The Governor’s Office has a pdf file that claims
Texas ranks way high up in total spending on schools. Well it
ought to rank high up as the second most populous state. Question
is, how does Texas rank in terms of spending per pupil? Here the
Governor’s preferred source (the NEA) ranks Texas 34th or 35th.
Here’s the Governor’s PDF
Here’s the NEA (see page 57)
And here are the latest census numbers (Released June 30, 2005)
Also worth mentioning, since 2000 Texas is the second fastest growing state in terms of raw numbers (1.6 million), fourth in terms of percentage (7.9).
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"In the view of attorney David Thompson who represents the
property-rich plaintiffs led by West Orange Cove, the steady
improvement of the past ten years cannot assure the Court that things
will go equally well in the next decade. For Thompson the difference
this time around is that standards are being rapidly increased and
achievement gaps are showing up again but state appropriations are not
matching the challenge. Although total state funding has gone up, the
state is also growing, with the result that state spending per pupil
has gone down. Meanwhile local tax options have reached capacity."
See below: Texas Supreme Court Justices Seek Role in Education
MoPress 