House Bill 21, the House school finance proposal, was heard in the Senate Education Committee Friday, and a committee substitute was adopted that makes significant changes to the bill. The Senate version, CSHB 21, includes:
$150 in Hardship Grants targeted at districts losing revenue as the result of ASATR expiring

$60 million for charter school facility funding and $60 million to expand the Existing Debt Allotment for traditional public schools; and, 
$41 million to begin the phase out of the Small District Adjustment penalty that affects small schools with less than 300 square miles. 

CSHB 21 was voted out of the Senate Education Committee and is waiting to be heard on the Senate floor, potentially as early as Saturday night. It is vitally important that all of you talk to your elected officials and tell them to support this bill so that there is a vehicle moving forward that can be improved upon. Without HB 21 there will be zero new education dollars are no positive reforms, such as the SDA penalty phase out. 

Last Friday the House narrowly defeated a measure to spend over $356 million on extending ASATR for two more years. Later that weekend another bill was filed, HB 387, that would provide $200 million in state funds to extend ASATR through 2019. HB 387 was quickly given a hearing in the House Public Education Committee where the Equity Center provided testimony showing how the state could ensure that no school would close because of financial insolvency, and could do so with a significantly smaller price tag. As an example, the eleven schools who have been identified as potentially being forced to close after ASATR expires could be held completely harmless for approximately $15 million. HB 387 was passed out of the Public Education Committee, but has yet to be scheduled for debate on the House floor.  

The final day of the special session is Wednesday, August 16, so we will have a final word on potential funding changes shortly. 

For a quick look at what is happening in the Legislature and how it could affect you, take a look at the Equity Center Legislative Update: 
Legislative Update

Please contact us at info@equitycenter.org or 512-478-7313 with any questions or comments. 
The Equity Center is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization of over 660 school districts across
the state ranging in size, demographics, and location. We are the only entity focused solely on
advocating for the fair and equitable treatment of Texas taxpayers and children.

 www.equitycenter.org