Date Available

8-1-2023

Year of Publication

2023

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Education Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. John Nash

Abstract

The Texas constitution guarantees citizens a "general diffusion of knowledge" and an "efficient system of public free schools." However, the state has often failed to provide sufficient funding to meet this constitutional mandate. Many school districts, especially those serving low-income or minority communities, have been chronically underfunded. This has led to unequal access to quality education. As a result, there have been numerous lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Texas's school funding system. Plaintiffs argue that the state has violated the education clause of the constitution by failing to adequately and equitably fund public schools. Despite several legislative attempts at reform, the issue remains contested, with new lawsuits emerging as plaintiffs contend the funding system still falls short of constitutional requirements.

I use a three-article format to examine an overarching theme of the most recent inequities in school funding in Texas. The first article provides insight into the use of QuantCrit by scholars through a systematic literature review. The second study evaluates the quantitative results of Texas HB 21, passed in response to the most recent lawsuit in Texas to address the complaints of inadequacy and inequity in school funding. The third study evaluates the association of attendance, school funding, and poverty level in Texas school funding. All three studies leverage QuantCrit as a theoretical framework to both guide the development of the methodology and add context to the results.

These three studies collectively help illuminate the impacts of recent Texas school funding legislation on disadvantaged communities. The studies utilize and build upon the QuantCrit framework to provide contextual analysis of how legislative changes affect low-income students and students of color. Their findings reveal ongoing inequities in the Texas education system despite attempted reforms. Together, the studies demonstrate the value of QuantCrit for evaluating education policy while also providing evidence that school funding in Texas still does not adequately or equitably serve all students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. The research expands understanding of both QuantCrit and the continued need for progress on equitable school funding in Texas.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2023.329

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