The Texas Legislature’s decision to cut $1.4 billion in grants to public schools disproportionately hurt poor districts, costing them $253 per student a year compared with $21 a year for rich districts, an expert testified Monday, the Associated Press reports. Albert Cortez, policy director at the Intercultural Development Research Association, also said that Texas’ poorest school districts charge higher local property taxes yet collect about a fourth less in revenue per student than the state’s wealthiest districts. He said the poorest 10 percent of districts statewide levy an average of 11 cents more per $100 valuation in local property taxes compared with the wealthiest 10 percent of districts. However, that translates to about $1,430 less in funding per student — a 25 percent difference between the two groups…