The Texas Education Agency presented their
Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for the 2024-25 biennium at a budget hearing today. This hearing before representatives from the offices of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker, House Appropriations Committee, Senate Finance Committee, and the LBB is the first opportunity for Education Commissioner Mike Morath to present the Agency's request.
As reported in our last update, the Agency's request for the 24-25 biennium is $2.2 billion less than the amount appropriated for the 22-23 biennium. Commissioner Morath explained that the request represents formula funding for what is called for by current law. The Agency may only request funding that exceeds current law through exceptional items requests. Morath went on to explain that the Agency arrived at these amounts by factoring in estimates for property value growth and enrollment decline. He stated multiple times that "a negative isn't always a negative" because a reduction in GR funding would not result in a reduction for school district budgets. The difference would be made up by the increased amount of property tax revenue used to fund the system overall.
Commissioner Morath pointed out the "one-time adjustment" which significantly reduced the Technology & Instructional Materials Allotment (TIMA) during the 87th Legislature has been recommended or a readjustment back at the normal level of funding ($1.2 billion) for FY 24-25.
He also pointed out that additional funding has been recommended for the Supplemental Special Education Services Program (the program that provides an online account for parents to direct the funding to support their special education student). Morath explained that demand surpassed available funding for that program this biennium when it was funded at $30 million per year. Therefore the Agency is requesting $46.6 million per year for FY 24-25.
For Agency staff, Morath requested additional funding to keep up with strategic compensation. He explained the impact of inflation has diminished the meaning of compensation the Agency is able to pay employees.
Morath also explained that in regards to additional funding for school safety and educator staffing initiatives, the Agency included placeholders in the request without specific dollar amounts as those amounts will be determined later as part of the legislative process and when the Teacher Vacancy Taskforce completes its work.
Again, this isn't necessarily where school funding will end up. Legislators will meet and consider topics like inflation, property tax relief, the guaranteed yield amounts, the teacher workforce, and school safety, but this is a starting point for those discussions.
