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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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TX School Superintendents: Fallout from Budget Cuts Not Over

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Monday, January 30, 2012   

AUSTIN, Texas - A just-released survey of Texas school superintendents indicates last year's state cuts to education funding already are having a significant impact on students and teachers.

When the Texas Legislature slashed state aid to education by more than $5 billion, the task of deciding how to cut school budgets fell to district superintendents across the state. Linda Bridges, president of the American Federation of Teachers' Texas affiliate, which conducted the survey, says she sees widespread concern over the emerging fallout.

"The impact of increased class size, and what that will do to student performance. Also just trying to retain teachers. And this isn't over. There are more cuts to come."

Beyond an estimated 30,000 teacher and staff layoffs, which already have contributed to larger class sizes, Bridges says many superintendents anticipate further cost-saving measures, such as salary and benefit reductions. Ten percent of the more than 240 respondents said they are likely to call for local tax elections to raise new revenues within the next couple of years.

Bridges says lawmakers who argued that the system could absorb the steep cuts without harming the quality of education now are being proven wrong.

"They implied there was a lot of fat in the school districts' budgets, and that the cuts would not impact students. Even after making the cuts, that was the claim. I think what superintendents are saying is a different story."

The survey indicates additional pressure in classrooms this year. Just as newly mandated, more rigorous testing standards are going into effect, Bridges says, programs to assist struggling students have been cut.

"It really is like a train wreck about to happen. Districts feel they don't have the funds to help students who are in danger of failing the new state assessment."

While Gov. Rick Perry and legislative leaders claimed success last year in balancing the budget without raising state taxes, Bridges predicts lawmakers will be under a lot of pressure in 2013 to restore education funding. Meanwhile, about half the state's school districts have joined in lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the entire school finance system.

The survey report is online at texasaft.org.



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