From the Senator's Desk . . .
May 1, 2008
Our public schools have educated generations of Texas leaders, from Ann Richards to Henry B. González; from Lyndon Johnson to Barbara Jordan. So, let's invest now in our future generation of Texas leaders.
Written by Senator Eliot Shapleigh, www.shapleigh.org
"Invest Now or Pay Later"
In shorthand, that's what Texas has to do about education.
Today, Texas ranks first in dropouts and 48th in SAT scores. In a recent study, "Avoidable Losses," by Rice University and 7 Houston-area high schools, 16,707 children entered as 9th graders in 1998 and, at the other end, only 6,645 graduated. By my count, just in high school, 40 percent dropped out. You can read the study by clicking here.
These charts, from the study, give a snapshot of the challenge ahead.
Click here to view larger image.
Click here to view larger image.
Compared to Canada, with 58 percent of its population having earned a higher education, 28 percent of Texans have a college education. Simply put, we must invest now or we will not compete in a 21st Century world based on knowledge. In the world today, what you learn will determine what you earn—both in your pocketbook and in your country.
This week, we also released the most recent chapter of the 2009 Texas Borderlands report: "Public Education—Investing in Our Future." You may view the chapter by clicking here.
Since the days of Thomas Jefferson, when the radical idea of a free public education system swept across America, education has defined the future of Americans and built a middle class. Texas is no different. Unless Texas invests now and devises value-added strategies in public and higher education, Texas family incomes will decline by $6,000 in the next 30 years. In the first time in Texas history, the generation of tomorrow will be less prosperous than the generation of today.
Our public schools have educated generations of Texas leaders, from Ann Richards to Henry B. González; from Lyndon Johnson to Barbara Jordan. So, let's invest now in the next generation of Texas leaders.
It's worth the fight!
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