Schools in Texas are funded by three major sources.

• Local Property Tax – Property taxes are a major source of funding for your schools. Your school district levies a tax on local properties to fund neighborhood public schools.
• State Funds – State funds are another major source of support for most public school districts in Texas. These funds come from a variety of sources, including sales, gasoline and franchise taxes.
• Federal Funds – Compared to state and local funds, very little support actually comes from the federal budget but these funds help support programs like free and reduced-price lunches, technology, bilingual education, and special education.

School districts spend money on:

• Staff
• Materials and supplies
• Utilities
• Buildings

School personnel, state and federal policymakers and the community each play a role in influencing how much money is raised for education and how school funds are used.

• School personnel and the school board make major budget decisions.
• Policymakers make rules on school funding and appropriations that determine how much money is available for education and how it should be allocated to different programs.
• Community members (parents, businesses, contractors) have a key role in making sure our tax dollars are used to fund schools fairly.

The relationship between parents, schools and community members with state policymakers is key to ensuring that our tax dollars are used to fund schools fairly. Our children deserve to get the best education possible.

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