By Kate Alexander; January 12, 2013

Some of the worst performing charter schools in Texas have been allowed to languish for years, failing both the students and state taxpayers. The laggards have been abetted by a state law that has made it legally difficult for the Texas Education Agency to revoke a charter, which allows a private, nonprofit entity to run a public school. But charter schools could soon be getting some tough love as state education leaders aim to root out those that are failing to serve students while opening the doors for more high-performing operators. "Back in the '90s, the Legislature didn't get it right. We need to get it right," said newly ensconced state Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston, who has long been a charter school advocate and is now in a position to put some muscle behind the issue. Read the article.

By Matt Mackowiak; January 13, 2013
One of the bright line differences between the Republican and Democratic parties is that fundamentally, Republicans believe that competition is fundamentally good in every circumstance. Competition brings improvement, efficiency, and gives consumers choices. It is telling that the only choice Democrats support is defending the right of a woman to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. As the Legislature begins its new biennial session in Austin, a new battle for competition will be waged through an increased demand for school reform. Gov. Rick Perry is a strong public supporter of school reform. Republicans, led by Senate Education Committee chairman Dan Patrick, R-Houston, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, believe that rather than ZIP codes determining education options, instead parents know what is best for their children, and as such, should be able to choose which school their children attend. Read the article.

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January 12, 2013
A system that measures whether public schools are properly educating kids should be straightforward. It should be credible, accurate and easy to understand. If only. Texas' accountability system, designed to ensure that schools got better, that poor performance had consequences and that struggling students didn't get hidden, became so punitive, burdensome, misleading and test-obsessed that lawmakers demanded something different. With the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness being phased in to evaluate how well students are learning, education officials still must devise a method of using those scores to evaluate how well schools are performing. It's complicated. Read the article.

By Mike Norman; January 11, 2013
Comments from Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst say a lot about what's likely to be in the budget the Legislature will produce come late May. What's in: money for infrastructure needs, like water and transportation. Maybe tax cuts. What's out: Maybe the idea of restoring $5.4 billion in public school funding trimmed from the budget two years ago. Nothing's certain yet. A whole session of haggling is ahead, wrapping up May 27. Perry's pushing for tax cuts, saying "the best use for the people's money is to give it back to them in some form or fashion." Conversation centers on reducing or even eliminating the franchise tax. The tax is expected to produce $9.5 billion during the 2013-14 budget cycle. A business tax cut like that might be a form of giving tax money back to the people, but it's a roundabout one at best. Read the editorial.

The Associated Press; January 15, 2013
AUSTIN, Texas - An expert witness in the lawsuit over funding for Texas public schools testified Wednesday that more spending does not necessarily lead to better student performance. Eric Hanushek, an education expert at Stanford University, said he does not see a correlation between per student spending and test results. He said he believes the real problem with public schools is a lack of efficiency. "If we simply put more resources into schools and use it the way districts have been using it ... we should not expect higher achievement from students on average," Hanushek said. "We are wasting resources to the extent that we are spending on things that don't matter." Read the article.

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By Wendy Gragg; January 14, 2013
Harmony Science Academy-Waco is poised to grow in programs and enrollment because of a federal award and general support from the community. Harmony Public Schools, a public charter school system that operates the Waco campus and 37 additional schools in Texas, recently received the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top-District award from a pool of 372 applicants. Harmony Public Schools will get about $30 million across four years and that money will be doled out to its campuses. Harmony Science Academy-Waco, which serves 720 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, will get about $190,000 a year for four years, said Lindy Ermoian, elementary principal at the school. Ermoian said the money, which is earmarked for the middle and high school levels, will be used to offer more program options to students. Read the article.

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