The Texas House Democratic Caucus laid out a $14.5 billion plan for school finance reform and property tax relief Wednesday, releasing a list of priorities in advance of a key school finance bill Republican education leaders are expected to file and support.
The Democrats’ plan is composed of dozens of bills members have filed — or will file — to increase teacher pay and benefits, pay schools more for educating low-income students, and provide more counselors for school districts. It does not include two policy items that may be included in Republican-filed legislation: merit pay for teachers or paying schools more for higher student test scores.
“We hope to work with our colleagues to incorporate some of these ideas into their bills,” said state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, who chairs the caucus.
