The Trib has a useful guide to this incredibly complex topic.
The state’s 1,030 traditional school districts operate with a
combination of federal, local and state revenue. In the 2008-09
school year, the federal government paid $4.7 billion, the
thinnest slice of the pie at 10 percent. At $20 billion, the
state paid 42.9 percent of the total funding for schools, and
local districts paid 47.1 percent, $22.2 billion (the state’s
portion includes money “recaptured” from local property taxes;
more on that later). Most federal money comes through Title I,
the law intended to help districts educate economically
disadvantaged students. That money is distributed based on the
number of students who qualify for free and reduced meal plans —
and almost all districts in the state receive some amount of
Title I funds. They can also receive specialized federal grants,
including those for students with disabilities, English-language
learners, preschool programs, migrant students and vocational
education. Texas allocates mo