Odessa American in Odessa, Texas

Lawmakers reach school finance deal in Texas

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced lawmakers reached a deal on a new school finance law to legally cut funding to schools over the next two years. Negotiators from the House and Senate, joined by Gov. Rick Perry, aimed to slash 4 billion dollars and implement a new funding formula from 2013 to 2018, with the plan initially set for two years. Rural and urban districts pressed for equal treatment as they weighed last-minute votes before the session’s end.