Issue Position: Protect Public Education

Issue Position

Fully restore $5.4 billion the Legislature cut from public education in the 2011 Session. School districts lost an average of $500 per student, and after making severe cuts in staffing and programs, many had no choice but to raise local property taxes to replace some of those funds. Though significant funding was restored in the 2013 Session, many school districts, including those in Central Texas are still receiving less funding than they did before the 2011 cuts.

Support private sector economic development by ensuring an educated and "Career Ready" workforce. As the Austin area continues to prove, an educated workforce is key to attracting employers to our state. Higher and vocational education investment must be a top budget priority if our state is to continue attracting and growing new jobs.

Revisit and reign in standardized testing by using more meaningful and rational approaches to making sure our students' educational needs are being met. House Bill 5 passed in the last legislative session went a long way toward reducing unnecessary standarized tests and creating multiple graduation pathways. However, we must now ensure that schools have the resources they need to implement these new pathways and an appropriate accountability system to ensure desired outcomes. We also need to demand that the state fund quality full-day pre-K for all eligible students--a significant intervention that all agree is necessary for student success. Additionally, the appropriate IT infrastructure must be available throughout the state so that all students have access to 21st century learning experiences

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