The Texas Tribune reported on January 9 that Texas lawmakers will have $188.2 billion available for the next budget after recordbreaking revenue growth. Texas Comptroller Glen Hegar provided the budgetary information.
“The amount of projected revenues give the state a remarkable, a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, for historic actions in this legislative session,” Hegar said, as reported in The Tribune.
Naturally, that surplus comes with cautionary advice. Texas will prioritize its rainy day fund (the Economic Stabilization Fund) as well it should.
To save or to spend should not be the only question. It is wise to recognize both actions are necessary.
I would encourage the men and women sitting behind those nice desks in the chambers of the Texas Capitol to consider two policy matters. One would ave money by ending the STAAR high-stakes testing. The other would call for spending surplus funds on needed improvements to the Texas foster care program. Both benefit the state’s children.
As a result of House Bill 3906, students are adapting to yet another change in the STAAR test. Since its implementation in 2012, STAAR testing has evolved into the rating system for schools. It is a pressure that often puts children at-risk and teachers at-bay. Accountability is necessary, but the problem with STAAR is that results are viewed as an attempt to force uniform accountability in a state with over 1,026 school districts of different geographical/ social/economic/cultural demographics.
Re-allocate the $90 million spent annually on STAAR combined with some of the budget surplus to tackle another issue impacting children.
The Texas foster care system was deemed “broken” and unconstitutional eight years ago by U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack.
The Texas legislature has tried to address the foster care system with several bills, but problems still exist. Data collection that provides the history of abuse children have endured is not centralized. Many children are unaware of the 24-hour hotline availability. Private companies have been outsourced to assist with CPS caseloads, raising the possibility of profit over protection.
As of last week, the 88th Legislature has introduced 2,795 bills. It appears that only one would address the foster care system data collection (HB 1342). Several bills have been introduced which relate to “the academic assessment of public school students.”
Let’s hope our state representatives and senators use common sense and wisdom. Writing, researching, and passing meaningful legislation is what they are there to do—not to get bogged down in political posturing.
Snyder, Texas, native Sue Jane Sullivan is a retired schoolteacher whose thought-provoking commentary appears occasionally in several West Texas newspapers, including The Texas Spur and The Caprock Courier.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
