CSHB 5 Example Letter

March 25, 2003

Senator Todd Staples
P.O. Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711

The Honorable Todd Staples:

As a superintendent of a Tier II school district, I have great concern regarding the Committee Substitute for House Bill 5 (CSHB5).  The additional funding proposed in this bill ($100 per ADA in 2003-2004 and $200 per ADA in 2004-2005) for public schools is greatly appreciated and greatly needed; however, the system for distributing the new money is in a uniform amount per ADA rather than the current formulas that take into account wealth, tax effort, and recognized cost differences.   This proposal benefits districts with high wealth, low tax effort, and low costs at the expense of districts with low wealth, high tax effort, and high costs.

• Repealing Chapter 41 would undermine the cornerstone of equity in the current school finance system, which is the recapture of excess maintenance and operations tax revenues from the wealthiest school districts for redistribution to low-wealth districts. 
   
• Repealing Chapter 42 would eliminate the basis for the only meaningful equity standard the Legislature has consistently honored, which is the requirement that at least 85% of the students must be in a fully equalized system for funding programs and services.  Repealing Chapter 42 would also terminate the long-standing practice of adjusting school district allotments to account for the fact that not all districts cost the same to operate and not all children cost the same to educate.  These differences are reflected in the Cost of Education, Small and Mid-Size District Adjustments and Special Allotments for higher-cost programs and transportation.
   
• Repealing Chapter 46 would eliminate the Instructional Facilities Allotment and the Existing Debt Allotment, the only major provisions for equity in the funding of school facilities in the state’s history.

CSHB05 offers no plan or process for developing a replacement to the current system.  This bill, taken in its entirety, has the potential to reverse all or a substantial part of the progress toward greater funding equity and adequacy made over the past four decades of hard fought litigation and legislation.

I respectfully request the 78^th Legislature to take no action that would dismantle the current school finance system unless and until a system that provides higher levels of equity and adequacy, including recognition of cost differences, is fully and unconditionally enacted.

Sincerely,
Mary Ann Whiteker
Superintendent
Hudson ISD