Texas Needs an Ongoing Way to Invest in Basic Services
Last week, a House budget subcommittee addressed improving budget transparency by making the Texas budget less reliant on dedicated General Revenue balances. CPPP testified on the importance of finding ongoing ways to invest in public schools, higher education, health and human services, public safety, and other needs. Otherwise, reducing balances alone without finding alternative revenue streams that will […]
Peer Support in Local County Jails Would Benefit the Well-Being in Inmates Living with Mental Illness
When it comes to mental health recovery, peer support–when those with a lived experience of mental illness who have gone through recovery provide guidance and support to others living with mental illness–has proven to benefit individuals going through recovery and transitioning back into the community. And as CPPP presented to lawmakers Tuesday at the Capitol, Texas […]
Taxes are an Investment in Texas
Tuesday, millions of Americans dutifully filed their federal tax returns, but very few of us contemplate the connection to essential public supports that we take for granted in our everyday lives. Contributing taxes is one of our most fundamental civic duties and allows us to work toward accomplishing our shared goals. When we pay taxes […]
Equity in school funding levels the playing field, promotes equal opportunity for all Texas school children
As we wait for the district court’s final ruling on the Texas school finance system lawsuit, new numbers show more than five million school children are being educated under a system that values some students more than others. Texas is a growing and changing state. In the past 10 years, the student population of Texas has […]
House Interim Charges Don’t Go Far Enough on Public Ed Funding
At the end of January, the first list of interim charges for House committees was released by the Speaker of the House. Appropriations, the budget-writing committee of the House, was given a charge to conduct a basic review of the public education funding formulas and specifically if items funded outside of the formulas should be […]
From the Courtroom: School Finance Trial Day 1
Last year the Texas school finance system was ruled unconstitutional on the grounds that it is inadequate, inequitable, and inefficient. This week, State District Judge John Dietz has reopened evidence in the case to determine if actions made by the 2013 Texas Legislature resulted in any substantial changes to the school finance system. The primary […]
Report Finds Majority of TX Public School Kids Are Low-Income
The Southern Education Foundation’s new report, A New Majority: Low Income Students in the South and Nation, brings attention to the fact that 48 percent of all school children across the nation live in low-income households (measured by the number of students who qualify for free or reduced price school lunch). In 17 states, clustered […]
Grade Inflation–Details of S&P’s report giving Texas a AAA Credit Rating
Standard & Poor’s (S&P), the leading national credit rating firm, recently raised Texas’ general-obligation bond rating to AAA – the highest rating. Unsurprisingly, the governor and other elected officials hailed this upgrade as vindication of recent legislative tax and budget decisions. But reading the fine print shows that Texas’ revenue system has serious flaws and […]
Sizing Up the Texas Budget: Student Financial Aid
Jordan dreamt of being the first in her family to graduate from college. But she never imagined that dream would come at a cost of more than $20,000 in student debt while working two jobs and attending school full time. Each year, more than 40,000 economically disadvantaged high school seniors enroll in Texas colleges. And […]
Back to School (Meals)
By Jeanie Donovan For many of the five million school children in Texas, returning to the classroom this week means more than just a new teacher and a new grade. It also means returning to regular and balanced daily meals. Although the federal Summer Food Service Program is intended to keep children from going hungry […]
