Texas Offers Funding Boost to Schools With Lower Attendance Post-Harvey

The Texas Education Agency is offering state funding this school year to as many as 157 school districts and charter schools with lower attendance due to Hurricane Harvey.

The agency officially announced the compensation plan in a release Monday afternoon, with statements of support from the Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath estimated last week that this decision will cost the state a total of $400 million.

Districts receive state funding in large part based on the number of students who attend school each day. Fewer students, displaced through the storm, or fewer instructional days due to facilities damage would otherwise mean an estimated $250 million in reduced funds for Harvey-affected districts.

With lower attendance, property-wealthy districts are calculated to owe more money to the state through a program unofficially called “Robin Hood,” in which wealthier school districts pay to shore up poorer school districts. The state agency’s adjustment would waive that additional payment, meaning about $150 million less in state coffers.

Read more: http://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2017/10/09/241509/texas-offers-funding-boost-to-schools-with-lower-attendance-post-harvey/