Grading Texas

Some 2,955 people in Texas die prematurely each year because they don’t have health insurance. That is one premature death, on average, every three hours, according to recent reports by Families USA and the Center for Public Policy Priorities. Many of those are children, students in our public schools. And in a state with the highest uninsured rate in the country – one of every four Texans lacks health insurance – untold numbers of additional children are performing poorly in school – missing too many classes, dropping out, etc. – because they aren’t healthy enough to keep up with their lessons.

So, how is the governor of Texas dealing with such a major problem? Well, he vows to reject key provisions of the federal health care law, despite its approval by the U.S. Supreme Court, while yammering away at alleged Washington intrusion. In other words, the governor wants Washington to leave him alone while he continues to drive Texas over the cliff. He already has begun dismantling the public schools. So, what difference does it make if a large chunk of public school students are too unhealthy to learn?

Gov. Perry is vowing to turn his back on a huge pile of federal tax dollars that could improve the lives of millions of his constituents. Many of those dollars are being paid by Texans who will now watch the money being spent in other states while their governor continues to play politics. It is clear he has no health care alternative of his own to offer, as Dallas Morning News columnist Steve Blow points out in a strong column linked below.

The columnist invites the governor to “put up or shut up.” Unfortunately, Perry will do neither, but the invitation is overdue.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/columnists/steveblow/20120710onhealthcareperryofferspotshotsbutnoplan.ece

You would think that San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro would have enough to do without worrying about the availability of prekindergarten programs in his city. The Texas Constitution and state law, in fact, make state government and local school districts – not mayors – primarily responsible for the quality and funding of public education. But there is the rub, and the rub has become an open, gaping wound.

Gov. Rick Perry and the legislative majority neglected their constitutional and statutory duties last year when they slashed $5.4 billion from public school budgets, including a $200 million state grant for fullday, preK. So Mayor Castro is attempting to help fill the gap by proposing that San Antonio increase its local sales tax by 1/8 of a cent to raise about $29 million a year to increase preK opportunities in the Alamo City.

As I have noted in previous blog posts and the San Antonio ExpressNews points out in the editorial linked below, preK education helps young children develop strong learning habits that will keep them in school in later grades and prepare them for productive lives. This early exposure to the classroom is especially important for children from lowincome, disadvantaged households. Yet, at least 4,000 4yearolds in San Antonio are falling through the cracks created by the state “leadership.”

The governor and the legislative majority have thumbed their noses at these kids. But the mayor is trying to help them. Castro’s proposed tax increase – which also would help pay for training and professional development for preK teachers still must be approved by the San Antonio City Council and by local voters. And, it may face some rough sledding, particularly if the Neanderthals who would just as soon privatize the public schools start pouring tea all over it.

But prominent, local business people, including HEB Chairman and CEO Charles Butt and USAA CEO Joe Robles, are backing the mayor, largely because they realize the future of their own businesses, as well as the local and state economies, are tied to the future of those 4yearolds whom Castro is trying to help. This is a much more realistic, mature approach than the handwringing of some business lobbyists in Austin, whose ideas for improving education amount to little more than cramming more standardized tests down the throats of school children.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/article/StrongcaseexistsforpreKplan3688801.php

Even as the Texas economy continues to improve, school districts and their students still are suffering from last year’s budget cuts. And, arguably, one of the most shortsighted cuts of all was in funding for prekindergarten programs, which will continue to be battered during the upcoming school year, as the story linked below points out.

PreK is not day care. It is an introduction to the formal classroom for young children and, as such, is a crucial factor in developing strong learning habits for the later elementary and secondary grades that are instrumental in keeping kids in school. PreK is particularly important for children from lowincome families.

Yet, the governor and the legislative majority wiped out a $200 million state grant program that paid for fullday, preK programs. It was part of $5.4 billion in total education funding cuts. Consequently, districts continue to cut back on preK programs. According to a report by the group, Children at Risk, school districts statewide have eliminated more than 1,100 preK teaching positions. That means many children are shut out of preK and many others are in overcrowded classes.

Meanwhile, several billion dollars of taxpayer money remain unspent in the Rainy Day Fund, while groups such as the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) applaud. TPPF, which believes the primary role of government is to promote private profits, advocates for more “private partnerships” in creating preK programs. According to this backwards viewpoint, it doesn’t matter how many children are deprived of a quality, early educational opportunity, as long as some “education entrepreneurs” are able to enrich themselves from tax dollars.

http://www.statesman.com/news/education/littlestscholarsmissoutasprekcut2408518.html

Some of the business “leaders” who are bemoaning what they see as an inadequate public education system simply refuse to admit that they are a major part of the problem. Why?

The major, overriding problem with public education in Texas is that it is inadequately and inequitably funded by state government. And many of the selfstyed education “experts” from the business community who are whining the loudest have been the strongest political supporters of Gov. Rick Perry and the legislative majority, which slashed $5.4 billion from the public schools’ budgets last year.

These same business people, including the Texas Association of Business, stood idly by, for the most part, and let it happen. Now, they are crying because they fear the Legislature next year will take steps to weaken the new STAAR testing program, an unpopular, unproven set of highstakes tests that should be discarded in favor of a more realistic accountability system. They have gone so far as to demand that education funding be frozen if STAAR isn’t salvaged.

At least 11,000 teachers already have lost their jobs, and more than 8,400 overcrowded elementary classrooms were above the capacity limit during the recent school year – all because of the budget cuts. Freezing funding at that level while school enrollment continues to grow by about 85,000 students a year would simply be irresponsible. It also would be extremely shortsighted for a Texas business community whose future depends on an educated workforce.

Instead of continuing to deprive teachers and students of the resources they need to succeed, these business “leaders” should be demanding that the governor and the legislative majority adequately fund the public schools. In other words, they should start demanding accountability from the officials they have helped to elect and keep in office. Then, the powersthatbe should listen to concerned parents and enlist the real education experts – teachers – to help develop a fair, broadbased accountability system that actually means something and is based on more than standardized test scores.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/sharedgen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2012/06/27/business_leaders_no_additional.html