By Christine Bolaños

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Round Rock ISD has joined a growing chorus of Texas school districts in a lawsuit that contests the state has not provided adequate funding for schools.

At the Nov. 29 meeting, the RRISD Board of Trustees authorized the district to join a lawsuit against the State of Texas to address educational inadequacies.

Round Rock ISD joins Austin ISD in a lawsuit represented by Houston-based Thompson Horton LLC. The lawsuit focuses on adequate school funding, said David Thompson of Thompson Horton LLC.

“We’re concerned that there is insufficient funding at the state level,” Superintendent Jesus Chavez said.

He said if the district’s target revenue—how much a district is guaranteed per weighted student—does not change, it could jeopardize the quality of education the district offers its students.

Therefore, he continued, an adequate funding system is necessary to continue giving students that quality education.

“We’d like to be a participant [in the lawsuit] and help bring awareness about the importance of an adequate system across the state,” Board President Charles Chadwell said.

Thompson said the lawsuit advocates higher educational standards for a more adequate funding system.

The lawsuit suggests that the school finance system in its present state constitutes an unconstitutional statewide property tax and that target revenue provides funding levels that are arbitrary and thus inefficient and unsuitable for funding schools.

According to district officials, Round Rock ISD received a $470 reduction from the state per student this school year. During the 2010-11 school year, the district’s target revenue was $5,983.

More than 40 school districts have reportedly joined the lawsuit.