The proposal would allow the federal government to give money directly to school districts, provided Perry certifies that the federal support will not replace the state money. Perry must also agree not to proportionally cut education funding more than any other item in the next budget.

While the measure includes $10 billion in education funding nationally, Texas is the only state that must make such a certification before receiving the federal funding. Texas school districts stand to receive about $820 million in funding to hire additional employees.

Congressional Democrats pushed for the provision after Texas received more than $3 billion from the government in 2009 to boost education funding, only to see Perry not use the funds to augment the education budget.

Democrats charge that while Perry officially accepted the money from Washington, he simultaneously slashed the state's contributions to the education budget, allowing the state to essentially pocket the federal dollars without increasing school aid.

"Instead of a historic boost in local school support, our schoolchildren were left no better off," Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said. "Three billion dollars (in federal money) made no difference to our local schools."

In a statement Friday, Perry's office urged the Senate to reject the measure.

"At the urging of Texas Democrats, the House has added language to the War Supplemental bill that effectively kills about $800 million in federal funding for Texas schools," said Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger. "The House-passed version requires that the governor guarantee the Legislature will provide a certain level of state funding, which is prohibited by the Texas Constitution, for education through fiscal year 2013.

"It will be at least June 1, 2011, before the Legislature passes and the comptroller certifies the 2012-13 budget. That means Texas would not be able to use any of these funds to save teacher jobs — as Congress has intended the money be used - for at least one full school year."

Several Perry refusals

Perry's record of refusing federal money for education is not limited to the stimulus funds. Under Perry, Texas has twice declined to apply for the Race to the Top grant, a federal program that awards money to states for making specific improvements to their education systems, such as enabling more charter schools and creating performance-based pay for teachers and administrators.

Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott said Friday that Congress is punishing Texas for refusing to participate in such Obama administration education initiatives and Washington has "painted a target on Texas."

Perry, who has argued the rules for the money infringe on the rights of a state to set its own education standards, has resisted seeking the Race to the Top money.

The Democratic gubernatorial campaign of former Houston Mayor Bill White said the congressional action proved that Perry's politics had interfered with Texas education.

"In his quest to grandstand about Washington and promote his political career, Perry has proven over and over again that he is only in if for himself, not Texas students," said Katy Bacon, a spokeswoman for the White campaign.

When it passed its own version of the funding bill in May, the Senate did not include the Texas-specific language. The measure will returns to the Senate for final consideration.

40 school chiefs want it

Last month, a group of nearly 40 Texas school superintendents, including those from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and Laredo, pleaded with Congress to make special arrangements to ensure Texas schools could receive the money.

"The last thing we need to allow is these funds to be diverted," the superintendents wrote to congressional leaders. "We hope that you will ensure that Texas school districts do not fall through the cracks this time around."

But a day after the House action, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Terry Grier expressed disappointment that the money's primary purpose was to create or maintain jobs, saying he wanted to "help close the achievement gap" with any federal dollars.

"We want the money for reform initiatives," Grier said.

Stewart Powell of the Washington bureau also contributed to this report.

alan.blinder@chron.com