The death of a key education fiscal matters bill on the House floor tonight ensures that any changes to school finance formulas will happen in a conference committee — and adds fuel to speculation of a special session this summer.
school finance
Posted in
Economy
Video: Ogden- Special Session Likely
Senate Finance Chair Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, says there is still no consensus on education funding or SB 1811, a revenue bill that would balance the state budget. Meanwhile, GOP members of the House left a caucus meeting without divulging details of what they discussed and then the House postponed consideration of two fiscal bills critical to the budget until tomorrow. “So, we’re stuck,” Ogden said.
Posted in
State Government
School Districts Nearing Own Budget Deadlines
Public school budget cuts are coming, but for now, school districts still don’t know by how much. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, a special session on education funding could push decisions past school district deadlines.
Posted in
Public Education
Update: What $7.8 Billion Less Looks Like for Your District
A new version of Rep. Scott Hochberg’s school finance plan limits the total reductions in state funding for any individual district to 10 percent in 2012. Check our searchable database to see what the cuts will look for your district.
Posted in
Public Education
What Happens if There’s No School Finance Bill?
Nobody wanted to think about it in January. But as the middle of May approaches, with little more than two weeks left in the 82nd legislative session, a growing chorus of voices is asking: What happens if lawmakers can’t agree on school finance reform?
Posted in
Economy
Schools Consider Legal Action Over Budget Cuts
With school districts across the state passing belt-tightening budgets due to cuts expected at the Legislature, Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports that some districts are gearing up for legal challenges.
Posted in
Economy
Full Video: TPPF’s Higher Ed Reform Panel
At a panel hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, UT president Bill Powers, TPPF senior fellow Ronbald Trowbridge and speaker of the A&M faculty senate Robert Strawser discussed the conservative think tank’s seven proposed reforms to higher education. Here is the full video.
Posted in
Economy
Senate Budget Debate: Education Funding
The Texas Senate talks education funding, revenue and Rainy Day spending as members debate suspending the rules to bring up their substitute for House Bill 1, the proposed budget for the next biennium.
Posted in
Public Education
What $7.8 Billion Less Means for Your School District
If the House has its way, there will be 7.8 billion fewer state dollars headed to Texas public schools. Here’s our searchable database built from state Rep. Scott Hochberg’s projections of how the funding cuts would hit 1,024 school districts across the state.
Posted inPublic Education
Interactive: Texas Superintendent Contracts Annotated
We’ve collected and annotated the contracts of the 10 highest-paid school chiefs, as well as of those who lead the state’s 10 largest districts, for a total of 14, so readers can view their pay in the context of retirement perks, performance incentives and benefits like monthly automobile and cellphone allowances.
