Financial equity for school districts

Equity spending among school districts has been a driving force during the latter half of the 20th century. From 1989 to today, the system of school finance has been subject to both legislative volleys and on-going court battles between those termed “property-poor” and those termed “wealthy” school districts. In 1993, the Texas Legislature passed new legislation intent on leveling the funding field for Texas schools.

In addition to establishing financial equity for schools districts, the bill also created the state’s well-regarded education accountability system. Now the model for the 2002 federal education plan, No Child Left Behind, the accountability system of Texas Classrooms measures and holds schools and districts accountable for student performance on assessment tests and dropout rates. Campuses and districts each year receive an accountability rating based on the percentage of all students and the four student groups (white, Hispanic, African American and economically disadvantaged) that pass the state’s assessment tests at grades three through eleven. The rating also considers the overall student dropout rate and each individual student group.

These changes have shown positive reflections in Texas Classrooms in the form of improved grades. Schools that draw at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds have shown dramatic improvement in test scores to high levels in at least the past three years in reading (language arts or English) and mathematics. Regardless of its demographics, students in Texas Classrooms have achieved the top 10 percent among schools in the grade category as measured by state tests of reading (language arts or English) and mathematics.