texas

Texas Supreme Court to Get School Finance Appeal

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office formally notified the Texas Supreme Court that it's appealing a ruling that the state's school finance system is unconstitutional.

Abbott's office filed a single-paragraph notice to appeal to the court on Friday.

State District Judge John Dietz has twice declared since last year that the way Texas funds schools isn't constitutional. If the high court upholds the ruling, the Legislature will have to devise a new funding formula.

The case grew out of lawmakers' cutting $5.4 billion from public education in 2011. More than 600 school districts sued, and Dietz ruled the system unconstitutional in February 2013.

The Legislature last summer restored around $3.4 billion in funding. Dietz then briefly reopened the case, but again sided with school districts on Aug. 28.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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