The latest school finance news from The Texas Tribune.
The makeup of the Texas public school system has become less white and poorer in recent decades, according to the most recent data reflected in The Texas Tribune’s Texas Public Schools Explorer. Full Story
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A look at who might be among Gov. Greg Abbott's choices as he ponders the possibilities to fill the post Texas Education Agency Commissioner Michael Williams will leave in January. Full Story
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At our 10/29 conversation, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court talked about the timing of a possible ruling on the state's appeal in the school finance lawsuit. Full Story
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Far more money is extracted from Texans in the form of state and local sales taxes, but property taxes are the source of more complaints. School taxes lead the list but account for a smaller share of the overall tax bill than 10 years ago. Full Story
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Citing past rulings and politics, experts and insiders are predicting the Texas Supreme Court will rule in the latest school finance appeal early next year, with some predicting a summertime special legislative session. Full Story
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“Money isn’t pixie dust” when it comes to improving public schools, lawyers for the state of Texas told the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, arguing an appeal in what has been described as the most far-reaching school finance case in state history. Full Story
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The city of Austin filed a lawsuit Monday against the state of Texas charging that the current property appraisal system is unconstitutional and creates “an imbalance in the tax burdens between residential and commercial property owners.” Full Story
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The Texas Supreme Court is about to hear the latest challenge to the state's financing of public schools. Maybe they'll throw it out, but history says otherwise: This almost always means changes in school policy and increases in taxes. Full Story
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You can peek at the state’s near future in the latest numbers from the Texas Education Agency: 51.8 percent Hispanic, 29.4 percent Anglo, 12.7 percent African-American, 3.7 percent Asian. Full Story
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When the Texas Legislature tackles a long overdue overhaul of the state’s school finance system, it will have to do without the lawmaker who has shepherded its two chambers through complex education issues for the last two sessions. Full Story
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In the Roundup: The end of the week marked the death of scores of bills in the Texas House, including school finance reform legislation. Lawmakers were strategically long-winded when considering bills, leaving little time to take up legislation before a key deadline. Full Story
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A months-long effort to reform the problem-plagued school finance system came to an end Thursday as House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock withdrew a bill proposing fixes less than an hour into a scheduled debate. Full Story
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A school finance plan that would result in an extra $800 million for public education faces dim prospects in the dwindling weeks of the legislative session, a top House lawmaker said Tuesday. Full Story
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You can slow down or even kill a piece of legislation with a single word or phrase, if it's poisonous enough. Full Story
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A plan to overhaul the state’s public education funding system from a top House lawmaker received largely favorable reviews from school districts during a marathon legislative hearing that ended late Tuesday night. Full Story
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Most Texas school districts would see increased funding under proposed changes to the state's public education funding system, House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, said Tuesday. Full Story
State coffers are flush with cash, but local governments are continuing to borrow heavily to provide services. State legislators have filed more than a dozen bills aimed at how cities, counties and school districts can borrow money. Full Story
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At our 2/12 conversation, state Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, talked about the need to fix the state's method of school finance. Full Story
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The House’s chief budget writer on Thursday praised a proposal to overhaul the school finance system by grouping the state’s 1,026 regular school districts into a few "school finance districts" — a tax move aimed at equalizing per-student funding statewide. Full Story
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Giving both sides time to file briefs and responses will tie up the school finance lawsuit for at least another six months. Then come oral arguments, and the case could easily stretch into next year. Full Story