Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Posted on 01/27/2004 8:06:05 AM PST by Arrowhead1952
Governor proposes financial incentives for keeping kids in school, good test scores.
By Dave Harmon and Laylan Copelin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
SAN ANTONIO -- Gov. Rick Perry wants the state to use cash payments to reward schools that help students stay in school and excel in class.
Perry unveiled a three-prong proposal Monday that he said will "usher in a new era of educational achievement in Texas that is not based on meeting minimum standards, but focused on maximum perform- ance."
The plan includes:
* Extra money to schools for each student who stays in high school. Schools would receive cash in $100 increments, up to $600 per student, for each year those students advance in high school.
* A $100 annual payment for each student who scores 90 percent or higher on every Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. The payment would be $200 for each at-risk student who reaches the goal.
* A $1,000 annual payment for each high school graduate who completes the state's more challenging course of study, the Distinguished Achievement Program. The program includes extra foreign language study and Advanced Placement and college-level courses.
The plan is part of a $500 million-per-year slate of education proposals that Perry is making public this week. Other parts of the plan will be unveiled in speeches today and Thursday.
Before they can become reality, the items Perry discussed Monday would require about $180 million in additional state money as well as approval by the Legislature. Perry said he wants to focus now on "the destination" -- improving student achievement -- and talk about how to pay for it later.
"I can assure you that there are discussions going on now about the way that you get to that destination," Perry said. "We're working on lots of different ideas and lots of different concepts of how funding will occur."
Perry has promised to call a special session of the Legislature to deal with school finance if there is a consensus among legislative leaders on a solution.
From 1993 through 2001, Texas homeowners saw their local school property taxes increase, on average, more than twice as fast as the state's per-pupil expenditures. Some school districts have eliminated teaching positions or reduced programs; almost half of the state's districts are near the maximum tax rate on property.
The price tag for Perry's incentive program is significantly less than the $4.2 billion in additional money that some advocates are calling for. Yet Perry's $500 million represents a reversal. Earlier this month, he said no additional money was necessary except to pay for growing enrollment, then later said he would consider spending more.
One Democratic lawmaker applauded the plan but predicted it would require higher taxes.
"If we want excellence, it is about the money," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. "There's got to be a tax bill." Cathy Douglass with the Texas Association of School Boards said Perry's proposal would help too few students.
"TASB thought 'No Child Left Behind' meant every kid counts," Douglass said. "But unfortunately, an overwhelming majority of the governor's funding proposal would apply to only a select few, with over two-thirds of the money going to less than 5 percent of the students who perform best on standardized tests."
She said the association agreed with Perry that the legislative session should be about educational excellence, "but we plan to support excellence for every Texas child, not just a select few."
Austin Superintendent Pat Forgione applauded the governor for offering more money for education and endorsed the emphasis on excellence.
"This first proposal, however, appears to be the second-stage rocket," Forgione added. "Urban school districts, such as Austin, first need the horsepower to help launch us into this trajectory of excellence."
The state's largest teachers group said the governor should raise teachers' pay and restore their health care stipend -- which the Legislature cut in half last year -- before promoting new programs. The Association of Texas Professional Educators also pointed out that in the 1980s, the state rolled out a "career ladder" program that paid teachers based on individual incentives, but ran out of money when teachers exceeded the goals.
"If the state wants incentives, they should look at the data and tie extra dollars to stipends for experienced teachers to mentor new teachers, which would put a dent in the teacher retention problem in this state," said Brock Gregg, director of governmental relations for the group.
One Democratic lawmaker applauded the plan but predicted it would require higher taxes.
"If we want excellence, it is about the money," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. "There's got to be a tax bill."
I agree with you on the discipline authority.
I think what should happen, is to take away financing from failing districts. End of conversation.
The sad fact is that no one votes in the school board elections except teachers.
The school taxes in the LVISD are pegged at the maximum allowed under state law. There are districts that get money from the current Robin Hood school finance law that are less than 50% of the cap. That is not fair.
As far as voting in school board elections, about three years ago the parents of some students in our district were sick and tired of two board members. They did not care anything about the school, just the teachers. We got two rival candidates to oust them with a big voter turnout.
Problem now is, the board president got really ticked off, and will not let them do anything but sit there.
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!
Amen to that!!
Before they can become reality, the items Perry discussed Monday would require about $180 million in additional state money as well as approval by the Legislature. Perry said he wants to focus now on "the destination" -- improving student achievement -- and talk about how to pay for it later.
He can sure give away money. Too bad its not his money he is giving away.
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