Education takes center stage at polls

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Quickly shaping up to be the biggest issue of the next legislative session, education is now many voters' deciding factor at the polls. In Central Texas, one of the few contentious House races in the state could have a major impact on what happens in your child's classroom.     

Hitting the streets on the final day of early voting in Austin's House District 48, Republican Robert Thomas is already setting up his strategy for school funding. Waving a campaign sign at a South Austin intersection, he said a new outlook on a growing problem is what the state needs.

"Putting a new coat of paint on a broken car isn't going to make the car run any better,” Thomas said. “It may make it look a little better, but it's still a fundamentally broken car.

But it is that broken system his Democratic opponent -- incumbent Donna Howard -- said she has been working to overhaul. Last session, she offered an amendment to pay for enrollment growth, using extra money from the state’s Rainy Day fund.

"(I’m) trying to find ways where we can actually get more money into our schools,” Howard said. “Especially at a time when we've upped the ante on the standardized testing, it's really an inopportune time to be pulling the plug on some of the funds."

Lawmakers cut more than $5 billion from schools last session, and now many members are not returning – including some education heavy-hitters. Senate Education Chairwoman Florence Shapiro is retiring and so is the House education finance expert, Scott Hochberg. Plus, House Education Chairman Rob Eissler lost his primary.

"That means we have opportunities to perhaps…be more innovative and creative in what we're doing here and take some new directions,” Howard said.

Tweaking the state's testing system is near the top of her list. Thomas said he agrees, but tax reforms are where lawmakers should focus next session.

"Lower it for everybody, so we have a consistent, sustainable tax base to actually fully fund education,” he said.

To throw a few more twists in there, two Senators could cause some big education ripples. One of the most conservative members, Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, has taken over the Education Committee. Then, there is Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Ft. Worth -- famous for her school finance filibuster -- who now finds herself in one of the tightest races in the state.