In recent weeks, a growing chorus of educators, school advocates, business leaders, and Democratic lawmakers have called for the state’s highest-ranking Republicans to release the federal aid directly to schools, with no strings attached. They contend local school officials know how to best spend the money to suit their students’ specific needs and that the federal legislation that created these funds already has guardrails in place to limit how schools can spend the funds.
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-San Antonio) said the entire $17.9 billion has been available to Texas since March 24 and the only reason schools had not received the money was due to “Greg Abbott’s obstruction.”
“State Republicans are hardly justified in patting themselves on the back for ending a blockade that should never have occurred,” Doggett said in a statement. “After four months, Gov. Abbott is still obstructing distribution of the remaining $5.5 billion, which Congress approved in December. Even today, he has failed to offer any justification for his delay and attempt to divert these funds from our schools.”
The Democratic members of the Texas congressional delegation, led by Doggett, sent a letter on April 16 to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, requesting the federal government step in to expedite the release of the funds.
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News Credit
Author: Brooke Crum
Publisher: San Antonio Report
Date: April 28, 2021
