Texas business leader Bill Hammond testified Tuesday in Austin that the additional fund small public schools get to offset sparse populations should be reduced or eliminated to discourage districts from remaining small.
"The small district adjustment incentivizes small districts to stay small," rather than to consolidate with neighboring districts, said Hammond, president of Texas Association of Business, the state's largest business group.
He testified before the House Public Education Committee, which is considering legislation to overhaul Texas education system.
Small, rural school districts argue that it doesn't make financial sense to force their students to drive to another campus that could be several miles away.
Hammond also suggested cutting back state funding for career and technology courses and capping the amount of money school boards can give teachers for performance bonuses.
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CENTRAL TEXAS STATE SENATORS:
Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor
(State Sen. District 22 includes: Bosque*, Coryell*, Ellis, Falls*, Hill*, Hood, Johnson, McLennan*, Navarro, Somervell Counties)
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Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay
(State Sen. District 24 includes: Bell*, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton*, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas*, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Mills*, San Saba*, Taylor Counties)
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Sen. Steve Odgen, R-Bryan
(State Sen. District 5 includes: Brazos, Burleson, Freestone*, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon*, Limestone*, Madison, Milam*, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Williamson Counties)
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CENTRAL TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana
(State Rep. District 8 includes: Anderson, Freestone*, Limestone*, Navarro Counties)
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State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie
(State Rep. District 10 includes: Hill*, Ellis Counties)
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State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown
(State Rep. District 20 includes: Milam*, Williamson-part, Counties)
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State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville
(State Rep. District 53 includes: Callahan, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Real, Runnels, San Saba*, Schleicher, Sutton Counties)
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Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, R-Lampasas
(State Rep. District 54 includes: Bell-part*, Burnet, Lampasas* Counties)
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Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple
(State Rep. District 55 includes: Bell-part County)
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Rep. Charles Anderson, R-Waco
(State Rep. District 56 includes: McLennan-part County)
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Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco
(State Rep. District 57 includes: Falls*, Leon*, McLennan-part*, Madison, Robertson Counties)
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Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson
(State Rep. District 58 includes: Bosque*, Johnson Counties)
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Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville
(State Rep. District 59 includes: Comanche, Coryell*, Erath, Hamilton*, Mills*, Somervell Counties)
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