State of Texas Funding Issues

Three major issues impacting Texas State Funding Formula Due to the economic downturn districts have been hit with elements that effect state funding. 1) Property Tax Values decreasing and the large number of foreclosures have reduced the amount of revenue the state has for public education. Public education has found that it too is subject to the strains of the economy. 2) Keeping up with inflation for teacher and staff salaries and benefits including rising health care costs, has also put a strain on state funding. Mandates for district and state contributions for health care have also impacted state funding. 3) The shift in demographics within the state requires additional professional development for teachers including bilingual programs, Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), multiple languages within districts. Some districts have students whose home languages cover more than 20 languages. Students of poverty also move from one area to another increasing services needed to close the achievement gap and increasing the number of students served by Title I.