Compensatory Education Allotment in Texas School Districts

In order to minimize the difference in student achievement between at-risk students and other students, State Compensatory Education (SCE) funding is designated to supplement the regular education program for students at-risk of dropping out of school. The amount of SCE funds a district receives is based off of the number of educationally disadvantaged students enrolled in that district. The Compensatory Education Allotment for District 1 is roughly six times greater than that of District 2. SCE funds can be utilized for supplemental instructional materials, supplemental instructional supplies, supplemental staff expenses, tutors, tutorial materials, and provide salaries of teachers of at-risk students. SCE funds could also be used to lower the class size. SCE is allocated for supplemental services, staff, and materials in order to positively impact at-risk student achievement. These additional resources also provide the means to address the needs of at-risk students, thereby increasing academic success and decreasing student drop-out rate. In poor school districts the compensatory funds are a vital part of their budget. The SCE provide a means for helping students who are in need without having to tax an already financially burdened community. The rich districts can compensate for their lack of compensatory funding because they generally do not have the percentage of students needing special programs and they have the tax base to support these programs locally.