The Texas Supreme Court in Austin heard oral arguments September 1 from four sets of plaintiffs regarding the constitutionality of Texas’ K12 school funding system. The Austin Chamber of Commerce has long believed that the state academic content, assessment of content, accountability for performance and minimum funding levels should be so that the overwhelming percentage of students graduate college and career ready.

In the lower court opinion, state district Judge John Dietz ruled that the school funding system was not adequate to prepare students to college/career readiness. However, in his opinion, Judge Dietz did not discuss that the Legislature abolished required college/career assessments in 2013. The Legislature did not revise this in 2015, despite Sen. Kel Seliger's efforts to ensure that all high school graduates be provided a free assessment of their college/career readiness.

Of additional interest to Austin taxpayers:

Not being litigated is the onerous Robin Hood system, which this year will take a quarter billion dollars – roughly equivalent to $50,000 for every Austin ISD teacher -- from Austin ISD taxpayers. More than a third of a billion will be taken from Central Texas. This money will enhance the Texas Treasury's surplus, projected to run $18 billion by the end of this two-year state budget cycle.

The Austin Chamber of Commerce did not prepare an amicus brief for the Texas Supreme Court. We do not mean to suggest constitutional expertise. However, the ultimate decision on Texas public schools rests with the Texas Legislature, in consultation with state elected leadership.

In previous sessions, the Chamber advocated for the Legislature to:

• Make college/career readiness the organizing principle of Texas public education
• Ensure students are exposed to the course content which can prepare them to be college/career ready.
• Ensure free assessment of college/career readiness for every high school junior and senior
• Ensure college/career readiness rates are part of the state accountability system
• Ensure resources are present sufficient that a fiscally responsible school district can ensure the vast majority of its graduates are college/career ready.

Half of the 44,000 open jobs in Central Texas right now require at least a bachelor degree. Up to 20% more of the open jobs require an associate degree. We need our elected leaders to focus on the college/career readiness problem.