Texas: Select School Finance Committee Taking Final Form

House Speaker Tom Craddick Monday added six House members to the

Select Committee on Public School Finance and announced the creation of eight subcommittees to study various aspects of the state tax system and the school finance mechanisms.

The committee, which is meeting here Tuesday and Wednesday, is studying the state’s

tax structure and its public school finance system with a goal of completely revamping the state’s tax code and its method of funding schools, Craddick said Monday.

The process is expected to abolish the “Robin Hood” method of funding public schools

which was intended as a temporary fix nearly 10 years ago. The Supreme Court recently found that several school districts that have sued the state over the Robin Hood plan may pursue their lawsuits, which means the Robin Hood plan could be found unconstitutional.

Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call a special session of the Legislature, probably in the

spring of 2004, to weigh the select committee’s recommendations and decide which of them

should become law.

“This issue affects every county and every community in Texas,” Craddick said. “We

have been trying to fix it for 30 years, but haven’t got it right yet.

“This time we hope to create a structure that will last for 100 years, one that brings down

property taxes and one that gives teachers the tools to work with and which provides every Texas public school student with an opportunity to get an excellent education.

“This process cannot be accomplished quickly nor can it be done in a slipshod manner,”

Craddick said. “We feel that now, with the talented minds we have assembled, we will find a

better plan by early next year.”

Craddick said the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M

University is already conducting technical analyses of the school finance issue and will begin

producing preliminary findings “in a few weeks.”

Craddick said the public school finance study is being led by an executive committee of

six House members and four public members appointed by Perry. Additionally, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said June 12 that he expects six senators will join the search for a solution.

“We will welcome the participation of the Senate,” Craddick said.

Six House members — Reps. Kent Grusendorf, R-Arlington, chairman of Public

Education Committee, Talmadge Heflin, R-Houston, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, that panel’s vice chair, Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, Fred Hill, R-Dallas, chair of the LocalWays and Means Committee, Ron Wilson, D-Houston, chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and Kenny Marchant, R-Coppell, chairman of the State Affairs Committee will serve as an executive commitee.

Perry has named three of his four appointees: Donald R. McAdams of Bellaire, president

and chair of the nonprofit Center for Reform of School Systems; Jack D. Ladd, a Midland

attorney who earlier was a Bush appointee to the Task Force on Public Education; and Dr.

Caroline M. Hoxby, an economics professor at Harvard University and director of the Economics of Education Program for the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Craddick also appointed six new members to the select committee and divided the 29

total members into eight subcommittees, or workgroups, that are charged with finding solutions to issues dealing with tax, cost adjustments, facilities, incentives and accountability, governance, alternatives, high school and benefits/compensation.

The members named Monday include Reps. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, Harold Dutton,

D-Houston, Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, Carl Isett, R-Lubbock, and Brian McCall, R-Plano.

In addition to the six executive committee members, the other original House members of

the select committee include Reps. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple,

Timoteo “Timo” Garza, D-Eagle Pass, Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, Bob Griggs, R-North Richland Hills, Peggy Hamric, R-Houston, Ruben Hope, R-Conroe, and Elizabeth Ames Jones, R-San Antonio.

Also, Reps. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock, Glenn Le

wis, D-Fort Worth, Jerry Madden, R-Richardson, Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, Allan Ritter, D-Nederland, David Swinford, R-Dumas, and Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio.

HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE

NAMES COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES

Executive Committee

Kent Grusendorf Vilma Luna Ron Wilson

Talmadge Heflin Ken Marchant Fred Hill

Subcommittees

Tax: Ron Wilson – Chair

Kent Grusendorf, Talmadge Heflin, Fred Hill, Elizabeth Ames Jones,

Vilma Luna, Ken Marchant, Brian McCall, Allan Ritter

Cost Adjustments: Carl Isett – Chair

Helen Giddings, Kent Grusendorf, Jim Keffer, Vilma Luna, Ken

Marchant, Rene Oliviera

Facilities: Fred Hill – Chair

Dennis Bonnen, Bob Griggs, Ruben Hope, Rene Oliviera, David Swinford

Incentives/ Accountability: Mike Krusee – Chair

Dan Branch, Bob Griggs, Peggy Hamric, Mike Villarreal

Governance: David Swinford – Chair

Jerry Madden, Timoteo Garza, Jim Keffer, Jim Pitts

Alternatives: Glenn Lewis – Chair

Timoteo Garza, Mike Krusee, Mike Villarreal, Ron Wilson

High School: Jim Pitts – Chair

Helen Giddings, Elizabeth Ames Jones, Glenn Lewis, Jerry Madden

Benefits/Compensation: Dianne Delisi – Chair

Harold Dutton, Rob Eissler, Talmadge Heflin, Harvey Hilderbran

Members Added to Select Committee on Public Education Finance

Dennis Bonnen, Harold Dutton, Rob Eissler,

Harvey Hilderbran, Carl Isett, Brian McCall

Overview of Charges to Subcommittees

Tax:

This subcommittee will make recommendations for methods of finance sufficient to

sustain public education into the future.

Cost Adjustments:

This subcommittee will examine and make recommendations pertaining to cost

adjustments for uncontrollable variations in the costs of education, such as variations due

to geography, community characteristics, and demographic differences.

Facilities:

This subcommittee will examine the effects of state programs to support new and existing

facilities and will recommend ways to ensure that all Texas school districts have

sufficient instructional facilities.

Incentives and Accountability:

This subcommittee will make recommendations for accountability structures and for

direct and indirect incentives to promote student performance and cost-effective

operation.

Governance:

This subcommittee will make recommendations regarding support structures needed for

public education at the state, regional, and local levels. It will examine the operations and

finances of state agencies, regional education service centers, and local school districts,

including issues pertaining to the consolidation of administrative functions.

High School:

This subcommittee will examine the unique costs related to high school, as well as the

effect of the state school finance system on connections between public and higher

education. The subcommittee and will recommend ways that the school finance system

might facilitate smooth transitions from high school to higher education or advanced job

training.

Alternative Methods of Delivery:

This subcommittee will recommend ways of providing support for alternative methods of

delivering educational resources and instruction.

Employee Benefits and Compensation:

This subcommittee will examine and make recommendations pertaining to the state’s role

in providing compensation to school district employees, including health insurance and

salary schedules.

For More Information Contact the Speakers Office:

Bob Richter or Kate Huddleston, 512/463-0223