Photo by Nolan Hicks, Houston Chronicle
Key state and legislative leaders met Wednesday night without reaching agreement on how to apportion $4 billion worth of cuts for public education.
The state will spend a little more than $31 billion on public education over the next two years – and lawmakers must agree on a school funding plan before the legislative session ends on Monday. The $4 billion cut for public education is part of a new state budget that includes massive budget cuts – at least $15.5 billion.
The House prefers a short-term approach that would cut spending across the board for the state’s 1,040 school districts. The Senate insists on addressing the current “target revenue system,” created five years ago as a temporary plan. It largely froze school districts at 2006 funding levels, except for enrollment growth. But it’s a system that has created huge funding disparities for school districts.
The two sides agree they must find a compromise in the next 48 hours to avoid a special session.
“We’ve got more talking to do,” Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said after an 80-minute meeting in House Speaker Joe Straus’ office with leaders from both chambers.
“We need something at this point that’s simple,” Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, said. “We need a plan that’s easily understood.”
House leaders say their “pro ration,” across-the-board-cuts plan is the simple way to reduce school funding.
“We’re trying to come up with something that works for both sides,” Senate Public Education Chair Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said.
The Senate prefers the longer-term solution. The House wants a short-term plan, she said.
Might the final plan be a blend of the two approaches?
“Could be,” Shapiro said.
The Senate spent weeks discussing SB 22 – a plan that begins to end target revenue and sets Sept. 1, 2017 as a goal to end it completely.
The House did not debate such a plan. It’s too late in the session to start discussion on a complicated plan to end target revenue – particularly because there are 150 House members all of whom represent multiple school districts, Branch said.
“We’re just getting into this, so it might take a little longer,” Branch said of the negotiations. “We need to work hard over the next 48 hours.”
