It took 25 years, several rounds of court cases and many legislative sessions to create the equitable system we have today so that all Texas children benefit. But it could all be wiped away. Texas policymakers are considering ways to change how Texas schools are funded. The courts are reviewing the current system as well.

Texans for Fair Funding is a dynamic web site (http://www.texans4fairfunding.org) with tools for advocates of equity and excellence in education. Anyone with Internet access can easily learn how their children’s schools are funded, what’s at stake, and what they can do about it. Texans for Fair Funding is sponsored by the Texas Latino Education Coalition.

This new user-friendly web site includes interactive features like short Flash presentations to describe the Texas school finance system and its equity provisions. Visitors also can get data about individual Texas school districts, like how much state and local funds the district receives and how much could be lost if the current system of fair funding is eliminated. Americans agree that a child’s future should not depend on his or her heritage, parents’ income, or neighborhood. Any new plan that is put in place for funding Texas schools must be equitable, otherwise we will go back to the days of massive unequal funding. School personnel, policymakers, members of the community and business leaders all play a role in making sure our tax dollars are used to fund schools fairly. TLEC has created this web site to encourage community action for fair funding for all children.

The key areas of the www.texans4fairfunding.org are:

• Know the Issue: Easy-to-understand information on fair funding in Texas
• Get the Facts: How funding impacts your school district
• Take Action: What you can do to inform others and get your voice heard
• Ask About It: A place to ask questions and get answers
• Link Up: Resources on the issue of fair funding
• Texas Fast Facts: Find out about the state of fair funding in Texas

TLEC is a collaborative of organizations and individuals who have traditionally advocated the rights of Latinos at the local, state and national levels, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Mexican American School Board Members Association, the League of United Latin American Citizens, and the Intercultural Development Research Association. The coalition was organized to focus specifically on critical educational issues in Texas and improve the state of education for Latino students in public schools. These target issues are fair funding, teaching quality, school holding power, and college access and success. For more information contact Anna Alicia Romero at IDRA (210-444-1710; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

You can sign-up to receive updates by visiting the Texans for Fair Funding web site at http://www.texans4fairfunding.org and selecting “Receive updates by email.”

Comments and questions may be directed to IDRA via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

[©2004, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the IDRA Newsletter by the Intercultural Development Research Association. Every effort has been made to maintain the content in its original form. However, accompanying charts and graphs may not be provided here. To receive a copy of the original article by mail or fax, please fill out our information request and feedback form. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]