Is there a School Funding Inbalance in Texas?

According to a study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute, approximately 17% of Texas school districts are "severely underfunded," meaning they face funding gaps exceeding 40% of their projected needs.

These severe funding shortages are closely tied to student performance, with these districts overwhelmingly receiving Texas Education Agency (TEA) achievement ratings of C or lower.

In contrast, better-funded districts tend to achieve higher ratings, reflecting a significant correlation between adequate funding and academic outcomes across the state.

Despite the 2019 passage of HB 3, which aimed to improve per-student funding, inflation and other factors have eroded those gains, bringing per-student funding back down to 2014 levels.

This lack of adequate funding forces many districts to adopt deficit budgets, which often lead to cuts in essential programs and resources.

See ... Texas School District Funding Gaps | Kinder Institute for Urban Research | Rice University

and ... Kinder Institute study shows 73% of Texas schools are underfunded  | TTV (teachthevote.org)