Six years. 

The basic allotment — the main source of funding for public education — stagnated six years ago. Inflation has risen 20% and Texas legislators have set aside funds specifically for public schools, but districts have yet to see a cent of the $4 billion that has been earmarked for education. 

During the 89th legislative session, legislators need to add more funds and distribute them to make better education accessible and maintain any chance at a substantial future. 

Public education is public for a reason — everyone deserves access to a well-rounded education, and the state isn’t providing enough to give it to students. LISD’s budget for this fiscal year includes a $4.5 million deficit, and school districts across Texas face similar problems, with over half of the 53 North Texas districts reporting budget deficits. Legislators should increase funding to accommodate these public school districts. Not every student can afford private school tuition if their public school districts are struggling to keep every school open, much less provide quality education. 

Increased funding is necessary to give teachers livable wages. This is an issue across the nation, but Texas educators earn over $9,000 less than the national average and 65% of Texas teachers said they seriously considered leaving the profession last year. If the legislative session fails to deliver meaningful teacher raises like it did in the 88th legislative session, teachers could act on those thoughts. The state needs quality educators to give students a quality education, and that can’t happen without quality funding. 

These numbers and statistics are not just school districts being overdramatic — they’re a cry for help for the state’s future. Only 6% of students in Texas go to private school, leaving 94% of students to flounder if public education declines. These are future doctors, lawyers and politicians relying on basic education. Failing to fund them means failing to fund the future. 

If legislators see a problem with the state of public education, they should not solve those problems by sending students elsewhere. This is what the vouchers the Texas House of Representatives passed will do — help accommodate for the payment of private schools. These education savings accounts would not guarantee private schools accept all students who apply, and will only cover $8,000 of the $11,340 on-average tuition. This means not every parent will have the ability to send their student to private schools, regardless of the aid they received. If legislators believe public education is worse than private education, the simple solution is to invest in making public schools better, rather than ignoring the perceived issues and sending students away.

Besides just distributing the $4 billion from the last legislative session, legislators should increase the basic allotment from $6,160 per student to match inflation. Public education needs funding — now more than ever. Students, parents and teachers should call their representatives and share their voice. Students are the future, and if the legislators being voted into power can’t see that, then Texas’ future will grow bleaker by the day.