Gov. Abbott proposes directing 70% of school district spending to classrooms during El Paso visit

UPDATE (Aug. 19, 2026): Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new education initiative that would require school districts to dedicate 70% of their spending to the classroom during an El Paso visit.

“Texas has made historic investments in public education to give our teachers and students the resources they need to succeed,” Gov. Abbott said in a statement. “Those dollars belong in the classroom, not wasted on bloated bureaucracy. Administrators must be held accountable for their reckless spending and diverting attention away from what really matters: the students.” 

The governor said his proposal would ensure taxpayer dollars go primarily to classrooms.

ABC-7 reached out to Texas State Representative Gina Hinojosa for comment. She's running for Texas governor against Abbott in November.

Gov. Abbott mentioned the El Paso Independent School District's handling of finances, specifically how administrative costs rose compared to enrollment.

ABC-7 asked EPISD about its perspective on the proposal. Superintendent Brian Lusk sent the following statement:

“At El Paso ISD, the classroom is the center of our universe, and we prioritize directing all resources possible to support instruction. We acknowledge that El Paso ISD had too many central office positions and over the last several years the district was not rightsized to align with enrollment trends. Since I joined as Superintendent, we have taken a close look at every central office position and made significant reductions to ensure staffing reflects the needs of the district. That work will continue, because as highlighted by El Paso ISD’s 2026 TEA accountability rating of B and a 2-point increase from last year, when our teachers and students have the right resources, they succeed.”   

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott will return to the Borderland Wednesday to discuss efforts to make school districts more efficient.

In a press release, Gov. Abbott said he will speak with families and taxpayers about school districts to "ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

He said he will announce a new initiative to improve districts' efficiency.

Gov. Abbott is running for re-election in the upcoming November election. He faces the Democratic nominee, Gina Hinojosa.

Aug. 5, the governor visited El Paso County and announced two new policy proposals about housing affordability for Texas residents.