It was time for real reform in 1970

It was time for real reform in 1970

By: Kayne M. Smith
July 30, 2013

Call me pessimistic, but I do not foresee any big change in school finance in the near future. Golsan, in the statement released by the Texas Public Policy Foundation Center for Education stated that “it is time for real reform.” This response to Judge Dietz’s ruling is what I’m certain all educators feel and believe. Sadly, it has been time for ‘real reform’ since Edgewood Independent School District v. Kirby in 1989 or Rodriquez v. San Antonio Independent School District in 1971, and perhaps before.

One of the issues is the limited time our legislature has to solve the complex cases such as school finance reform. It has shown true (with Governor Perry just calling a third special session to address transportation) that the legislature has placed education in the back seat to other issues that they feel are more pertinent. It almost makes me believe that they do not understand the school finance model, and as a result, have no idea how to correct the issue.

I do not work on the curriculum side of the district anymore, but it is apparent to anyone who works in school transportation that there needs to be action taken in school finance when the transportation financial model has not changed since 1984 (when a bus was $20,000; today, they are approximately $95,000). It is no wonder that schools are slashing transportation services. What happens when the big yellow bus is parked? Some kids do not go to school.

I honestly feel that drastic measures will be taken to fix the school finance model. Could this include county-wide districts instead of independent school districts to more equally distribute property wealth over a larger area? We know that new taxes are not an option (at least during the current administration). I only hope that in the next 22 years before I am eligible for retirement that something is presented and implemented that improves and “fixes” the current school finance model.

 
References

Golsan, J. TPPF statement regarding the school finance trial ruling. Retrieved from http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/deer_park/opinion/tppf-statement-regarding-the-school-finance-trial-ruling/article_99e0984f-2882-52b6-9b11-8e72e0ab2506.html