By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo San Antonio Express-News
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison visited San Antonios KIPP Aspire Academy Monday along with former first lady Barbara Bush and former Congressman Henry Bonilla to talk about what she calls her No. 1 issue in her campaign for governor: education.
Hutchison focused on Texas dropout problem and said shed like to see more charter schools like KIPP as well as magnet programs to help keep students in school.
She also said shes advocating for an accelerated middle school program that would flag kids who might become likely high school dropouts and get them caught up with their peers before they enter ninth grade.
I am really appalled that we have a 30 percent dropout rate in our schools" Hutchison said referring to the statewide rate.
In campaign material Hutchison also outlined developing the classroom of the 21st century and steering the best and brightest candidates to the teaching profession.
Bush who said she promised her husband that I would behave" called Hutchison honest decent and hardworking."
George Bush made me promise I wouldnt be negative" the former first lady said reminiscing about an interview in which she called her husband decent" and was then asked if she were suggesting his opponent wasnt decent. But she said
Hutchison has no dark side no hidden agenda. I think shes a wonderful woman and we need her."
Hutchison praised KIPP Aspire a high-achieving charter school that posts some of the highest test scores in Bexar County while serving a mostly low-income minority population.
As governor of Texas I am going to support charter schools because I think we should have all the options of schools" she said.
Hutchison is trailing Gov. Rick Perry in most polls of the Republican gubernatorial primary. Activist Debra Medina is a distant third.
Perry has made headlines by refusing to participate in the federal Race to the Top program at a cost of as much as $700 million that critics charge could have been used in Texas classrooms.
The governor has said it would be unwise at this point to participate in the program that pushes states to adopt education reform principles noting that no one knows what strings are attached to the money because the rules have not been written.
