Reply #5: Oh, now

[flamin lib]

that's a little harsh. The method of funding is terrible, but there are some extremely good schools. Funding tends to foster the have/have not syndrome.

Schools in rural areas that have no heavy industry get much less funding unless property taxes are extremely high because property taxes are by school district and stay there. A district with a General Motors plant can bet much better funding with a lower property tax rate because of the big industry.

Ann Richards got a compromise passed called "Robin Hood" that transferred revenue from the "rich" districts with low tax rates to the "poor" ones with high tax rates. That got the rich districts all hot & bothered and we've been fighting over it ever since. The state Constitution forbids a state wide property tax so the choices are: Income tax, sales tax, ad valorum tax or business tax.

'Course the Leave No Child Behind' funding has really screwed local homeowners. Some homes are valued for taxes at 10-15% above what they will actually sell for. It's a real mess.