Uncategorized

Keep 221, Dallas News urges

The Dallas Morning News, which broke the story the other day about a likely legislative effort to repeal the 221 studentteacher ratio for kindergarten through the fourth grade, also has published a strong editorial explaining why the 26yearold cap is so important and must be preserved. “Here’s something that makes you cringe: Lawmakers in Austin […]

Read More

221: An important reform in jeopardy

This is no time to retreat from (or whine about) timehonored educational reforms, but watch out for a lot of whining and proposed retreating when the Legislature convenes in January in the face of a huge revenue shortfall. Already being targeted in some legislative discussions is the important 22pupil limit on class sizes for kindergarten […]

Read More

A helping hand for charters?

No one is trying to rewrite history this time, but there is another idea percolating before the State Board of Education that nevertheless may generate a fair amount of controversy. It is a proposal by Republican board member David Bradley of Beaumont to allocate about $100 million of the $22.1 billion Permanent School Fund to […]

Read More

Beware of gamblers bearing promises

Every time the Legislature convenes with a huge budgetary shortfall, as it will in January, you can bet that the progambling folks will be out in force, promising to put the state on easy street if lawmakers vote to expand gambling. Once again, efforts will be made to legalize fullblown casinos or, at least, video […]

Read More