By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
As questions swirl regarding how HB 2, the public education reform bill, will affect school districts across the state and the degree of equity that will be achieved if the legislation passes, Rep. Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington) sent letters to fellow House members this week addressing equity questions.
He noted in his letter that school funding formulas "create opportunities for confusion," and included a chart showing how his HB 2 will increase equity in public schools.
Grusendorf claims that HB 2 would increase to 96 percent the number of students in Texas who would be in an equalized system, where the figure today is only 81 percent. He also notes that his legislation, if passed, will increase to 99 percent, from the current 95 percent, the percent of revenue in an equalized system.
He points out that an "equalized system" is one that combines local and state revenue so that substantially equal dollars are available for similar levels of tax effort throughout the school districts of the state. He said increasing the number of students (from the current 3,343,834 to 3,942,016 under HB 2) and the percent of revenue increases equity.
Grusendorf also notes that HB 2 would lead to an "unprecedented" increase in wealth equalization. His figures show that according to the Texas Education Agency, the wealth percentile to which enrichment is equalized today is 79, which would increase to 90 under the provisions of HB 2.
He explains that the current finance system and the one proposed in HB 2 both have two tiers - Tier I consists of an allotment to districts per student enrollment - which is guaranteed in this "foundation tier." Tier II consists of a guarantee of a certain level of revenue for each penny of tax, or the "guaranteed yield" in the "enrichment tier."
He said the TEA's figures for guaranteed yield at the 90th wealth percentile that would be achieved through passage of HB 2 would result in payment of approximately $31-$32 per penny per student in 2005-06, compared to the current rate of $27.14. That guaranteed yield, he said, goes up as property values increase and would be the highest level the state has ever provided.
Grusendorf says his proposed legislation will "preserve and extend" equity in the state's school funding program.