Medicaid was created by Congress in 1965 and came to Texas two years later, a program designed to provide health benefits to specific groups—initially, to recipients of certain cash assistance programs. Since then, eligibility has gradually expanded and caseload growth has made Medicaid the single largest program in the state budget. In 2001, Medicaid consumed 20% of the All Funds (AF) budget but now accounts for nearly 30% of the 2016-17 budget.
K-12 Education
Houston’s Fat Cat Superintendents: The Hidden Benefits How Some of Texas’s Highest-Paid Public Employees Are Systematically Underreporting Their Compensation
Exorbitant and hidden superintendent pay reflects a culture of self-enrichment that has no place in Texas public schools, diverts taxpayer dollars from students, and betrays the public trust. Key points: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) understates the total compensation for some of Texas’s highest-paid superintendents. Though they oversee fewer people, many superintendents have drawn a...
October 29, 2026