Texas House leads with new school finance plan

House Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, has a $1.6 billion plan to start the “transformational, top-to-bottom reforms” in public school funding the state Supreme Court says Texas needs.

All he lacks now is agreement from at least 75 more House members, 16 senators and Gov. Greg Abbott — and, of course, he needs $1.6 billion. All of those things are long shots, but at least Huberty is working on it.

It’s been 11 years since Texas last fixed its school finance system. That fix wasn’t very good, and it has gotten worse with age.

The Supreme Court last year said the system is constitutional, but it sorely needs repairs.

If things go according to pattern, what happens next is that Huberty will get an earful of complaints from interest groups whose wants and needs are not met in his plan.

Across the Capitol rotunda, state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, has been tasked with putting together the Senate’s version of a new school finance plan. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants it to include “school choice,” his euphemism for using tax money to send students to private schools.

Public schools are the heart of Texas. Huberty has his priorities straight.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Texas House leads with new school finance plan."