NATION : School Financing Held Illegal
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AUSTIN, Tex. — The Texas system of financing schools remains unconstitutional despite this year’s overhaul by the Legislature, a judge ruled today.
State District Judge Scott McCown said that the $14-billion-a-year system is still flawed but he deferred making any immediate changes, giving the Legislature until Sept. 1, 1991, to act.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled last October that there were “glaring disparities” between rich and poor school districts, violating a requirement in the state constitution for an “efficient system” of public schools.
Schools were funded with local property taxes and state aid. But because of disparities in property wealth, annual spending per student among districts ranged from $2,112 to $19,333, the court said.
The new school finance plan was adopted in June by the Legislature after four special sessions.
The judge said the new finance system doesn’t give all schools “substantially equal” access to state aid money.
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