Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas
Quality Pre-K programs are right for the kids & right for Texas. If we want to improve our workforce increase the tax base and reduce the social costs of high school dropouts then we are going to have to convince everyone that Pre-K is an extremely good investment."
Bill Hammond President of the Texas Association of Business
Texas business & political leaders are stressing how important it is for State legislators to fully fund the purchase of textbooks & instructional materials during this years budget debate for public school students. Theres something in the Texas Constitution that says the Permanent School Fund (PSF) money must be spent on textbooks. We think it should have first call" said Hammond. Hammond and the Texas Association of Business along with Texas Citizen Action Network President & CEO Jim Cardle have urged Texas lawmakers to make sure $550 million of the $3 billion provided by the State Board of Education (SBOE) is used
this session according to the purpose specified in the Texas Constitution which is to buy textbooks for the states 5 million schoolchildren.
Cardle said a new statewide poll shows Texans overwhelmingly want lawmaker to spend the money on new textbooks as the Constitution directs.
The poll found 83 of Texans across all political and ideological lines support full funding for the new textbooks.New phonics & reading textbooks are among those due in classrooms across the state this fall and are needed to teach the more rigorous curriculums r
equired by the Texas Legislature.
Hammond pointed out that the future prosperity of Texas is strongly linked to the educational founding provided to Texans.
Legislative budget writers should prioritize $550 million of the $3 billion for new digital and print materials for pre-kindergarten English as a Second Language writing & science" Hammond said.
