9.27.11%20more%20than%20100%20districts%20join%20equ
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Contact: Lauren Cook FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDirector of Communications September 27, [email protected]/478-7313
More Than 100 School Districts Join Equity Center Litigation Effort
(AUSTIN, TX) - More than 100 school districts across Texas have officially joined the Equity Center’s legal fight for fair funding for all Texas taxpayers and students. By passing a board resolution, these districts have formally recognized the crucial need to change the state’s unfair and inefficient school funding system.
Plaintiff districts range from large to small, urban to rural, and the number grows daily as school boards commit to join the effort. A complete list of Equity Center plaintiff districts will be released next week following the statewide school board convention in Austin.
Because the Legislature has failed to adopt a rational and efficient system that treats all Texas taxpayers and children fairly as required by the Texas Constitution, districts believe now is the time to take legal action. Given the disparities in student funding and taxpayer equity, these districts have a strong case and their position cannot be ignored.
For example, per student funding across Texas ranges from under $5,000 to over $10,000, even though state accountability standards are applied to all children uniformly.
Dr. Wayne Pierce, Executive Director, explains it this way: “We believe litigation is the only way to ensure taxpayer equity and a quality education for Texas children. We must litigate for a school finance system that makes sense and is fair to all children, taxpayers, and districts.”
The Equity Center is a non-profit advocacy organization that was founded in 1982 to promote fair funding for all Texas school districts, regardless of their wealth. In addition to serving as a resource for every school finance lawsuit in recent history, the Equity Center regularly educates its 690 member school districts and the public on school funding issues and works closely with the Texas Legislature to promote policy that treats all Texas children and taxpayers fairly.
News Release
1220 Colorado Street, Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78757 (p) 512/478-7313 (f) 512/478-6433 www.equitycenter.org