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Commentary: Shield school funds from oil swings
Margaret Spellings and Brett Perlman, For the Express-News
April 6, 2021
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What happens to public education funding if the oil and natural gas industry craters? Texas can future-proof by diversifying school funding and updating market projections.Spencer Platt /Getty Images
Many San Antonio educators and parents may not realize the connection between world oil prices and local education funding, but new research shows clearly that billions of dollars that K-12 schools rely on to educate students could be at risk if world oil prices decline.
In 2019, oil and gas exploration and production activity generated $13.4 billion in public finances in Texas about $6 billion for public K-12 school funding, or 20 percent of the $32 billion annual expenditure. The money comes from local property taxes, state severance taxes paid by energy companies, royalties generated from oil and gas production on state-owned land, and
North Texas has become a magnet for a diverse group of companies from across the country and globe, with technology, transportation and finance rounding.