Governmental Issues

TAB Issue Area:  Education

Area Manager: Jack Campbell,
Governmental Affairs Manager
512/477-6721 x.104
jcampbell@txbiz.org

Workforce development is increasingly on the minds of all employers. Employment is at an all time high and the unemployment rate is the lowest in 29 years. The Bureau of  Labor Statistics estimates that in the decade from 1996 to 2006 employers will be demanding 18.5 million additional workers to fill new positions.

TAB believes that focusing on the quality of our schools will help solve the growing problem of a qualified workforce. Education in Texas has improved, but there is much more that we can do.

Six years ago, despite state education funding of nearly $22 billion a year, one in five Texas schoolchildren could not read.

Six years ago, the state had control over the schools with more than 200 unnecessary state rules.

Today, under the leadership of Governor George W. Bush and through the support of TAB, Texas has developed one of the nation's strongest and most comprehensive accountability systems to ensure that no child is left behind or lost in the bureaucracy of our education system.

Today, local control has been restored to our schools, discouraging excuses for failure and encouraging accountability and enhanced student performance.

Today, students are expected to learn just as teachers are expected to teach.

Governor Bush's initiatives of local control, accountability and limited government have taken education to a new level in Texas. TAB will continue to build upon these principles this session.

In this tight labor market, it is more important than ever that our students leave our schools not only with a diploma, but also with the skills needed to find meaningful employment.

The economic future of Texas hinges on a qualified workforce. To that end, TAB's legislative program in workforce and education focuses on the following priority issues:

Accountability. Support academic accountability for students and both academic and fiscal accountability for teachers, principals and other school administrators.

Charter schools. Support expansion of the current limit on open enrollment charter schools in Texas and support uniform administrative criteria.

Educated workforce. Support education and job-training programs that equip students with specific skills needed for the workplace. Also, support excellence in the basics.

Employer driven workforce system. Support efforts that encourage a broader, more significant and substantial business presence in the planning, delivery, oversight and use of the new Texas Workforce System.

Federal block grants. Support efforts to fund state workforce programs through federal block grants with maximum flexibility on the use of the funds.

Higher Education. Support the concept of less legislative and regulatory oversight of our higher education system, coupled with clear statements of goals and expectations and accountability for results. The state should  encourage collaborative approaches among Texas' higher education institutions in R&D funding strategies, technology deployment and distance education in order to avoid duplication and waste.

Increased competition. Support expansion of programs that creates competition, and in turn, improves performance and decrease administrative costs of public schools.

Literacy. Support legislation that results in Texas students acquiring necessary reading skills at grade level by the third grade.

School choice. TAB believes every child in Texas should have an opportunity to receive a high quality education of which public education is the foundation. Accordingly, TAB supports implementation of proven initiatives and innovations that improve the academic performance of students attending Texas public schools. TAB also believes that school choice is one such program that deserves piloting and evaluation. Therefore, we support implementation and evaluation of a well-designed pilot program, allowing students in low performing public schools to attend public or qualified private schools of their choice. The pilot program must be of sufficient  magnitude to assess the impact a choice program would have on the students and the public school system.

School to Career. Support this valuable program to make students aware of the world of work.

Social promotion. Support requiring students to successfully complete all course requirements before advancement to the next grade.

Teacher Shortage. Support aggressive implementation of alternative teacher certification programs that streamline the ability of individuals to enter teaching, and supports the concept of pay differentials.

Teacher training and criteria-based curriculum. Support certification and training for teachers on the use of technology and use of allotments.

Workforce. Continue support of Texas Workforce System to enable the system to develop and stabilize by opposing changes to current workforce law.

Workforce Skills Development Fund. Support efforts to enhance or expand the Skills Development Fund and similar programs that require employers' participation and oversight of job training initiatives.