Abbott orders review of how school districts are spending money

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the comptroller to conduct a review of how school districts are spending their money.

What we know:

In a letter published Wednesday, Abbott asks the state comptroller to look at the spending of up to four independent school districts to determine if they are spending their taxpayer funding appropriately.

Abbott did not provide an example of funds being misused in his letter.

What they're saying:

"The 89th Legislature provided historic investments in public education, and our schools are funded better than ever, with teacher pay at an all-time high," Abbott wrote in the letter. "But increased funds require increased attention, which is why it is essential you confirm that the $104.9 billion that Texas spends on K-12 education is being used for its intended purpose: supporting students and teacher to make Texas the top-performing state in education, rather than accelerating administrative bloat."

Timeline:

Abbott ordered the comptroller to select districts of varying size and geographic locations, provide a list to the governor’s office of the districts chosen and a timeline for the investigation by Dec. 31. 

What is HB2?

The backstory:

House Bill 2 became law last year. It injected money into the state’s education system to, among other things, increase compensation for teachers and staff, revised the state’s school finance formulas and increased training for school security officers.

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