83R10084 BPG-D
By: West S.C.R. No. 25
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The 200th Judicial District Court has ruled that the
state's school finance system is inequitable and unconstitutional;
and
WHEREAS, Concurring with more than 600 school districts that
sued the state over its funding methods, the court found that the
school finance system violates the efficiency provision of Section
1, Article VII, Texas Constitution, because it fails to provide
substantially equal access to revenues necessary to provide a
general diffusion of knowledge; the court further ruled that the
system is not adequately funded and fails to make suitable
provision for its own support and maintenance, and that it
arbitrarily funds districts at different levels and below
constitutional requirements; and
WHEREAS, The court also declared that the Texas school
finance system is constitutionally unsuitable for the provision of
a general diffusion of knowledge to low-income and English Language
Learner students; in addition, it ruled that the system has left
school districts without meaningful discretion in setting their tax
rates, thus creating a state ad valorem tax in violation of Section
1-e, Article VIII, Texas Constitution; and
WHEREAS, The framers of the Texas Constitution understood the
vital importance of a well-educated citizenry; our state cannot
maintain the vitality of its economy if it continues to fail in its
constitutional obligations to its public schools, and our children
should not be asked to wait for the conclusion of an extended
appeals process before the school finance system is reformed in
accordance with the ruling of the 200th Judicial District Court;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby respectfully urge the attorney general of Texas to
expeditiously advance any necessary appeals of the ruling of the
200th Judicial District Court in the school finance case so that the
legislature can undertake and more quickly conclude the difficult
work of resolving the current educational crisis; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an
official copy of this resolution to the attorney general of Texas as
an official expression of the sentiment of the Legislature of the
State of Texas.