While the Texas Legislature passed a budget which increases public school spending by $3.4 billion, Central Texas taxpayers receive little of this funding. San Antonio and Fort Worth ISDs receive 175% of the cuts made to them by the 2011 Legislature. Most Central Texas taxpayers in Leander, Round Rock, Manor, Austin and others, however, will pay higher local school taxes but only will see between 25-40% of 2011 cuts restored. No significant reduction of Robin Hood recapture payments occurred. Much work remains to be done.

Still worse, the Legislature passed House Bill 5, which if signed by the Governor, would reduce Texas' competitiveness. House Bill 5 would reduce the content a student must demonstrate to graduate below even that of the TAKS test, the first reversal in 27 years. Under House Bill 5, a student no longer needs to demonstrate knowledge in English III, 11th grade writing, geometry, chemistry, and physics. While House Bill 5 has good parts, we shouldn't unilaterally lower our expectations.

The Legislature also passed House Bill 2824, which creates a loophole for 20 school districts to be exempt from state accountability. Further, the Legislature passed House Bill 866, which eliminates annual student testing and prevents the ability to measure student growth and encourages school districts to concentrate their best teachers only in tested grades.