AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reiterated his support today for a proposal by Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath to adjust average daily attendance (ADA) funding for schools that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. On September 12, the lieutenant governor met with nearly 45 superintendents from Region IV in Southeast Texas to discuss the impact of Hurricane Harvey on their districts. At that time, Patrick told the school leaders that he had informed TEA Commissioner Morath that he supported funding adjustments that would hold schools harmless for enrollment gains or losses they might suffer as a result of the storm. The lieutenant governor issued this statement today when Commissioner Morath announced that TEA is moving forward with the adjustment for schools that qualify:
“Almost a month ago, I met with many superintendents whose districts were impacted by the hurricane. I pledged my support for increasing funding for schools that gain students because of displacement from the storm and holding funding at current levels for schools that lose students because of displacement. This will allow those schools to get back to full operation far more quickly. I commend Commissioner Morath for his leadership on this issue. We guarded the Rainy Day Fund this past session so that we would have the resources to handle this kind of disaster. We will need every dollar available to us moving forward.”