Texas House, Senate reach agreement on $8.5B school funding bill

article

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas lawmakers have reached an agreement on more than $8 billion in funding for public education.

The House and Senate have been at odds over their differing versions of the bill, which amounts to the largest single increase in public school funding in state history.

Highlights of the agreement

Texas senate nears vote on school funding bill

The senate is set to take up the public school funding bill soon. It would put nearly $9 billion towards public schools.

A release from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick detailed the highlights of the agreement between the two sides.

By the numbers:

House Bill 2 now sits as an $8.5 billion increase in public school funding over the next two years. The dollar amount is nearly $1 billion more than the original $7.7 billion proposal by the House.

The funding includes $4.2 billion for teacher and staff pay raises and expanded incentive pay and teacher training programs.

Other highlights include $1.3 billion for expenses like insurance, utilities and contributions to the state teacher retirement system.

The increase in funding also feeds into special education funding, the funding of full-day pre-K for children of teachers, early learning interventions and career and technical education. Those changes add up to $2 billion.

Also included is another $430 million for school safety improvements.

What they're saying:

"We have been working diligently with the House in countless meetings and thoughtful discussions throughout the session to create the most effective school finance bill in Texas history," Patrick said. "House Bill 2 targets specific needs that will help create the best education system in America. I am proud of the work that members in both chambers, and both parties, have done. My priority has always been to pay teachers as professionals and focus on student outcomes over the 1,200 districts across Texas."

Republican Rep. Trent Ashby said the bill helps small and mid-sized school districts.

"HB 2 will deliver permanent, meaningful pay raises for rural teachers and school support staff, alleviate cost drivers for smaller districts that often face the tightest margins and highest costs, and invest in the long-term success of our students," Ashby said. "This bill will put rural Texas schools on stronger footing than ever before, and I look forward to getting it across the finish line and signed into law." 

The agreement was also touted by Democrats like San Antonio Rep. Diego Bernal who called the bill a "landmark achievement."

"HB 2 is a direct response to the priorities that educators, school districts, and advocates have championed for years, and it will translate into meaningful, measurable improvements in classrooms across our state," Bernal said.

In the other chamber, Dallas Sen. Royce West said the path to a solution took "many long hours."

"Substantial funding will be provided that will give teachers much-deserved raises, as well as providing a separate allotment that will increase pay for auxiliary and support staff and offset the costs associated with insurance for school properties, retirement and other benefits, transportation, gas costs, etc," West said.

What's next:

The full details of the bill have not been released. Senators were expected to vote on the bill Thursday evening.