This article presents the state education finance and governance profile of Texas. In 1854, the Permanent School Fund (PSF) was established by a legislative appropriation of $2 million. Today, the PSF has an approximate balance of $25 billion and continues to receive revenue from state taxes on land and minerals. The State Board of Education manages the fund along with the guidance from the Committee of Investment Advisors, in which each board member selects one advisor. The state department governing education is the Texas Education Agency (TEA). TEA is led by the Commissioner of Education, a governor-appointed position. The current top priorities of the TEA are to prepare students for college, adequately address the needs of the state's changing student population, and lower attrition among effective teachers. Most important, Texas has been a recognized leader for innovative education reform practices and has paved the road to increase accountability for student achievement and graduation rates across all states. (Contains 1 table.)