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Bill

HB 5374

Relating to the bilingual education allotment under the public school finance system.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Ramon Romero

HB 5374 adjusts Texas's per-student funding formula for bilingual education programs, affecting how school districts finance English learner instruction.

Referred to Public Education
#education--bilingual(i0213) #education--primary&secondary--finance(i0250)
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Bill Summary · HB 5374

Legislative bill overview

HB 5374 modifies how Texas funds bilingual education programs within its public school finance system. The bill adjusts the financial allotment (per-student funding) designated specifically for bilingual education services. This represents a technical adjustment to how the state calculates and distributes money for dual-language and English-as-Second-Language (ESL) instruction.

Why is this important

Texas has over 850,000 English learners in its public schools, making bilingual education funding a significant budget matter affecting classroom resources, teacher compensation, and program quality. Changes to the bilingual allotment directly impact which districts can afford robust dual-language programs versus basic ESL support, influencing educational outcomes for millions of students and their families. The funding mechanism also affects school district budgeting priorities and hiring decisions for bilingual-certified educators.

Potential points of contention

  • Allotment amount uncertainty: Without seeing the specific dollar change, stakeholders may debate whether the adjustment increases, decreases, or maintains current funding levels and whether it's adequate
  • Equity across districts: How the revised formula affects high-poverty versus affluent districts, and whether it addresses urban-rural funding disparities
  • Program scope definition: Disagreement over which students and programs qualify for bilingual funding, particularly regarding ESL versus dual-language programs and student eligibility criteria

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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