State Education Funding

Budgets reflect what is and is not valued by government.  Any state that does not fund public education adequately and fairly sends a clear message to its citizens that it does not value the education of children.  Three important metrics can be used to determine if funding for PK-12 public education is adequate and fair:

1. Funding Level – cost-adjusted, per-pupil revenue from state and local sources.

2. Funding Distribution – the extent to which additional funds are distributed to school districts with high levels of student poverty.

3. Funding Effort – funding allocated to support PK-12 public education as a percentage of the state’s economic activity (GDP).

On all three of these metrics, the state of Texas does fund public education adequately of fairly.  In terms of cost adjusted, per-pupil revenue from state and local sources (funding level), Texas ranks 42^nd at $12,873 ($3,772 below the national average).  Texas also does not do enough to provide more funding to educate students in high-poverty districts who are most in need of additional resources for academic success (funding distribution). Texas only provides 4% more in funding to high poverty districts ($13,018/student) than it does to low poverty ones ($12,505/student). Finally, in terms of funding allocated to support PK-12 public education as a percentage of the state’s economic activity (funding effort), Texas once again ranks 42^nd at 2.53% of per-capita GDP ($64,070).  The national average for funding allocated to support PK-12 public education as a percentage of the state’s economic activity is 3.1% (and the high is 5.5%).

I pledge to support efforts to ensure that PK-12 public education in Texas is not only funded adequately but also fairly.

➡️ Read more about my position on Texas education issues: https://www.victorsampson.org/issues-and-positions

➡️ Get involved: https://victorsampson.org/#join-us