What happened
The DISD board of trustees voted Sept. 28 to approve a resolution asking for increased funding from the Texas Legislature for public schools. The trustees approved it unanimously without discussion.
If Gov. Greg Abbott calls a legislative special session, which he has promised to do in October, legislators should support an increase to the basic allotment to cover the cost of 19% inflation since 2019, according to the resolution. The per-student allotment that public schools receive from the state is $6,160, and that allowance has not changed since 2019.
Instead of increasing public school funding, state legislators have focused on pushing forward a school voucher system to help parents pay for private school. Trustees described the system as “private school subsidies that only benefit wealthier students” in the resolution.
The context
Texas is ranked 42nd out of the 50 states in terms of public education funding, according to the resolution. The state also ranks below the national average in K-12 spending.
These rankings come as the state expects record increases in revenue during the next two years as a result of inflation. By the end of 2023, Texas will have a $32 billion budget surplus.
Also of note
School districts also face increased costs due to Texas House Bill 3, which mandates armed security officers on all school campuses. The new law went into effect Sept. 1, and many North Texas school districts have been grappling with how to fund the directive.
School leaders, including DISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde, have said the state is drastically underfunding the mandate. School districts have received $15,000 in state funding per campus, which equals about $3.6 million for DISD per year. Elizalde previously estimated that the initiative will cost $12 million to maintain.
