1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

Representative Chen, Thank you for your letter explaining your position as regards public school funding in Texas included in HB 2 and HB 3. You stated “HB 2 provides close to $8 billion in funding for public education - the largest increase to public education funding in state history”. That sounds wonderful. Well, it does until one starts doing the math. I guess one of us thinks the other is not able to do simple compound interest. Well, being a teacher in Texas, and having gone to public education institutions in Texas my entire life, I learned to do that. I’m sure you know how to also, so I can only assume that you think that I wouldn’t be able to and would just accept your celebration of the “largest increase to public education in state history” on its face as a wonderful accomplishment. You see, public funding per pupil was $6160 per student in 2019. HB 2 proposes $6380 for 2025, I assume. That is a 3.448276 percent increase. On its face: adequate, not exceptional. Once the compounding of that rate is applied to the 2019 amount of $6160 and carried forward for six years to 2025, the actual amount to reach “adequate” not “exceptional” levels of funding would be $7549 per pupil. Please check your math before trying to promote what a wonderful job the current Texas majority in the State House is doing. More on HB 3 later. Have a good day as you try to bring funding back to where it should be.