This research examined the level of equity of the public school funding system in Texas that in September of 2004 was held to be unconstitutional by a state district judge. The study also introduces a mechanism, referred to as the Revenue-to-Population Index or RTP Index, which compares funding equity within the unconstitutional system among 1031 public school districts in Texas. The index utilizes the total funds available to the school district and the school districts’ weighted average daily attendance (WADA). Data suggest a level of inequity within the unconstitutional funding system with regards to accessibility of state funds for PK-12 schools within Texas, as measured by the Gini-coefficient and the coefficient of variation. Additionally, data indicates an extremely wide (0.85 to 2.91) differentiation within the RTP Index, further documenting a degree of inequity of the public school funding system. A graphical representation suggests a high correlation between property wealth per WADA and revenue per WADA. This condition indicates a violation of the central principal of fiscal neutrality. The processes cited in this paper provide a system that can be used to correct disproportionate funding levels for PK-12 students across Texas, in compliance with legislative objectives and in full-compliance with the directives of the courts. ACCESS FULL MANUSCRIPT HERE: http://cnx.org/content/m14297/latest/
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