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Fixing Texas School Finance May Mean Big Price Tag


Just before he declared Texas' public school finance system unconstitutional, District Judge John Dietz speculated it could take an extra $2,000 per student for the state to fix the problem.

He also noted that that would cost Texas an additional $10 billion to $11 billion in every two-year state budget.

Dietz's ruling did not expressly order Texas to increase how much it spends on schools. But he did find that the state isn't currently provided adequate or equitable funding.

And if his decision is confirmed by the state Supreme Court, any solution will likely mean finding billions in additional state funding for public education.

With no state income tax, that's no mean feat. Some say it may require major tax overhauls to make it happen.

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