The Texas Legislature took away $118 million in pre-K funding. Now districts are scrambling.

[TexasTowelie]

by Rishika Dugyala, Texas Tribune


Texas pre-kindergarten programs are just scraping by after losing millions of dollars last year — and without sustainable funding, they could see greater problems down the line, school officials say.

During the 2017 legislative session, lawmakers decided not to fund a $118 million high-quality pre-K grant program that was created in 2015 and championed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The money had gone to 573 districts and charter schools that pledged to meet measures like setting a lower student-teacher ratio, avoiding Common Core curricula and reporting student progress to the state.

There’s another catch: Now every Texas district and charter has to make these improvements. And they’re required to use 15 percent of the state money they already receive for pre-K, which ensures $236 million — double what was allocated last year — will be spent on high-quality standards.

“We're scrambling,” said Edmund Oropez, Austin Independent School District’s chief schools officer. The district had received nearly $3 million under the grant, KXAN reported. “I wouldn't say we've been able to make it up. We're just trying to stay afloat, to be honest.”

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2018/03/27/texas-schools-lost-pre-k-funding-districts-scrambling/

[cbreezen]

1. I'm so glad to have left Texas.

I can't imagine living in my old adopted state with a disabled kid.

I ❤ Oregon!

[ejbr]

2. And enough parents of these tots

will keep voting Republican as they spit in the face of their child(ren).