Print
E-mail
Comment
Local schools place better funding at top of legislative list
By NORM ROWLAND and
All eyes will be on Austin when the 81st Texas Legislature convenes next Tuesday to see if state lawmakers can do something to avert what one local school superintendent calls a funding “trainwreck.”
Spring Branch ISD Supt. Duncan Klussman, whose schools serve the Memorial-Spring Branch communities, warned last spring that every school district in Texas will become insolvent within seven years unless the Legislature fixes the glitch in the state’s public funding formula.
The current financial structure gives school districts a flat rate from the state, but due to increasing operational costs, school districts have been left in the red.
Many districts, including SBISD and HISD, have been forced to use reserve funds to make up the deficit.
“This doesn’t just affect Spring Branch,” said Klussman. “It affects all of Texas’ 1,033 school districts.”
HISD Director of Government Relations Rebecca Flores echoed those sentiments. “This is not just an HISD problem but an issue throughout the state,” she said. “School districts are not being able to operate in the current structure.”
For example, SBISD budget for the fiscal year of 2008 ended about $11 million in the red, and projections for 2009 forecast a $10 million deficit, officials project.
School districts are hoping that legislators see the need for a funding system that keeps up with cost increases caused by inflation and growth and changes in student demographics.
“The general consensus is that we need to act,” said Flores. “It comes down to what is in the budget. There are a number of competing interests such as higher education, highways and roads, etc...hoping to get more funding.”
Another key issue for school districts will be working with teachers to put together an accountability system that both sides agree is accurate, fair and transparent.
“Key legislators have been doing a lot of hard work in making changes to the system,” said Flores. “It will come down to the details which will be interesting. It is important that it includes taking into account student growth, but overall the legislation is very receptive and have a vision of what it should look like.”
GAVEL TIME
Follow the 81st Texas Legislature throughout its session with direct reports from your representatives in the Examiners.
See the opening session and all action live or archived online at http://www.house.state.tx.us/media/welcome.php for House coverage and http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php for Senate action.
Spring Branch ISD Supt. Duncan Klussman, whose schools serve the Memorial-Spring Branch communities, warned last spring that every school district in Texas will become insolvent within seven years unless the Legislature fixes the glitch in the state’s public funding formula.
The current financial structure gives school districts a flat rate from the state, but due to increasing operational costs, school districts have been left in the red.
Many districts, including SBISD and HISD, have been forced to use reserve funds to make up the deficit.
“This doesn’t just affect Spring Branch,” said Klussman. “It affects all of Texas’ 1,033 school districts.”
HISD Director of Government Relations Rebecca Flores echoed those sentiments. “This is not just an HISD problem but an issue throughout the state,” she said. “School districts are not being able to operate in the current structure.”
For example, SBISD budget for the fiscal year of 2008 ended about $11 million in the red, and projections for 2009 forecast a $10 million deficit, officials project.
School districts are hoping that legislators see the need for a funding system that keeps up with cost increases caused by inflation and growth and changes in student demographics.
“The general consensus is that we need to act,” said Flores. “It comes down to what is in the budget. There are a number of competing interests such as higher education, highways and roads, etc...hoping to get more funding.”
Another key issue for school districts will be working with teachers to put together an accountability system that both sides agree is accurate, fair and transparent.
“Key legislators have been doing a lot of hard work in making changes to the system,” said Flores. “It will come down to the details which will be interesting. It is important that it includes taking into account student growth, but overall the legislation is very receptive and have a vision of what it should look like.”
GAVEL TIME
Follow the 81st Texas Legislature throughout its session with direct reports from your representatives in the Examiners.
See the opening session and all action live or archived online at http://www.house.state.tx.us/media/welcome.php for House coverage and http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php for Senate action.
Submit a Comment
|
You must be logged in to post a comment.
|
Not yet a registered member?
Click here to become one. Comments to stories and articles on the Web site are not edited or pre-approved before appearing online. Readers posting comments are solely responsible for those comments. Comments must be germane to the story to which they apply. Online comments that are libelous, profane or personally attack another site participant can be reported as abuse using the link provided on each comment. Comments reported as abusive will be reviewed and may be removed from view, as will off-topic comments. BE CIVIL. Individuals continually posting abusive comments to the site may have their registrations revoked. |
