Fair Funding Now!
Litigation News

IDRA has created a dashboard to collect news about the Texas school finance trial for easy access for parents, school folk & communities. You can see the latest news stories, live tweets, images, etc.

See the slides from Dr. Albert Cortez’s testimony on December 3, 2012, in the school finance trial.

Edgewood grad Hinojosa in the school finance fight spotlight
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, January 1, 2013 

Expert slams state for financing shortfalls
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, November 5, 2012 

Equity Center: Some schools get $65,000 more per classroom
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, November 2, 2012 

Judge questions cost of education
By Christine Bolaños, Aransas Pass Progress, October 31, 2012 

Inequities in taxes, spending per pupil detailed in Texas school finance trial
By Terrence Stutz/Reporter, Dallas Morning News, October 31, 2012

School board members criticize state funding
By Gary Scharrer, Houston Chronicle, October 31, 2012

Expert says funds not enough to meet Texas' standards
By the Associated Press, October 30, 2012

Expert: Funding crisis to worsen
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, October 29, 2012

Expert: Schools need additional $6 billion a year to meet higher standards
Testimony in school finance trial shows low-income students far behind on new tests.
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, October 29, 2012

Lawsuit over Texas school finance will change system
By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press, October 29, 2012

Texas school finance case will move slowly toward an explosive end
Editors, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 27, 2012

Educating minority, underprivileged students crux of week one in school finance lawsuit
By: John A. Salazar & Anne Szilagyi, Your News Now (YNN) Austin, TV, October 25, 2012

Richardson ISD superintendent testifies about harmful effects of funding cuts during Texas school finance trial
By Terrence Stutz, Dallas Morning News, October 24, 2012

Poverty's high cost to schools cited at state trial
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, October 24, 2012

Latino education tied to state's fate
By Gary Scharrer San Antonio Express-News, October 23, 2012

Texas public schools require more funding to serve Hispanics, expert testifies in finance trial
By Terrence Stutz, Dallas Morning News, October 23, 2012

Schools, state begin battle in court again
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, October 23, 2012

Texas School Funding Case to Focus On Demographics Shift
By Will Weissert, Huffington Post/Associated Press, October 23, 2012

Texas school finance trial kicks off
Trial expected to last three months, could shape education across the state.
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, October 22, 2012

Texas schools head to trial over school finance
By Will Weissert, Associated Press, October 22, 2012

School financing suit heads to court
By Gary Scharrer, San Antonio Express-News, October 21, 2012

Texas school finance system back in court starting Monday
By Terrence Stutz, Dallas Morning News, October 21, 2012 

School-funding suit begins: Some state districts to argue system unfair
By Zahira Torres, El Paso Times, October 21, 2012

School districts: Tax cap limits control, violates state constitution

Arguments begin Monday in sweeping Texas school finance trial.
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, October 21, 2012               

Rising standards, less funding collide in Texas school finance trial
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, October 20, 2012

Garza's deceptive school finance math
By Brian Chasnoff, columnist San Antonio Express-News, October 17, 2012

Equity in Texas school funding returns to fore in court – Arguments begin Oct. 22 in sweeping school finance trial involving two-thirds of Texas school districts.
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, October 13, 2012

Judge eyes October school funding trial
Gary Scharrer, Houston Chronicle – Texas Politics Blog, March 28, 2012

Judge, litigants getting set for complex school finance trial
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, March 28, 2012

A Guide to the Texas School Finance Lawsuits
by Morgan Smith, Texas Tribune, February 29, 2012

Time Proves State's Refusal to Spend Rainy Day Fund Misguided;
What We Should Do Now and for the Future
Dick Lavine, Center for Public Policy Priorities, February 21, 2012

Groups Challenge Texas System for Funding Public Schools… Again
by Albert Cortez, Ph.D., IDRA Newsletter, January 2012
This article compares the four lawsuits that have been filed in Texas challenging the constitutionality of the state’s school funding system. Combined, the plaintiffs schools represent close to half of the students and school districts in the state. This clearly reflects the overall poor disgust with the state legislature’s poor handling of the school funding crisis in the 2011 session.

Fair Funding is Essential to Having Excellent Schools for All Texas Students
by Dr. Robledo Montecel, IDRA President, January 2012
This statement applauds MALDEF for filing its lawsuit against Texas on behalf of four poor school districts. "It is unfortunate – scandalous in fact – that it takes litigation to convince our state leaders to invest in education, to invest in children – all children, to invest in the future of Texas." IDRA has focused on this issue since its founding almost four decades ago. We will not stop until Texas truly has a strong public school system that provides an excellent education for all children.

Calhoun County Independent School District, et al., vs. Scott. Original Petition, lawsuit filing
Haynes & Boone, December 9, 2011

Edgewood Independent School District, et al., vs. Scott. Original Petition, lawsuit filing
MALDEF, December 13, 2011

MALDEF News Release
December 13, 2011 (English/Spanish) (pdf)

MALDEF media packet
December 13, 2011 (pdf)

Fort Bend Independent School District, et al., vs. Scott. Original Petition, lawsuit filing
Thompson & Horton, December 22, 2011

MALDEF Info Sheet on Texas School Finance for Educators and Advocates (pdf)
November 7, 2011

Did legislature have proper focus on education?
by Mike Norman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 3, 2011

Texas Taxpayer & Student Fairness Coalition vs. Scott. Original Petition, lawsuit filing
Equity Center, October 11, 2011