Time Dwindling, Another Lost Chance at School Finance

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-education/public-education/time-dwindling-another-lost-chance-school-finance/

The death of a key education fiscal matters bill on the House floor tonight ensures that any changes to school finance formulas will happen in a conference committee — and adds fuel to speculation of a special session this summer.

SB 1581 was the latest hope for a school finance debate on the House floor. Fresh back from the Senate with Sen. Florence Shapiro's newly resurrected proposal attached, it was also the prospective home of plans from Reps. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, and Scott Hochberg, D-Houston.

When it finally came up after 10 p.m. on Monday night, however, its sponsor, Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, appeared prepared for defeat as he acknowledged Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas, standing ready at the back microphone with a point of order.

"I think we will park school finance where it is for a couple of years and come back," Aycock said. "I hope that most of you will pledge to study up some about school finance between now and when we come back."

Earlier in the day, his colleagues expressed concern with rewriting funding formulas with so little time left in the session — and said that they hadn't had enough time to consider the plans currently on the table.