Texas Superintendents Seek To Save School Budgets

AUSTIN (AP) - Dozens of school superintendents with thousands of letters from across Texas have a message for legislators: Make education a priority.

The administrators met Monday in Austin to urge the Legislature not to make public schools bear the burden of a massive state revenue shortfall of at least $15 billion.

Wylie Independent School District superintendent John Fuller says the proposed cuts would be "devastating" to the quality of education.

The educators planned to deliver thousands of letters, to lawmakers, objecting to education cuts.

More than half of the school districts in Texas -- 529 -- have signed onto a resolution asking legislators to make public education the highest priority when addressing the state budget.

Districts say the proposed reductions would mean crippling choices such as teacher layoffs and school closures.

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