2023 EDUCATION EDITION
BUDGET BINDS In ation in Texas has gone up by nearly 20% between April 2019-April 2023 —the most recent data available. However, the per-student allotment, which sits at $6,160, has yet to be increased in that time, tightening school district budgets.
“WE WAITED ALL SPRING FOR THE STATE, BUT WE REALIZED … WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE ACTION TO TAKE CARE OF OUR DISTRICT.” KAREN ENGLE, CLEAR CREEK ISD SUPERINTENDENT
Projected allotment with in ation
Allotment per student
$7,313
$7,500
$6,969
what the state is doing to public edu- cation right now,” Henry said at the district’s June 20 meeting. On the state side, many funding bills failed because of e orts to tie them to a private school voucher program as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s goal to make private institutions more a ordable to families in Texas. The program lacked support from both the House and Sen- ate, blocking many bills from passing that otherwise might have had the needed votes, Popinski said. What happens next? Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, said in a July 6 emailed statement to Community Impact that more money will be available to dis- tricts when legislators pass the school choice legislation, adding it’s an e ort to “empower parents.”
“Gov. Abbott has prioritized public education funding and support for our hardworking teachers through- out his time in o ce,” Mahaleris said in the statement. The House and Senate came to an agreement in July on property tax leg- islation that would spend $12.6 billion of the state’s surplus on buying down school district tax rates by about 10.7 cents. School districts are typically the highest-taxing local entities compared to cities and counties. Engle said the district views the VATRE as moving forward without the expectation that the state will assist. “We’re con dent the Legislature will meet again at some point but not con- dent we will get any funding for this year,” Engle said. “We’ve waited on that and feel like we’ve got to go ahead and take some action.”
$7,000
$6,437
$6,500
$6,160 $6,160*
$6,180
$6,000
$6,160
$6,160
$6,160
$6,160
$0
April 2019
April 2020
April 2021
April 2022
April 2023
NOTE: ALLOTMENT WITH INFLATION USED A CALCULATOR FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. *THE $6,160 ALLOTMENT WENT INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER AND WAS REFLECTED ON BUDGETS FOR THE 2019 20 SCHOOL YEAR. SOURCES: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS COMMUNITY IMPACT
There is still time for the state Leg- islature to pass something. The state is working through special sessions right now, which could include some school funding bills, Popinski said. In the meantime, with shortfalls and a growing need to increase teacher compensation, many districts will
likely be dipping into their reserves to make ends meet, Popinski said. “School districts are in a pretty tough position going forward,” he said.
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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