Issues

On Tuesday, November 22, 2005, the Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling and opinion on the McNeeley v. West Orange Cove Consolidated Independent School District.

The court decided the current public school finance system violated the Texas Constitution because it constitutes a state property tax prohibited by Article VIII of the constitution. The state legislature has until June 1, 2006 to draft and implement a new system.

The court ruled that the current funding system does afford districts the ability to grant all students access to education and the educational opportunity to accomplish a general diffusion of knowledge as set forth by law.  But the court indicated that we have reached a point in the education system that continued improvement cannot be achieved without significant reforms.  The court left it up to the legislature to decide whether that is by "increased funding, improved efficiencies or better methods of education."