The district is eliminating dozens of unfilled jobs and might need to make other cuts as soon as next school year as enrollment continues to decline.
school finance
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House advances $4.5 billion school funding bill
Lawmakers have already proposed directing billions of dollars to schools so they can lower property taxes and pay for safety upgrades. But House Bill 100 would be the first to increase the amount of money districts receive to raise teacher pay and cover the actual costs of educating students.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott organizes “school choice” rally at the Capitol
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has embraced Senate Bill 8, which will get its first committee hearing Wednesday. But House Speaker Dade Phelan hasn’t made school choice legislation a priority.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
At parental rights event, Gov. Greg Abbott sheds light on how he’d implement “school choice” policy
For the first time, Abbott makes it clear which policy he supports. Bills that would allow parents to get state money to send their kids to schools outside of the state’s public education system have been floated previously, but top lawmakers believe the policies will pass this session.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas’ private and rural schools again brace for a showdown on school choice
Rural school leaders in Texas have been able to stave off the legislative priority of some of the state’s most prominent Republicans. But private school officials hope this year will be different.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Most Texans support more school funding and teacher raises, new survey finds
As legislators begin to debate their public education priorities, the Charles Butt Foundation released a poll Tuesday showing Texans are mostly supportive of their public schools but are split on voucher-like programs.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
COVID-19 upended Texas schools’ finances. Now they’re calling for a new funding system.
Districts like Pflugerville ISD, which is struggling with a $12 million deficit and weighing school closures, say the pandemic and rising inflation have eroded the value of the state’s last effort to overhaul its public education finance system.
Posted in
Higher Education
Texas commission recommends tying community colleges’ state funding to their performance
State higher education leaders are pushing for the changes as community colleges face greater workforce demands and financial pressures. The commission’s report now goes to lawmakers, who are expected to file legislation on the matter next session.
Posted in
Unconventional Wisdom
Analysis: Texas government’s favorite local tax
State lawmakers will tell you they hate property taxes as much as anyone. But the state itself doesn’t levy the tax — local governments do. And lowering it in a meaningful way would require state officials to raise taxes or cut programs. For them, talking about it is easier than doing something.
Posted in
Politics
Texas voters will decide whether to lower some property tax bills in May election
If two propositions pass, the state will increase school funding to make up for revenues lost from a decrease in property taxes.
