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Texas Schools Funding Gap – Some Texas districts will pay $5 billion in property taxes to fill the funding gap at other schools, ABC 13 News reported.
Texas Schools Funding Gap, Some Texas Districts to Pay $5 Billion In Property Taxes (PHOTO: ABC13)
Texas Schools Funding Gap
A Recapture plan also known as “Robin Hood” is a state law that requires property-wealthy school districts to send portions of their tax dollars to be redistributed throughout the state.
According to ABC 13 News, districts in Texas can keep a certain amount of local property taxes for every student, the rest of the amount will be sent back to the state. If one district collected more than the amount per student, they are required to send the extra property tax collections to the state, the district of Galveston for example. After sending it back to the state, the state then redistributes those funds to other districts that lack and don’t collect enough taxes in their enrollment funds.
Galveston ISD is sending back 43% of property taxes this year instead of spending on public schools because of the Recapture plan.
According to Texas Education Agency, in 1994, during the first year of Recapture, only 34 school districts had to pay a combined $131 Million to the state.
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Texas Schools Funding Gap Now
At present, an investigation found out that school districts’ amount that is sent back to the state has increased over the years to nearly $2 billion. It is more than what’s needed to cover up for the other districts that don’t collect enough enrollment taxes.
In Addition, districts considered “property wealthy” has also increased. More than 260 districts are now paying in the Recapture system.
Texas Education Agency claims that even if districts collect more in property taxes, it doesn’t mean more money for education. TEA said that districts are funded both locally and state. State data analysis shows 185 school districts paid more than $1 billion more than last year.
Concerns were raised by some lawmakers that districts are not adequately funded and that the state isn’t doing enough to be fair share toward education.
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