Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has selected four public school districts for state spending reviews requested by Gov. Greg Abbott, including Barbers Hill Independent School District east of Houston.
The other districts are Austin, El Paso and Prosper ISDs. The selections were first reported Monday and detailed Tuesday by the Houston Chronicle.
The reviews will examine whether district money is being used lawfully and reaching students, teachers and classrooms. In announcing the broader initiative in August, the Texas Comptroller’s Office said it would look for administrative growth, non-instructional bureaucracy and potentially wasteful spending.
“This review is an important step to ensure transparency, accountability, and the responsible use of public funds,” Huffines said in a statement reported by the Chronicle. His office said the work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, giving the Texas Legislature time to consider any recommended changes when it convenes in 2027.
Houston-area district among four selected
Barbers Hill ISD serves roughly 8,000 students in Chambers County. The district has faced questions from state lawmakers over its transfer of $100 million in school funds to a district-created education foundation, according to reporting by Houston Public Media cited by the Chronicle. The inclusion of the district in a state review is not, by itself, a finding that the district violated the law.
Prosper ISD, which serves about 34,000 students north of Dallas, has also faced allegations involving billing irregularities in district contracts. The district has denied financial impropriety, and a spokesperson told the Chronicle that its books are open. The Texas Education Agency recently gave Prosper an A in financial accountability, with a score of 94.
Abbott had previously singled out Austin and El Paso ISDs, arguing that their budgets were growing while enrollment declined. Spokespeople for Barbers Hill, Austin and El Paso had not responded to the Chronicle’s requests for comment by Tuesday morning.
Reviews land in an election season
The reviews also carry political stakes. Huffines, a Republican, is running for election against Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin. Eckhardt criticized the reviews as political retribution and said repeated layers of bureaucracy would not improve Texas schools.
The dispute arrives as districts across Texas confront enrollment shifts, school closures, teacher shortages and pressure over how much funding reaches classrooms. Abbott has also said he wants lawmakers to require districts to spend at least 70% of their funds in the classroom.
For families in Barbers Hill and the other districts, the most consequential information will come in the final reports: what spending the state identifies, whether any practices are found improper, and what changes—if any—officials recommend.
