May 21, 2015 5:53 PM

Budget compromise leaves Texas schools in the legal lurch

“It’s a small amount of money, but it’s not moving us forward toward the true cost of education.”

This session’s proposed budget compromise puts just enough money into public education to keep pace with enrollment growth but not enough to disturb the progress of the pending school finance lawsuit.

The practical outcome is that school districts anticipating a chance to give a robust raise to personnel may have to hold off for another year. The proposed $1.5 billion added to education funding yesterday will provide a one-time 2 percent bump to the basic allotment, more dollars than last session but hardly a windfall.

“That’s certainly not what school districts were hoping to see,” said financial consultant Lynn Moak of Moak Casey & Associates this afternoon. “It’s modestly disappointing but not surprising.”

By Kimberly Reeves