Gonzalez Announces Over $160 Mil in Funding to 'Empower' Disadvantaged South Texas Students

Recently, Texas Representative Vicente Gonzalez (D) announced that school districts in the 34th Congressional District of Texas are expected to receive a total of $163,824,115 in Fiscal Year (FY24) Title I formula funds. The final allocation totals will be released by the U.S. Department of Education in June of 2024.

In a statement, the Texas congressmen listed the several counties that will receive funding ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

“Public education is the great equalizer of societies as it gives all children the same opportunity to excel,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Title I funding is crucial to achieving this. Every year, millions of dollars are allocated to public school districts across South Texas so that they can empower disadvantaged students with the proper tools and resources to meet their educational goals.”

“We must continue to level the field for all our students, regardless of their background or family’s income, so that each of them has the same chance to succeed in life,” continued the Texas representative.

In separate news, the Texas congressman recently condemned the much-talked-about and criticized immigration bill, SB 4.

“This law does nothing to help our immigration system, our local law enforcement personnel, or Texans’ safety and wellbeing,” said Rep. Gonzalez.

“SB 4 will only lead to the racial profiling of Hispanic Texans and leave law enforcement unequipped and untrained to handle immigration cases. We saw this with Operation Lonestar, with the buoys on the Rio Grande River — let’s call it for what it is, another ham-fisted and dangerous stunt by Governor Greg Abbott that will ultimately cause more harm than good,” said the Texas lawmaker regarding Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) bill.

Critics and legal experts have challenged SB 4 for its potential to cause racial profiling. Some have questioned if the bill oversteps state powers, as some argue deportations are to be administered by the federal government.