3 Most Significant Historical Events in School Finance

Matrice Raven

 

Week One

 

EDLD 5342

 

April 13, 2014

 

 

Funding education in Texas has been a debate for long, long time. Three events in history that have made huge impacts on education in Texas are rooted in three philosophies of equity, adequacy, equality. The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States and providing of the establishment of elementary schools in 1824, the Gilmer-Aiken Laws, and Robin Hood are three of the most impactful events in education funding.

 

The establishment of elementary schools nearly two centuries ago we see in the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States is where we see the attempt to organize a school with mandates. However, this is also when we came to know and realize the concept, even today, “unfunded mandate”. Though we see an attempt to show commitment to education two centuries ago, we also the beginning of the debate and struggle of the mandates not being supported through appropriate funding. This is one of the most impactful events in history because it set the precedence of what we are still debating even today.

 

Though many other events happened in between the first establishment of schools to the Gilmer-Aiken period, it is most notable in its work that brought expansive change in 50^th Legislative session in 1949. The Gilmer-Aiken laws took the state from 4500 school districts to 2900 administrative units, raised teacher salaries, created expectations for school boards, and adopted an organized approach to the state supplementing  local taxes in an attempt to adequately fund public education. After several years,  many of the Gilmer-Aiken ideas and approaches became unpopular which lead to many of the issues becoming issues of the courts.

 

Lastly, the most impactful event in school finance in Texas is the designation of chapter 41 and 42 districts. There has been so much debate throughout the last few years of equity and equality and redistribution of funds to adequately fund programs in school districts. The Neeley vs. West Orange Cove ISD is an example of the continuous debate and issue of school taxes being state taxes. Then with others jumping in to say that state funding is inefficient with it’s current strategy. Both,  basing the arguments on both methods being in violation of the constitution.  

 

These three things have most made an impact on funding education in the state of Texas. All three of these have occurred in significant periods from the establishment of organized education to the present 21^st century where we are charged with providing quality programs and services to children, yet with limit resources. The debate continues, even with Robin Hood and what steps we take now for appropriately funding education for the children and future of our state and nation.