Public education in Texas faces massive cuts, Proposes to Add Millions in Fees

Article

AUSTIN, Texas – Public education in Texas is facing billions in proposed budget cuts that would include slashing arts education, pre-kindergarten programs and teacher incentive pay as lawmakers take on a massive deficit with the promise of no new taxes.

Lawmakers got their first glimpse of what the next state budget might look like late Tuesday, including the $5 billion cut to public schools, as Republican Gov. Rick Perry and his supporters were dancing at an inaugural celebration.

But the budget does propose millions of dollars in new fees. For instance, state employees and retirees who smoke would pay a $30-a-month "tobacco user monthly premium surcharge" and the attorney general's office would charge an "annual child support service fee," a "monthly child support processing fee" and an "electronic filing of documents fee."

I just saw this on the news earlier in the day. Im not really sure what the best way for the state of Texas to save the budget is.

What will the effect of these cuts be on the students?

"Tobacco user monthly premium surcharge"??? If you are retired. or are state employed, you must pay $30 a month.....And what about those "child support" fees? If somebody has child support, dosent that mean they already are financially burdened? (Yes I know a few people abuse this but what about the people who actually need it)

And what about freshman college students?

It would shutter four community colleges and generally eliminate financial aid for incoming freshmen and new students. The Texas Grants scholarship program would drop by more than 70,000 students over the next two years.

My first impressions of reading this were, "There goes our education."....Ive thought Texas had one of the best state economies? Im pretty sure Perry said this during his campaign for re-election.

Without a super massive ex-text of everything, ill try to summarize everything the article says that will be cut and added fees.

$5 billion cuts in public school spending

Tobacco user monthly premium surcharge for state employees and retirees - $30 a month

Annual child support service fee - unkown amount at the moment.

Monthly child support processing fee - unknown amount again.

Electronic filing of documents fee - again unknown.

Shutter (Im guessing that word means close down, correct if Im wrong) 4 community colleges.

Eliminate financial aid for freshman/new students.

The proposal also would reduce reimbursement rates by 10 percent for physicians, hospitals and nursing homes that participate in Medicaid — a decrease that could eventually dry up participation in the health care program for poor and disabled Texans. In all, $2.3 billion would be cut from Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and other health and human services.

Eliminate 9,600 state jobs over the next 2 years, including 1,500 prison jobs.

14% cut in psychiatric and pharmacy care for inmates. Dept. of Criminal Justice is facing $459 million in cuts.

New science labs? Eh, who needs them? (sarcasm)

The proposal would make public school finance reform legislation almost inevitable. It also would mean about 100,000 children would no longer have access to pre-kindergarten, schools won't get help building new science labs and would end a program that helps students earn promotion to the next grade.

$772 million cut for colleges and universities. (Includes some for Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin)

State employee retirement funds would be slashed from 6.95% to 6%

And heres what we will gain -

While almost every other state agency would see a reduction in employees, the average number of full-time employees in Perry's office over the next two fiscal years would go to 132 from an average of 120.

Atleast taxes wont be raised.

Heres a few more links if anyones interested.

finance.yahoo.com...

money.cnn.com...

reply to post by buni11687



Wonder what corporate backers ponied up for something like the inaugural dinner banquet. Might want to forgo the pork plates and keep the teachers. What they're really doing is making a mockery of schooling year after year. I bet Perry is thinking POTUS with a corporate cartel in tow.

Im watching the Daily Show and theres was a clip about how states and cities are planning budget cuts, and one clip said Texas was thinking about dropping the senior year of high school. Ill look for an article but it might take some time.

Originally posted by buni11687
Im watching the Daily Show and theres was a clip about how states and cities are planning budget cuts, and one clip said Texas was thinking about dropping the senior year of high school. Ill look for an article but it might take some time.

I just heard that as well, had the show on in the background while I was doing my midnight cleaning. (Thank you, smart meters!) I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but he sounded serious. What a shame.

They are making a lot of cuts and raising a lot of taxes and fees where I live too. We will be paying more, and getting less in return. I dont mind paying my fair share for public services, but they keep on biting chunks out of those services while maintaing the extraordnary salaries and benifits our polititians, directors and administrators rake in.

I say cut from the top, before you start chipping away at our children's future.

reply to post by Hatcookie


After searching the web for awhile, this is the only article Ive been able to find about cutting the senior year so far. Article

Former Dallas ISD superintendent Linus Wright says he has an idea: Eliminate the 12th grade.

He argues the senior year of high school is the most wasted year of education. By the time most high school students reach their senior year, they’ve already completed most required courses.

However, others say the idea of cutting 12th grade in a state where just 61 percent of 9th grade students go on to graduate doesn't make sense.

The article is a few days old, and its not very long. From the article, and lack of being able to find any other articles talking about cutting senior year, I dont really think that this is really going to go through. I believe it is still possible, but I dont really think it is on the top of their list.