Policy changes are an ever-present part of education. In 2019, legislators upended over two decades of gifted education policy in Texas with the removal of direct funding for gifted education. In its wake, the removal of funding shook educator morale and created uncertainty as to the future of gifted education in the state. In this article, we…

In response to a challenging state economy, the Texas Legislature implemented the Regular Program Adjustment Factor (RPAF) in 2011, effectively reducing state funding to all Texas school districts. This mixed methods study reveals the effect of the RPAF on a sample of the smallest Texas school districts and their response to decreased state…

Most Texans would rather sell a favorite horse than vote for a tax hike that promises bigger government. Yet San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro has not only persuaded his constituents to spend $248 million to pay for an unusual and ambitious preschool program for poor 4-year-olds, but he is also going to open doors in August--a mere nine months after…

Conventional programs are under consideration in Texas, as the legislature debates the proper way to "equalize" the school financing system. Taxing real property is outdated, because much of the state's wealth is in intellectual property. Despite committing billions of dollars, the state legislature has not made any meaningful change in…

Although the school-tax burden is shared by several classes of property owners, Texas homeowners provide a major share of the support for financing local schools. From 1981-1983 homeowners' school-tax share grew by approximately 9.8% while the school-tax share for oil, gas, and mineral owners declined 18%. (JHZ)

Reviews the background of the property tax from ancient antecedents through the history of the United States, with particular reference to the rise of free public education. Issues discussed include major influences on the development of schools, tax limitations, the expansion of state and federal aid, and future projections. (MJL)

This booklet presents a variety of updated information for use by study groups and others interested in Texas public school finance. Section 1 reviews various study group projects related to Texas school finance; section 2 reports on finance-related activities and research projects of the Texas Education Agency; section 3 lists several…

In "Edgewood Independent School District v. Kirby," the Texas Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state's school financial system violated the "efficiency" provision of the Texas Constitution. The court gave the legislature until May 1, 1990, to come forward with a constitutional school finance plan. (MLF)