News Room

Senate to Consider School Reform Bill Today
June 29, 2005

Today the Senate will debate and vote on H.B. 2, the School Reform bill.

Written by Senator Shapleigh, www.shapleigh.org

AUSTIN - Today the Senate will debate and vote on H.B. 2, the School Reform bill. The Senate version of H.B. 2 will be substantially similar to the version considered by the Senate on May 11, 2005.

With respect to the debate today, Senator Eliot Shapleigh stated:

As H.B. 2 and H.B. 3 move through the Senate our goals will be the same as they have been since we started this debate in 2003:

• Invest in an exellent education for every Texas child;

• Raise teacher pay to move Texas teachers to the national average; and,

• Substantially reduce property taxes with revenue sources that are fair to families and businesses.

So far, the system established by Robin Hood is better than any current proposal on the table. Under Robin Hood, rich and poor are linked in common cause to good schools and districts are funded with money now, not with promises of money tomorrow.

“In this debate, we will fight to honor core Texas values regarding public education.” Senator Shapleigh stated. “Our goal is to deliver an excellent education to every child in the state regardless of where they might live.”

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