AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas has added 23 school districts for the first time to its list of those considered property-wealthy. It now has a record 374 districts that are required to give some of what they raise in local tax revenue to the state for distribution to poorer schools.
The funding scheme is part of Texas' "Robin Hood" school finance system. It began in 1993 with 35 districts considered wealthy enough to be subject to sharing.
The number now has increased more than 10-fold and represents more than a third of the state's 1,000-plus school districts.
Some districts have increased property-tax rates or seen their tax bases grow due to population booms.
But a key reason the list of property-wealth districts keeps growing has been higher property wealth in some parts of Texas.
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