83rd Legislature

If you're not aware, the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature is in session. During the course of this session there will be thousands of bills filed, usually between 1-3 thousand bills dealing specifically with public education alone. One of the Constitutionally created duties of the Legislature is to provide for a general diffusion of knowledge. This means that all children in Texas receive access to an adequate education. The recent sessions have not been kind to Texas schoolchildren, and we are seeing the same ideas permeate the 83rd session. Please take time to contact your legislators and representatives and let them know that you expect them to meet their Constitutional duty. You can visit the following link to see the Texas Legislature online: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

School Funding

Yesterday, the judge in the lawsuit over the system used to finance public schooling in Texas ruled that the current funding system in Texas is unconstitutional. He stated that the funding system was inadequate, inequitable, and constituted a de facto state property tax. Over 600 school districts in the state were involved with this lawsuit, including Harleton ISD. Although the state will likely appeal this ruling, the ruling does at least open the conversation concerning how we finance schools and the future of our great state.