Texas State Spending: Education Dominates the Budget

In the 2022–2023 biennium, the Texas Legislature appropriated a total budget of ~$250 billion (All Funds). The single largest category by far:

Public Education: 52.6% of Total Budget

$102.6 billion allocated to:

• Foundation School Program (K–12): ~$80B — per-pupil funding, special education, transportation, facilities.
• Higher Education: ~$16B — universities, community colleges, Texas A&M, UT systems, financial aid (TEXAS Grant).
• Texas Education Agency (TEA) Admin: ~$1B — accountability, curriculum, educator certification.
• Other: School safety, instructional materials, virtual learning.

Other Major Categories (for context)

• Health & Human Services (Medicaid, CHIP, etc.): ~$80B (32%) — mostly federal match.
• Transportation (TxDOT): ~$30B (12%).
• Public Safety / Criminal Justice: ~$15B (6%).
• General Government / Debt Service / Other: Remainder.

Note: Texas has no state income tax; revenue relies on sales tax, oil/gas severance tax, and federal funds. Education spending is constitutionally mandated (Article 7) and politically sacrosanct — though per-pupil funding ranks below national average.