House passes proposal to increase education funds by 9 billion

The state legislature is in the phase of raising hopes but ?

Every two years the Texas state legislature convenes in session early in January with a flurry of bills that raise the hopes of many and frightens others. By late May, reality sets in and some hopes are deflated and most fears are extinguished. {{more: continue … }}

It is called the legislative process. One of the proposed bills has created a stir of excitement in school district board room and superintendents? offices across the state. Yesterday, the bill known as House Bill 3 passed the House by a vote of 148-1.

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Kennedale could see $1.8 million more …

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Don’t count the chickens yet …?

School districts across the state have argued that the state has been reducing their financial commitment to public education over the years, forcing local school district to rely on increased property taxes. This year increased funding of education has been a top priority of the Texas legislature.

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Star Telegram story …?

A funding plan in the Texas House would leave more local tax dollars at local schools ? and it would let suburban districts considered wealthy dramatically drop the amount they send to help poorer schools through the state?s so-called Robin Hood funding system.

Educators across the state say the bill would boost local budgets allowing them to expand academic programs, hire new teachers and giving existing ones raises.?

The House of Representatives on Wednesday will debate the proposal known as House Bill 3 ? which rewrites the way public education is funded in Texas ? by state Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Humble.?(Note: the bill did passed the House late Wednesday)?

The proposal pumps an extra $9 billion into Texas schools starting in 2020, leaving extra money in school districts across the state. It not only bumps up the minimum per student funding amount from $5,140 to $6,030, but also pays for pre-kindergarten for low-income students.

A separate proposal will be debated in the Senate and the two versions will be reconciled in a conference committee closer to when the Texas Legislature will wrap up its work on May 27.

Here?s a look at how much more money some Tarrant County school districts would receive in 2020 under the House proposal ? and if they?ll be impacted by the Robin Hood plan, according to HB 3 estimates.

• Arlington: $33 million, or $609 per student.

• Kennedale:?$1.8 million, or $615 per student. Kennedale was scheduled to send $196,001 to the state through Robin Hood. That would drop to zero.

• Mansfield:?$8.8 million, or $261 per student. This district was not expected to give dollars through the so-called Robin Hood school funding plan.

• Fort Worth:?$66.4 million, or $888 per student. The district said the money would go into the general fund. Fort Worth was not expected to give or receive dollars through the so-called Robin Hood school funding plan.

• Carroll: $3.3 million, or $409 per student. This district is scheduled to send $38 million to the state through Robin Hood, but that would drop to $29 million under this plan.

• Grapevine-Colleyville: $5.2 million, or $401 per student. This district was scheduled to send $66 million to the state through Robin Hood, but that drops to $49.8 million under this plan.

• Hurst-Euless-Bedford: $7.2 million, or $313 per student. This district was not expected to give dollars through the so-called Robin Hood school funding plan.

• Keller: $12 million, or $367 per student. Keller was scheduled to send about $4.9 million in local property tax revenue to the state through Robin Hood. This state plan drops that amount to zero.