Evaluation criteria

We are looking for candidates who will increase funding for our public schools.

I posted a question on Facebook the other day that sparked a long thread of comments.  I was trying to get an idea of what people are looking for when they are looking for a good school district.  Here is a quick summary of some of the responses:

  • Leadership that has a vision/passionate about kids.
  • Experienced, passionate, caring, engaged teachers. Low teacher turn over.
  • Individuation/tailored to needs of the student /treat kids as individuals – One size does not fit all
  • Academic Success/challenging academics/high ranking in academics
  • Effective program for teaching reading
  • Wide variety of opportunities, extracurriculars – sports, arts, robotics, etc.
  • Values and supports students from all backgrounds, all economic levels.
  • Diversity of students
  • Strong support programs: Special Ed, students with disabilities, learning differences
  • Strong Gifted & Talented programs
  • Strong Career/Tech
  • Synergy/Trust with the community
  • Willing to work with, listen to parents, especially to solve problems.
  • Good student environment: avoid exposure to drugs, crime, negative relationships, bullying, fights.
  • Calm environment
  • Opportunity to make good friends
  • Adequate staffing/smaller class sizes
  • Safety
  • Good facilities
  • Kindness
  • Healthy, developmentally appropriate expectations for students

This is not necessarily a complete list, but I think it’s a pretty good list.  It illustrates both the complexity and the promise of public education. This list represents the kind of foundation we could be providing for all our K-12 students in Texas.  It’s the kind of foundation that provides a solid jumping off point for a productive life.  Our communities are stronger when our students get this kind of foundation. Our society is stronger.  It makes all our lives better.  These kinds of public schools make Texas Stronger.

Texas is the 8th largest economy in the WORLD.  We are the second wealthiest state in the country by gross domestic product.  We could have the best public schools in the country, yet we rank 28th in K-12 education.

Most of us recognize that the kinds of schools represented by this list - and the benefit they provide to our communities - are worth the investment.  Yet, as a state we are not making that investment.

Year after year Texas ranks in the bottom 10 states for public school funding. Our current annual funding is $6,160 per student. That amount has not increased since 2019 despite record-breaking inflation.   We would have to increase per student funding by $3,000 per student annually just to be average in the country.  Teachers and public school employees have been stretching insufficient dollars for years – really decades.  At this point they cannot stretch anymore. The result is teacher shortages, larger class sizes, increased behavior issues and other challenges that are interfering with student learning.  Again, Texas has a terrific economy – the 8th largest economy in the world!  We could have the best public schools in the country if we would allocate adequate funding to move forward. Instead, the Texas Legislature had a $32 billion budget surplus to invest last session and none of it went to fund public schools. So now, instead of moving forward, school districts in McLennan County and across the state are  being forced to cut important services and programs due to budget deficits.     

The Texas Legislature determines per student spending for our public schools.  Our tool for increasing per student spending is our vote.  If we want the schools we say we want, we must elect candidates to the Texas Legislature who will prioritize increasing funding for public schools.  There is nothing inevitable about the quality of our public schools. Texas could have the best public schools in the country.  It’s a choice.  It’s a choice we make when we elect representatives to the Texas House and senators to the Texas Senate.  It’s a choice we will make in November. We must vote for candidates who will prioritize necessary funding for public schools.