Testimony concludes in texas school finance trial

Joining those lawsuits are charter school operators, who say their campuses should receive additional state support to cover facilities costs, something they are not entitled to currently. They also want a state law capping the number of licenses to operate charters statewide at to be increased or eliminated.

Dunn said that, to his knowledge, if Dietz finds Texas is obligated to provide facilities funding, it will be the first such decision of its kind in the country.

Legal battles over school funding are nothing new in Texas — this case is the sixth of its kind since , and Dietz ruled on a separate set of legal challenges in But charter schools have not been involved in previous litigation. Whatever Dietz decides is likely to be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court. But if the courts eventually side with school districts, it will be up to the Legislature to overhaul its funding mechanisms. The prosecution wrapped up its case early Thursday afternoon as the fifth and final victim took the stand against Brittni Colleps.

Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Friday morning after the defense decided not to present any evidence in the trial. The five victims, who were identified by pseudonyms, all testified to having sexual relations with Colleps in April and May One of the victims, identified as "John," said he attended a Rangers game with Colleps in April but nothing inappropriate happened that night.

He then detailed several incidents where he and the other students had sexual intercourse and oral sex with the teacher. Colleps was a first-year English teacher and basketball coach at Kennedale High School. She is married with three small children. Several of the victims testified Thursday to not wanting to testify in the trial with one of them, "Richard" saying he didn't want to press charges.

Arlington police Detective Jason Houston testified that several of the young men said they didn't want to press charges but it was still a crime. He said the case was a first for Arlington under the Texas statute that forbids relationships between students and teachers, even if the students are 18 years old and consent. Some of those recordings are expected to be played when the trial resumes next week.

During opening statements, prosecutors said they will not call Singer as a witness but offered no explanation. Kelly asked if Singer had been in Boston recently, and Brown said he believed he was. Jurors were shown e-mails that Singer traded with Abdelaziz, seeking photos of his daughter to submit to USC with her athletic profile. Singer had sent it to an e-mail address that Abdelaziz no longer used. Kendall said Singer was trying to lull Wilson into believing he knew what scores, grades, athletic ability, and donations were required to get into the top colleges.

Brown agreed there was no evidence of any such meeting. Earlier in the week, the jury heard a recording of a June call in which Singer detailed his schemes to Gordon Caplan, a former partner in a high-powered New York law firm, who was seeking help getting his daughter into college. Singer, who was not yet cooperating with prosecutors, claimed that he had been working with Vavic for 12 years and had helped his children get into colleges.