April 24, 2015
News
3
A ccolades Longtime education funding battle & Awards
One Act Play Region, April 24
The Farnsworth Invention advances to Region after taking first in Area, District and Zone. In Area, Ben Mendoza and Harmon Gamble received All-Star Cast awards, Khali Skyles received an Honorable Mention, and Ally Botek was All-Star Technician. Gamble also won Best Featured Performer in the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards.
Ben Mendoza, Harmon Gamble All-Star Cast
HOSA
Regionals, April 11
Ravi Singh and Kayla Leicher placed at Regionals in HOSA and will go on to compete at Nationals in Anaheim, California in June. Ravi Singh – Epidemiology Kayla Leicher – Veterinary Science
Ravi Singh Kayla Leicher National Qualifiers
Journalism ILPC, April 19
Nyssa Kruse was awarded a Tops in Texas award for Feature Writing. This is the highest individual award a student can earn in for journalism in the state. At this same competition, both the newspaper and yearbook earned Bronze Stars, ranking them among the top publications in the state.
Nyssa Kruse Tops in Texas, Feature Story
resurges with new House bill Nyssa Kruse
co-editor
The state House of Representatives introduced a bill which would change much of the way schools are funded in Texas. The bill’s authors, namely Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, project it would give more money towards the education of 94% of Texas students. However, this bill comes at the same time as a lawsuit about state education funding heads to the Texas Supreme Court. The Court is not expected to weigh in until next fall, so the Senate is unlikely to approve of the bill, wanting instead to wait for the Court’s ruling and input.
How did the education funding battle start? This lawsuit is years in the making, with its roots in six separate court cases dating back to 2011, spurred by the massive cuts in education legislators made that year. They all took
issue with different parts of the school funding system, and a judge eventually combined them. Last year, a state district judge in Austin heard the joint court case, which two-thirds of Texas districts are plaintiffs in, and ruled the current method of school funding unconstitutional. Then-attorney general Greg Abbott appealed the case to the Texas Supreme Court.
How does PISD fit into the battle? One of the original cases filed in 2011 was led by then-Superintendent Charles Dupre as the President of a school district coalition which included PISD. The main issue the coalition wants addressed in the case is equity in state funding between neighboring school districts. Round Rock ISD receives $97 more per student than PISD despite
Final Exemptions 90 &
or higher
Allowed absences are:
no more than
3 absences
-or-
only a few miles of separation. This specific inequity is mostly caused by a plan enacted in 2005 and 2006, which initially set district funding levels based on what they were receiving at that time. Inequity is also caused by the formula that calculates state-allocated funding as based on local property taxes, the Cost of Education index and average daily attendance, a system which many criticize as too complex to work efficiently.
What are the other issues with the funding system? Another major issue many school districts have with the funding system is the so-called “Robin Hood” clause, which forces property wealthy districts to give some of their funding to property poor districts. Aycock’s bill would reduce the “recapture” amount districts must give,
Students who achieve excellent grades and meet the attendance requirements are rewarded with an exemption in their classes. By meeting the following criteria, students can be exempt.
80 &
or higher
College Visits
Medical Appointment
Court Related
Religious Holidays
which would help Austin ISD, the biggest Robin Hood giver by increasing their funding by 7.5%. There is also intense debate over the Cost of Education Index, which is used to give more money to poorer and urban districts. Aycock’s bill would completely remove the Cost of Education Index, which would equalize the amount of state funding each district receives. Some argue this disadvantages poor districts because they have less local funding and therefore need more state funding to have funding equitable to the wealthier districts.
What now? Aycock’s bill has not been voted on in the House. Even it eventually passes, the Senate most likely will not approve it, as they want to hear the Supreme Court’s judgement in the fall. Seniors must attend classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, except those classes in which they are exempt.
no more than
2
absences
School Related Absence
Non-attendance will compromise walking at the graduation ceremony.