Our Mission

It is the mission of the Equity Center to use all legitimate means to persuade the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government to aggressively and faithfully pursue the state’s own mission and policy, as proclaimed in Sections 4.001 and 42.001 of the Texas Education Code:

“Section 4.001 . . . to ensure that all Texas children have access to a quality education that enables them to achieve their potential and fully participate now and in the future in the social, economic, and educational opportunities of our state and nation. . . . grounded on the conviction that a general diffusion of knowledge is essential for the welfare of this state and for the preservation of the liberties and rights of citizens.” (Note that the second part of this quote paraphrases the Education Article of the Texas Constitution.)

“Section 42.001 . . . that the provision of public education is a state responsibility and that a thorough and efficient system be provided and substantially financed through state revenue sources so that each student enrolled in the public school system shall have access to programs and services that are appropriate to the student’s educational needs and that are substantially equal to those available to any similar student, notwithstanding varying local economic factors.”

Goals

1. To defeat any and all measures that would diminish any of the gains in equity and adequacy achieved over the past two decades.

2. To rapidly reduce to an insignificant amount the revenue gap between Tier 2 districts and Chapter 41 districts, using the Equity Center's "10-10-20 Plan".

3. To establish and maintain a school finance system that provides access to funds, for programs and facilities, adequate to ensure each school district the opportunity to achieve exemplary status, as defined by the Texas Education Code and the State Board of Education.

4. To equalize funding for instructional and other facilities in a way that permits school districts to use for operations all of their maximum M&O tax rates (generally $1.50) and related state aid.

5. To eliminate set-asides in Tier 1, and failing that, to require all districts to bear their fair share of all revenue reductions caused by set-asides.

6. To eliminate or modify obstacles that Tier 2 and Tier 2+ districts face in their attempts to gain access to higher equalized funding levels, including

• the biennium lag in state recognition of increased tax effort,
• limitations on adjustments for losses in property value and student population,
• unnecessary and costly complexities in the lease-purchase process, 
• "truth-in-taxation" provisions that produce unequal or other irrational impacts on school districts, and
• simplify the process to access funds for district facility construction and renovation.

7. To ensure that any changes in student and district program weights, including the small/mid-size district and transportation formulas, and any major additions to the public education system, such as health insurance, will enhance overall equity and adequacy.