a long-awaited state audit<\/a> found Abbott\u2019s Texas Education Agency, which oversees districts, had a \u201cmanagement-heavy structure\u201d that was in violation of state law.<\/p>\nThe audit, which was requested by lawmakers in last year\u2019s budget, found that TEA has one manager for every 3.5 staffers, while state law requires one manager for 11 staffers. The agency could have sought state approval to get around the requirement, but didn\u2019t do so, auditors noted.<\/p>\n
Spending and hiring on managers was also out of proportion, auditors found. Between 2021 and 2025, the number of managers increased by 38%, while the number of staffers increased 12%. Over that same period, salary and wage costs for management grew 64%, to $48 million, while staffer costs increased 31%, to $79 million.<\/p>\n
When auditors notified TEA of the findings, the agency filed an appeal with the Legislative Budget Board, asserting that it \u201crequires a lower management-to-staff ratio to ensure effective management and positive programmatic outcomes,\u201d auditors wrote.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Agency noted that many managers also have substantial individual contributor duties,\u201d auditors added.<\/p>\n
Rep. Ana-Mar\u00eda Rodr\u00edguez Ramos of Dallas, who requested the audit be added to the budget, said it was \u201cappalling\u201d for Abbott to ignore the audit\u2019s findings.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not like these schools have one principal for every three teachers. That would be bloat,\u201d she said. \u201cFor him to willingly ignore that happening under his own nose is ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abbott\u2019s office referred questions about the audit to his news conference, where Abbott said the belt-tightening applied to state agencies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith regard to the Texas Education Agency, with regard to the state as a whole, we’re expecting all state agencies to reduce their budgets by at least 3% this year,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of us can do more with less.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Spokespeople for Huffines did not immediately respond to questions about the audit. Abbott has been governor since 2015, the same year he appointed TEA Commissioner Mike Morath.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for TEA said in a statement that auditors \u201cidentified opportunities for the agency to improve,\u201d and he added that the agency has the lowest number of staff-to-student enrollment of any state\u2019s education department.<\/p>\n
Abbott said that between 2015 and 2025, Austin ISD\u2019s enrollment went down 14%, while administrative spending per student increased 75%. During that decade, El Paso ISD enrollment dropped 20% and administrative spending per student went up 100%.<\/p>\n
He said that recent internal audits \u201cidentified 10s of millions of dollars in financial inefficiencies tied to underestimated expenses, unrealistic budget assumptions, and poor financial oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese people in charge of those budgets, they should have been tracking what the decline was in the average daily attendance of students in their district over the past decade to help them better form budgets that would be more accurate,\u201d Abbott said.<\/p>\n
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TEA already audits school districts and assigns scores<\/a> for how well they allocate their resources for direct instructional purposes. In the most recent scores, 98% of the state\u2019s 1,018 districts received a C or higher. About 36% received perfect scores.<\/p>\nAustin ISD received a B. El Paso ISD received an A.<\/p>\n
Ben Wermund contributed reporting.<\/p>\n
Correction: An earlier version misstated the city Ramos represents. It’s Dallas, not Houston.<\/p>\n
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