First Step to Fix ‘broken’ Texas School Finance System Unveiled

ISSUES FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. "TEXAS KNOWS IT'S TIME TO HELP OUR CHILDREN"STATE LAWMAKERS ROLL OUT THE NEW EFFORT- TO FIX FUNDING- OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ROBERT:TWEAKING THE WAY TEXAS PAYS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION...AND SPENDS YOUR TAX DOLLARS.TODAY TOP HOUSE LEADERS UNVEILED H-B 21. 2-SHANNON:THEY CALL IT A FIRST STEP TO FIX WHAT MANY CALL A "BROKEN" SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM. ROBERT:KXAN EDUCATION REPORTER ERIN CARGILE IS HERE TO BREAK IT DOWN - AND ERIN-- YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FEEDBACK FROM ERINDISTRICTS HAVE ONLY HAD ABOUT SIX HOURS TO DIVE INTO THIS.HERE'S A BASIC LOOK AT WHAT H-B 21 WOULD DO.INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY DISTRICTS GET FOR EACH STUDENT -- BY ABOUT TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS. ADDING TO THAT WOULD BE STATE TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS - MONEY SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS IN THE PAST.THE BILL ALSO GIVES DISTRICTS MORE MONEY FOR EACH STUDENT WITH DYSLEXIA.BECAUSE OF THIS PLAN - DISTRICTS LIKE AUSTIN ISD - WOULD GET TO KEEP MORE LOCAL TAX DOLLARS THEY WOULD TYPICALLY SEND BACK TO THE STATE.BUT ALL OF THIS IS ONLY DOABLE IF THE STATE PITCHES IN 1-POINT-6-BILLION DOLLARS TO COVER WHAT WOULD NO LONGER BE COMING IN FROM OTHER DISTRICTS. AROUND THE TIME STUDENTS WERE HEADING HOME FOR THE DAY...BIG NEWS WAS COMING OUT OF THE CAPITOL FOR TEXAS CLASSROOMS... REP. DAN HUBERTY/(R) HOUSTON "GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY."THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR OF THE HOUSE PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE...BACKED BY SOME DEMOCRATS.. ANNOUNCING A PLAN HE SAYS WILL HELP STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS.HUBERTY"IT PROVIDES MORE SCHOOLS, AND IT DISTRIBUTES THOSE RESOURCES IN A MUCH SMARTER WAY."AUSTIN ISD'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER APPLAUDS THE COMMITTEE FOR TAKING UP THE ISSUE..AND CALLS IT PROGRESS, BUT NOT ENOUGH. NICOLE CONLEY-JOHNSON/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, AUSTIN ISD "WE EXPECT TO GAIN MAYBE ABOUT $10 MILLION ANNUALLY ALTHOUGH WE'RE EXPECTED TO SEND OVER HALF A BILLION TO THE STATE UNDER RECAPTURE."WHILE MOST DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE WOULD GET MORE MONEY, ABOUT 5-PERCENT WOULD LOSE FUNDING ON THE DEAL.HUBERTY"IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH. THIS IS HARD. I DIDN'T EVER SUGGEST THIS WOULD BE EASY FOR US TO DO."THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WILL START HAMMERING OUT THE BILL TUESDAY...AT A PUBLIC HEARING. HUBERTY"I'M SURE THAT PEOPLE WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK TOMORROW (LAUGHING)."ERINI REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL DISTRICTS TO GET SOME FEEDBACK. THOSE WHO GOT BACK WITH ME SAY -- WE NEED MORE TIME TO RESEARCH THE BILL.I ALSO CONTACTED SENATOR LARRY TAYLOR'S OFFICE - HE'S THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE -- HIS OFFICE TELLS ME THEY ARE STILL ANALYZING THE IMPACT, SHANNON.SHANNON ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN OUR AREA WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS NEW PROPOSAL...HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF THE EXTRA MONEY EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD GET PER STUDENT...YOU CAN SEE ROUND ROCK I-S-D IS SLATED TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 215- DOLLARS PER STUDENT-- LAKE TRAVIS I-S-D WILL GET ANOTHER 126-DOLLARS AND SAN MARCOS C-I-S-D WILL GET AN EXTRA 52- DOLLARS A STUDENT.AUSTIN AREA CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ALSO SEEING BIG GAINS... THE AUSTIN DISCOVERY SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA 220-DOLLARS PER STUDENT.BUT WE DID FIND ONE SCHOOL IN OUR AREA NEGATIVELY AFFECTED.THE KATHERINE ANNE PORTER SCHOOL IN WIMBERLEY WILL LOSE 211-DOLLARS PER STUDENT UNDER THIS NEW PROPOSAL.FOR A DETAILED LOOK--