Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden, who is not running for re-election, has hinted at a special session to address school funding. I was on the radio in Houston this morning discussing school finance as the media is abuzz with the prospects of a called session in Texas.

Under no circumstances can a special session be in Texans’ best interest.

It is school choice week and Texans are asking just how our education dollars are being spent, after learning that only half the education dollars actually make it to the classroom.

Our friends at Texas Watchdog (www.TexasWatchdog.com) have done an excellent job of investigative reporting – and some of their work has focused on school districts. Here is a synopsis of their good work on school district spending:

ALEC’s 17th edition of the Report Card on American Education contains a comprehensive overview of educational achievement levels (performance and gains for low-income students) for the 50 states and the District of Columbia (see full report for complete methodology). The Report Card details what education policies states currently have in place and provides a roadmap for legislators to follow to bring about educational excellence in their state.

Focusing on the reforms recently enacted in Indiana, and with a foreword by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, this Report Card on American Education examines the experiences other states can learn from the struggles and triumphs in Indiana.

How does Texas rank?