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The story of Texas education isn’t as bleak as many think. By many measures Texas students are at least even with students in other states, and, in several cases, near the top, former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff said Wednesday night.
He spoke to a group of more than 200 mostly educators at the Terrell Performing Arts Center about the education reform group, Raise Your Hand Texas.
He said when Texas is compared to similar states – not to states who test fewer students or have fewer with language difficulties – that Texas is in the middle of the pack or higher.
For instance, Texas leads in the number of students taking calculus, advanced placement calculus and advanced placement statistics.
“Raise You Hand Texas was formed with the purpose in mind to try to educate the public about the schools,” Mr. Ratliff said. “We are convinced we are doing a lot of good work with limited resources. Think what we could do with more resources.”
Mr. Ratliff and former Texas Education Commissioner Mike Moses, with others, have been traveling the state preaching their education reform message. They are supported by several major Texas companies including HEB foodstores and Beck Industries. They also want regular folks – parents, teachers, principals and citizens – to join their group.
They have 14,500 members now and want 20,000 by year’s end. There is no membership fee. All Raise Your Hand Texas asks is that members support the reforms.
Proposed reforms include:
A new accountability system. A new system would not do away with the TAKS test but would change the way they are used. Now schools are ranked exemplary, recognized, academically acceptable and academically unacceptable.
The four rankings would be replaced by stars and the stars would be awarded on a more complex system. The system would take into account the special circumstances of large urban schools, would give struggling schools that are improving some recognition and point out schools where scores are slipping.
Full-day prekindergarten and kindergarten Students can not be ready to start public school without the proper preparation, Mr. Ratliff said.
Pay teachers more Many college graduates, particularly those in math and science, are not “willing to work for the [current] pay scale,” Mr. Ratliff said.
More paths to a high school diploma The curriculum focuses on preparing students for college. This should be expanded to provide for students who want to graduate prepared for a job or for those who want to go into the arts, according to the group.
Reduce class sizes “If we don’t reduce class sizes then we’re not really getting serious about education.”
Mr. Ratliff said he realizes that all this costs money, but it’s money worth spending and “we’ve got a surplus.”
For more information Raise Your Hand Texas
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| Last Updated: Jan 4th, 2009 - 18:57:55 |
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