AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) today released “Texas School Finance: Basics and Reform” by TPPF Center for Education Freedom Director Kent Grusendorf, Policy Analyst Michael Barba, Center for Fiscal Policy Director Talmadge Heflin, and Economist Dr. Vance Ginn. The paper brings clarity to the complex issue of school finance in Texas and outlines reforms to make the system student centered and efficient.
“Texas’ school finance system is surrounded by confusion,” said Michael Barba, policy analyst with the Center for Education Freedom at TPPF. “The first purpose of this work is to bring clarity to this issue so that we can all improve the system for generations to come.”
“Every child in Texas deserves the same educational opportunities regardless of their place of residence,” said The Honorable Kent Grusendorf, director of the Center for Education Freedom at TPPF. “Every child in Texas should be valued exactly the same by the Great State of Texas.”
“Public education is a major part of the budget with more than $60 billion funded each school year,” said the Honorable Talmadge Heflin, director of the Center for Fiscal Policy at TPPF. “This $12,761 per student expenditure must provide Texas kids with the best education possible and achieve the greatest value from taxpayers’ dollars.”
“Texas’ school finance system must be student-centered to provide the greatest value,” said Dr. Vance Ginn, economist with the Center for Fiscal Policy at TPPF. “By allowing allotments to students that are portable and flexible, the market price of schooling can finally provide an education system that best supports student achievement.”
To read the full paper, please visit: http://txpo.li/texas-school-finance-basics-and-reform
The paper was filed as an addendum to TPPF’s amicus brief with the Texas Supreme Court as an addendum to its amicus brief in support of the Efficiency Intervenors in the school finance trial.
To schedule and interview with the authors, please contact Caroline Espinosa at [email protected] or (512) 472-2700.
The Honorable Kent Grusendorf is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Education Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Honorable Talmadge Heflin is the director of the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Michael Barba is a policy analyst in the Center for Education Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Dr. Vance Ginn is an economist in the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas.