Negotiations begin on property tax, education reform measures

(Austin) Lawmakers have a little more than two weeks to resolve differences between the House and Senate proposals to address the session’s top priorities laid out by state leadership in January. After months of hearings, amendments, drafting and debates, both chambers have passed versions of HB 3, the education finance reform bill, and SB 2, the property tax reform bill. The latter passed the House last week and the education bill passed the Senate on Monday. Mirroring a provision added to SB 2 in the House, the Senate made passage of education reform into law contingent on passage for property tax reform, inextricably linking the two measures into what is effectively a single proposal. Here’s what that proposal looks like on the Senate side: increased funding for all students, with more going towards economically disadvantaged students. Even more would go to early education initiatives for students from low-income backgrounds and more money for post-high school readiness programs. Funds for the last two are partly outcome based; while districts will get more money to improve 3rd grade reading achievement for low-income students and send more prepared graduates into college, the military or the workforce, they’d also get bonus money for every student that meets state standards. It includes a $5,000 pay raise for all public school teachers and librarians, and would give districts the option of implementing an effectiveness-based pay scale, where the best teachers can be identified and paid higher salaries.

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