How The School Funding Formula Works In Texas

There’s a base amount of money associated with each student in Texas. But it’s more complicated than that

By Claire McInernyJune 29, 2018 9:30 am, , ,

From KUT:

The way that Texas pays for public schools can be tricky to wrap your head around. So KUT Austin’s Claire McInerny is trying to explain it, by answering listener questions about that funding system. 

The most basic thing to understand about school funding is that every student in the state of Texas has a dollar figure hanging over his or her head. But not every kid is worth the same amount of money in the eyes of state.

Texas gives each student a base amount, $5,140. From there, certain kids get more money added on. Different things are plugged into an equation, like if a child comes from a low-income family, if he or she is an English language learner or is classified as gifted and talented. These classifications all increase the amount assigned to the child.

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