school finance

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Houston ISD superintendent accused of funneling tax dollars out of state

By Nina Banks Updated: May 16, 2024

A state lawmaker and Houston residents urge the Texas Education Agency to investigate whether the state-appointed superintendent improperly sent public funds to out-of-state charter schools. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
School voucher supporters bask in primary wins, say goals are within reach

By Karen Brooks Harper March 6, 2024

Gov. Greg Abbott called the results “an unmistakable message.” His allies said the state is “closer than ever” to a voucher program. Full Story

Credit: Amanda McCoy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram via REUTERS
Texas launches new property tax incentive program to lure new businesses

By Madaleine Rubin Feb. 22, 2024

The Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation program cuts property taxes for new manufacturing, research and development facilities. It replaces a shuttered program criticized for its impact on school finance. Full Story

Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune
Texas’ new school safety law mostly addresses the Justice Department’s advice. But funding fixes is still an issue.

By Brian Lopez Jan. 19, 2024

Lawmakers passed House Bill 3 last year to address some of the issues that led to the botched police response during the Uvalde school shooting. Full Story

Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune
Struggling to find teachers close to home, some Texas schools are looking overseas for help

By Caroline Wilburn Dec. 20, 2023

Public schools got little help from lawmakers this year to address the state’s chronic teacher shortage, so they’ve turned to other creative solutions — like leaning on cultural exchange programs to recruit international teachers. Full Story

Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune
Texas superintendents say lack of school safety funding may lead to budget cuts

By Maia Pandey Dec. 11, 2023

The fourth special legislative session this year ended without any increased funding for school safety — even though public schools have complained for months they don’t have enough money to meet new safety mandates approved this year. Full Story

Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune
After school voucher bill falls apart, supporters and opponents get ready for future fights

By Maia Pandey Dec. 4, 2023

The Texas House’s vote to block education savings accounts disappointed voucher advocates and likely spelled doom for additional public school funding. Both bands say they’ll keep pushing for their priorities during next year’s primary elections and the 2025 legislative session. Full Story

Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday

By Maia Pandey Dec. 2, 2023

The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges don’t delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending. Full Story

Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line

By Brian Lopez Dec. 1, 2023

Senate Bill 5 would send an extra $800 million to public schools for security upgrades over the next two years. But the measure is at risk of becoming the latest casualty of the rift between the Texas House and Senate. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott endorses reelection bids of 58 House members who voted for school vouchers

By Patrick Svitek Nov. 20, 2023

No members who voted against Abbott’s top legislative priority received the governor’s backing. Full Story

Credit: Michael Gonzales for The Texas Tribune
Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill

By Zach Despart and Brian Lopez Updated: Nov. 17, 2023

The outcome was an embarrassment to Gov. Greg Abbott, who spent seven months lobbying two dozen Republicans who signaled opposition to vouchers in April. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
School voucher critics remain largely unswayed during Texas House hearing

By Maia Pandey Updated: Nov. 9, 2023

House Bill 1, which stagnated during the previous special session, finally received a hearing in the lower chamber, a crucial step that will decide whether the proposal gets a full vote. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
The Texas House’s new priority education bill offers concessions to sway voucher skeptics

By Brian Lopez and Maia Pandey Updated: Nov. 7, 2023

The revised bill promises a significant funding increase for public schools and academic accountability measures for students participating in the proposed voucher program, two of the biggest requests from voucher opponents. Full Story

Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune
Dark money nonprofit with ties to Texas billionaire works to defeat Midland school bond

By Jeremy Schwartz and Dan Keemahill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica Nov. 2, 2023

Tim Dunn’s public policy groups have helped ensure that tax hike language is attached to every school bond ballot measure in the state. Now he is using that language to cast doubt on a bond in his hometown of Midland. Full Story

Credit: Photo illustration by ProPublica. Source photographs: Brett Buchanan for The Texas Tribune, bond mailer obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.
School leaders say Texas’ campus safety funding doesn’t cover new state mandates

By Caroline Wilburn Nov. 1, 2023

A bill to increase the state’s support for school safety appears stalled in this month’s special legislative session. But even if it passes, superintendents warn it isn’t enough. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Facing enrollment declines, Texas Catholic schools are leading supporters of school vouchers

By Maia Pandey Updated: Oct. 31, 2023

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has been one of the staunchest voucher supporters, arguing it would increase access to religious education regardless of income level. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune
With 22 portable classrooms on one campus, a growing Texas school district is asking voters for $2 billion

By Pooja Salhotra Oct. 23, 2023

Conroe is one of the fastest growing school districts in the state. It and other districts say they need voters to OK bonds to keep up with the influx of students. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune
Voucher proposal spurs mix of excitement, wariness in Texas home schooling community

By Keaton Peters Updated: Oct. 20, 2023

Parents of Texas’ growing population of home-schooled students are split over whether education savings accounts would give them much-needed financial help or represent an unwanted government involvement in their kids’ educations. Full Story

Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune
Texas House priority bill increases education spending in exchange for creating voucher program

By William Melhado and Brian Lopez Updated: Oct. 20, 2023

House Bill 1 would make an educational savings account program available to 25,000 Texas students in its first year, with increased participation to follow. The governor’s office indicated that the proposal was lacking. Full Story

Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
In West Texas, schools hope skeptical voters will OK debt to upgrade crumbling, overcrowded buildings

By Carlos Nogueras Ramos Oct. 19, 2023

The West Texas ethos of low taxes and small government has been hard for school leaders to overcome. Voters have rejected bond issues in Midland and Odessa during the last decade. Full Story

Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune