it can be good for all. The passing of the new voucher system by the Texas Legislature next session will make a big impact I think by give families more options when they go to register their children for school. Let’s hope these lawsuit generate some necessary changes.