Experts say school districts could ask state for help after voters largely reject bonds

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Education experts say changes in Austin could lead to local school districts regaining local control over school funding.

A handful of districts in the Houston area asked voters to fill the funding gap through bonds and propositions, but voters rejected all of them.

Crosby ISD's $208 million bond was denied, which the district said would be used in part to build a new elementary and middle school.

Now, this week, the district is set to decide whether to purchase 39 acres meant for a future school.

Crosby ISD sent Eyewitness News a statement that said, in part, "As our community continues to grow, we must remain proactive in evaluating our long-term facility needs and available resources."

"The district doesn't really have another place to turn. About 20 years ago, the state, for some reason, decided to take the local school boards' ability away to really run the finances of their system," University of Houston education expert Duncan Klussmann said.

Klussmann said districts have limited options when voters turn down additional funding. School districts rely on local property taxes, state funding, and federal dollars.

Federal funding is mostly targeted toward specific programs and students, while state funding is determined through a state-made formula that takes local property wealth into account.

"The local school boards have very little ability to raise their own tax rate to provide the programs they want. That's why you're seeing so many school districts in the state of Texas struggle because the state, over the last ten years, has not provided funding to even keep up with inflation," Klussmann said.

Klussmann expects this legislative session will be one to watch to see whether public ed funding changes to give districts more autonomy and money.

"With some changes occurring in Austin, they would like to see the term independent put back into independent school district, which is how our school districts were designed 100 years ago," Klussmann said.

Klussmann said budgets for this school year are already set, but decisions lawmakers make in the upcoming session could affect future budgets.

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