Texas Almanac, 1952-1953 Page: 415
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Public School System of Texas
The affairs of the public schools of Texas
are administered, at the state level, by the
Texas Education Agency. This agency con-
sists of four units as follows:
1. The State Board of Education of twenty-
one members, who are elected by popular
vote to six-year, overlapping terms from
twenty-one districts which correspond to the
Texas *congressional districts. (Seven mem-
bers are elected every two years.)
2. The State Board for Vocational Educa-
tion which has the same membership as the
State Board of Edueation, serving ex officio.
3. The State Commissioner of Education
who is appointed by the State Board of
Education.
4. The State Department of Education
which is organized and directed by the State
Commissioner of Education subject to the
general supervision of the State Board of
Education.
This administration of the affairs of the
Texas public schools was set up under the
tGilmer-Aikin Acts of the Fifty-first Legisla-
ture in 1949, following a two-year study of
the Texas public school system by the Gil-
mer-Aikin committee named by the Fiftieth
Legislature.
While the composite Texas Education
Agency administers the public school system
affairs, the directing head is the State Board
of Education elected by the people. The
board, consisting of nonsalaried members, in
practice directs general policies, leaving ad-
ministration to the Commissioner and De-
partment of Education.
This system superseded a dual administra-
tive system which consisted of a State Board
of Education of nine members, appointed by
the Governor, and a State Superintendent of
Education, elected by the people for a two-
year term, who organized and directed a
State Department of Education. Each had its
legally prescribed functions, but there re-
mained a marginal area of administration
which led to some conflict, one condition
which brought about the passage of the
Gilmer-Aikin Acts.
Support of Schools.
Throughout most of its history, the public
school system of Texas was one of local con-
trol principally. Most of the financial support
came from local taxation. Prior to 1900 the
state's apportionment averaged only about
$3.50 per scholastic. From 1900 to 1920 it
averaged approximately $6.50 per capita. For
the school year, 1920-21, it was raised to
$14.50 and thereafter increa nased steadily,
reaching $55 for the years 1947-48 and 1948-49,
just preceding the initiation of the new ad-
ministration under the Gilmer-Aikin Acts.
(The apportionment is a flat cneioaverage based
on scholastic population,hi to which there was
added, prior to the Gilmer-Aikin Acts, sup-
plementary state support from the equaliza-
tion fund to which smaller and poorer
districts were entitled. The Gilmer-Aikin
Acts set up a new system, as outlined below.)
This rapid increase in state support of pub-
lic schools, together with the provision of
such state aids as free textbooks and free
transportation, greatly increased the need of
state administration, the principal factor in
bringing about reorganization of the system.
Under the new administration state control
was greatly increased. However, it has been
*An opinion of the State Attorney General in
May, 1951, held that congressional redistricting
would not affect the Board of Education districts.
but that changes in these districts would be at the
discretion of the Legislature.
tSo called from Sen A. M. Aikin Jr. of Paris
and Rep. Claud H, Gilmer of Rocksprings, who
introduced the resolutions calling for study in the
Fiftieth Legislature and sponsored the bills in the
Fifty-first.the policy of the Texas Education Agency to
encourage local participation in school affairs
on the theory that a live local interest is
essential to an effective public school system.
State and Local Support.
The ratio of state-to-local support of schools
Is not easily ascertained. State data are defi-
nite, but local data are not. Prior to 1920
state support was only a small percentage.
Thereafter it increased steadily and in 1930
was estimated at 60 per cent local and 40 per
cent state. A survey for the school year,
1935-36, showed 51 per cent local and 49 per
cent state. Another survey in the school year,
1946-47, showed 47 per cent local and 53 per
cent state.
In actual figures in this year it amounted
to $64,116,512 local and $73,392,576 state, a
total of $137,509,088. The raising of the appor-
tionment to $55 per scholastic in 1947-48 and
1948-49 jumped the state support almost to
$100,000,000, including equalization funds.
State support for free schools and vocational
education for the fiscal year 1949-50, first
year under the Gilmer-Aikin Acts, totaled
$176,673,459.20, according to the Comptroller
of Public Accounts. The proportion of state
support had greatly increased, although,
under the Gilmer-Aikin Acts, local districts
are obligated to sustain their share of support
under a formula based on an "economic
index" indicating relative wealth of local unit.
Local support of schools is primarily from
an ad valorem tax on real and personal
property, though many counties have a small
revenue from county permanent funds de-
rived from lands set aside for them from the
public domain. Schools are built and equipped
largely through local bond issues, the state
not participating.
School Districts.
During the school year, 1950-51, there were
t47 independent and 1,569 common school dis-
tricts in Texas. Probably 50 to 100 of the
common school districts were inoperative.
contracting with adjacent districts for the
schooling of their resident children. Districts
are administered by their boards of trustees.
elected by popular vote, except in the in-
stances of the independent districts author-
ized by the State Board of Education on mili-
tary installations, and at orphans homes.
eleemosynary institutions, homes for depend-
ent and neglected children and certain other
institutions. In these special districts the local
boards are named by the State Commissioner.
At the end of the last year preceding the
institution of the Gilmer-Aikin Acts program
there were 964 Independent and 4,412 common
school districts, of which only 1,963 common
school districts were operative. The sharp de-
cline in total number of common school
district came from the fact that the Gilmer-
Aikin Acts force an inactive district to merge
with its contracting district or again become
active at the end of two years, whereas an
indefinite period of inactivity was legal under
preceding statutes.
Trend Toward Consolidation.
The trend toward school consolidation has
been rapid over a period of twenty years. As
late as 1929, there were approximately 6,500
common and independent school districts In
operation, of which about 1.000 were inde-
pendent and 5,500 common. Thus the number
of independent districts has declined only
slightly while there has been a rapid drop
In the number of common school districts.
The one-teacher school is disappearing.
Factors entering into this movement have
been (1) the general public desire for better
education for school children through longer
terms, better qualified teachers and better
school facilities; and (2)'the improvement of
the state's public road system which has made
school'-transportation much more practicable.
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Texas Almanac, 1952-1953, book, 1951; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117137/m1/417/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.