Education Policy

Helpful School Finance Links

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Articles and research on fiscal issues affecting low-income families. Includes a detailed article with graphics that presents an overview of education finance. See also “Overview of K-12 Education Finance.”

Center for Public Policy Priorities
Basic information on school finance in Texas.
Texas Kids Count, includes a section on finance, history and per pupil spending by county.

Education Commission of the States
Also see an ECS position paper (2001) discussing the past, present and future of school finance.

Equity Center
Provides updates on legislation and litigation as well as background and reference information. See also, Let’s Revisit Formula Funding in the ‘09 Session.

Intercultural Development Research Association
Dedicated to educational equity and excellence, IDRA provides articles, research and tools for advocacy. See the policy updates and topical links to information on school finance. Also, get order information for the only comprehensive book on the history of school finance in Texas, Texas School Finance Reform – An IDRA Perspectiveby Dr. José A. Cárdenas.

Fair Funding Now!
IDRA’s initiative to make sure that schools are equipped to guarantee that all children graduate ready for college and career. Share your story and get tools, handouts, news and more.

Texas Association of School Boards
Provides the basics of Texas school finance, including a brief history and definitions of terms used in the issue.
See also A Guide to Texas School Finance (2010).

Texas Business and Education Coalition
Includes a position statement of the Texas Business and Education Coalition; postings from newspapers around Texas concerning the state of education; public education briefs; and stories of Texas student successes.

Texas Education Agency School Funding Website
A resource for state funding guidelines, presentations on school finance, public school health insurance, and school-finance related correspondence to school districts.

Texas Legislative Budget Board
See Foundation School Program Fiscal and Policy Studies (March 2009) and Financing Public Education in Texas Kindergarten through Grade 12, Legislative Primer (October 2001).

“The Texas School Finance Litigation Saga: Great Progress, Then Near Death By A Thousand Cuts”
St. Mary’s Law Journal article by Al Kauffman (fee required to view full article)


Other Related Resources and Organizations

 

Arizona Department of Education
Includes bulletin boards for school districts or charter schools; budgets for districts; FAQs about school finance; contacts about school finance; forms; reports; and due dates for data collection.

Consortium for Policy Research in Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Project that looks at both current expenditure patterns of schools in a variety of district and state fiscal contexts as well as the costs of school improvement strategies at both the district and school site levels.

Dallas Concilio
The Dallas Concilio’s mission is to advocate and enhance the quality of life for Hispanics through partnerships with our communities.

Ed Source Online
Articles and reports that provide background and insight into school finance theory, policy and practice, particularly relating to California schools.

Learning Point Associates
Gives an overview of redesigning school finance, goals for equitable funding, actions people can take for equitable funding, implementation pitfalls, different points of view, and illustrative cases (1995).

LULAC National Education Website
A network of 16 counseling centers coordinated by an office in Washington, D.C., whose mission is to increase educational opportunities for Hispanic Americans through the development and implementation of effective programs in Hispanic communities throughout the United States.

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
MALDEF represented the plaintiff districts in the Edgewood suits.

National Center for Education Statistics – Education Finance Statistics Center
See also report where expert authors describe each state or province funding system as compiled by education finance researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of Ottawa (1998-99).

National Council of La Raza
The National Council of La Raza a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
See the publication: School Finance Adequacy: The State Role (2004).

Texas Association for Bilingual Education
Through a balanced program of research, professional development, and public education, TABE pursues the implementation of educational policies and effective bilingual-bicultural programs that promote equal educational opportunity and academic excellence for language minority students.

Texas Association for Chicano Higher Education
TACHE was founded as a professional association of college and university faculty, staff and administrators to advocate for an equitable Hispanic representation in Texas colleges and universities.

Texas Comptroller – Basics of Texas Property Taxes
A resource from the explaining the property tax system in Texas .

Texas Federation of Teachers
The Texas Federation of Teachers represents all non-administrative certified and classified public school employees in traditional public schools and some charter schools.

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