Overview
- Gov. Greg Abbott sent a formal letter on Wednesday asking Comptroller Don Huffines to review the finances of up to four independent school districts to check whether taxpayer K‑12 dollars reach students and teachers.
- Huffines launched the "Huffines Performance Review" the same day and said his office will name the selected districts in the coming weeks and deliver a final report by Dec. 31, 2026.
- Abbott singled out Austin and El Paso ISDs, saying their enrollment fell over the past decade while administrative spending per student rose sharply, and he cited internal audits that found millions in financial inefficiencies.
- A state audit published the same day found the Texas Education Agency has a disproportionate manager‑to‑staff ratio that may violate law, even as TEA’s resource‑allocation scores show 98 percent of districts scored C or higher.
- The probe and a push for a 70 percent classroom‑spending rule could lead to targeted audits, new legislative limits on noninstructional costs, and changes that aim to direct more funding to teachers and classroom services.