NEIGHBORHOOD BEST: 2017 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS NAMED
54
MARCH 2017 I Vol. 37, No. 3 I parkcitiespeople.com I @pcpeople I 214-739-2244
New Funding Formula Could Threaten HP Schools R E A L E S TAT E
LAWMAKERS EYE CHANGES TO ROBIN HOOD RECAPTURE
Home of the month ideal for outdoor parties 25
By Joshua Baethge
Highland Park ISD officials fear the 85th Texas Legislature’s approach to education could mean bad news for Park Cities campuses. As the biannual session got under way, school officials were communicating with state lawmakers and hoping to have their voices heard. Potential changes on how the controversial Robin Hood law is applied could have a major impact to district funding, district leaders say. Under the current formula, districts deemed property-rich, such as Highland Park, are forced to divert money to poorer districts. Since 1994, HPISD has paid more than $1.2 billion to the state, including more than $80 million in 2016. While some of that money eventually flows back into the district, there is little to no local control over it. The state’s recapture formula is based on a 1999 law that determines the amount wealthier districts owe based on property values. A new interpretation of that law last year concluded that the formula miscalculated how much wealthier districts owed. Under the
C O U R T E SY H P I S D
People Newspapers
In January, representatives from 60 North Texas school districts held a press conference in Garland to discuss their shared legislative agenda.
“ WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT OUR LEGISLATORS WILL SUPPORT US.” J O N DA H L ANDE R
CONTINUED ON 8
SCHOOLS
HPHS band breaks AllState record with seven qualifiers 18
SPORTS HP lacrosse looks to rebound from title game loss 22
H P I S D ’ S S TA N C E O N T H E I S S U E S No Vouchers or Education Savings Accounts
➊ HPISD contends that these are tax-funded subsidies for private schools ➋ Unlike public schools, recipients would have no accountability to taxpayers Repeal A-F School Accountability System
➊ There is no evidence that the system helps schools or students ➋ Other states have struggled with similar measures Additional Funding
➊ Local property taxes have risen 44.2 percent since 2008, while state aid for education increased by only 12.7 percent ➋ Money collected from school district property taxes should be used solely for education, not franchise tax relief
COMMUNITY
Dallas String Quartet builds rock reputation with plugged-in act 12
SCHOOL ESD fourth-grader brings warmth to homeless 20
CAMPS
Bush Library trains teen leaders at new day camp 26