MORE MONEY FOR EDUCATION: WORTHWHILE WHEN WELL-SPENT
By Vidal Martinez

This opinion editorial received coverage in daily and weekly papers in April and May 2004.

In a murky sea of opinions and proposed solutions for the broken school finance system in Texas, this much is clear: Texans want it fixed. They are willing to spend more money to do it. But they want to be sure that their investment is actually making a difference.

In a survey released by the Texas Education Reform Foundation (TERF), 91 percent of survey participants say our state cannot be strong without strong schools. Not surprisingly, education topped the list of issues Texans considered most important for the Texas Legislature to address, ranking above health care, jobs and the economy.

Education is the cornerstone of our future in Texas. We need a strong education system to promote students’ success in the classroom and in the world after graduation day. But Texas public school financial woes are threatening that success and there is an immediate need for a Special Session to address this thorny issue.

Delivering a future of education excellence by fixing our current school finance system is a complicated challenge – especially since it may cost taxpayers more money.

As lawmakers turn to Texans for additional support of this worthy enterprise, accountability and responsibility must be at the forefront. In the same survey, an overwhelming 86 percent of participants agreed that any new state money dedicated to public schools must be tied to fiscal responsibility and student performance accountability measures.

This link between accountability and spending isn’t surprising. Texans expect results whenever family pocketbooks are involved. Think of Texas farmers who are willing to pay more for new and improved pesticide so long as it keeps the boll weevil at bay. Consider the proud car owner who has always purchased high-quality motor oil in order to keep his car running for 16 years. Texans don’t shy away from spending; they just want quality in product and performance in return.

The same holds true for our investment in public education. Blindly pumping more money into the system isn’t fair to tax payers and perhaps more importantly, it isn’t good for school children. Education requires an eyes-wide-open approach. Texans are looking toward the future as they invest in highly qualified teachers, relevant and essential curricular materials, effective instruction, and targeted assessments. This is a determined process that will promote enduring educational excellence worthy of Texans.

Each child’s potential depends on lawmakers and educators to chart his or her path toward a world-class education. Accurate and effective performance tests and assessment tools help to guarantee that investments in education are producing results.

According the TPERF survey, the majority of Texans surveyed agreed: 83 percent said any new money spent on the state’s education system should be used to fund accountability measures, such as increasing student achievement, improving attendance, and lowering the drop-out rate. Most also favored using assessment tests, such as TAKS, in order to measure school performance.

More than embracing minimal standards, we should be investing our tax dollars in maximum achievement for all students. The only way to evaluate our progress is to fund tools to let us know what’s working and what isn’t.

As lawmakers wade through options to fix our flawed school finance system, we hope they consider and respect the pocketbook impact on Texas taxpayers who have high standards for spending. They must be able to assure all Texans that their increased investment in our future is not only worthwhile, but also well spent.

Vidal Martinez is the General Counsel of the Texas Education Reform Caucus, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the cause of education reform in Texas. He lives in Houston and is an international lawyer, speaker and author.