Texas Schools Need to Improve, but the State Must Help

Over the last couple of years, the political discussion around education in Texas has focused on vouchers that would use public dollars to pay for private education. Advocates have prevented meaningful funding for public education until vouchers — which have not had majority support in the Texas House — are passed into law. This approach has worsened the funding shortage facing the public schools that educate most Texas students.

Local school districts have a tremendous responsibility, but they need appropriate state support to meet that responsibility. They also need support from the rest of us. The start of the new school year is a time to express our appreciation for the work educators do and for us to acknowledge the very real challenges they face. Teaching is a unique calling, and the job is made no easier when students come to school from families that are struggling economically and otherwise, or when their class sizes are larger than last year.

We can support teachers throughout the year, for example, by asking which classroom supplies need restocked, or by joining with friends and coworkers to provide occasional meals for school staff. Many school districts have education foundations that are always raising funds so they can support and enhance teachers’ work.

We should also remember to celebrate, and build upon, the many things that public schools are doing well. For example, public schools in Texas today — with help from the Legislature — are far more adept than they used to be at working with businesses in their communities to create career-and-technology programs that not only help fill local workforce needs, but also offer clear paths to success for students who are not heading to four-year universities.

Walk through many Texas high schools today and you will see students learning the skills they need for successful careers in technology, robotics, health care, law enforcement and countless other fields. Students are exploring their own potential in classes that hold their interests.

These programs result from educators, business leaders and elected officials working together to meet needs in communities and students’ lives.

The eventual release of the A-F accountability ratings will create renewed conversations about whether our public school system is up to the job of educating every student. Meaningful improvements can come out of those conversations, but we should also remember that our public schools were never intended to act alone.

In order for our schools and students to reach their full potential, our elected state leaders need to prioritize public education — with the investments to prove it.

Joe Straus of San Antonio served as speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019.