$3B Plan Attempts School Finance Fix Amid Court Fight

WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State lawmakers will get their first look at a $3 billion plan to fix the troubled way Texas pays for public schools without waiting for the conclusion of a mult-iyear court battle.

The House's schools guru, Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, plans to provide details at a Tuesday afternoon Public Education Committee hearing.

Aycock, a Killeen Republican, spent months negotiating a bipartisan proposal that includes an additional $800,000 over the $2.2 billion the House had already earmarked to increase classroom funding.

A district court judge declared Texas' school finance system unconstitutional, saying funding is inadequate and unfairly distributed.

Aycock acknowledges that anything lawmakers approve could be voided by the Texas Supreme Court, which will hear the case on appeal after the legislative session ends.

But he insists it's worth a try.