TEXANS SAY MORE MONEY SPENT ON EDUCATION
SHOULD BE LINKED TO SCHOOL, STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Statewide survey shows support for continued education reforms and tools to measure their success

AUSTIN, Texas (March 22, 2004) — Texans want the Texas Legislature to address education, but they also want to know that any new money invested in the state’s public school system will produce positive results, according to a new statewide public opinion survey commissioned by the Texas Education Reform Foundation (TERF). An overwhelming 86 percent of survey participants said any new state money dedicated to public schools must be tied to fiscal responsibility and student performance accountability measures.

Results of the survey were released in Austin today during the Washington Mutual Statewide Education Summit sponsored by the Texas Education Reform Foundation. The two-day summit featured keynote speeches by Dr. Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education, and Governor Rick Perry, as well as a panel discussion on school finance and sessions on Hispanic dropout prevention, retaining qualified teachers and analyzing school performance.

“As state leaders and local legislators consider a special legislative session on public school finance, Texans are saying they want to know how their current education tax dollars are being spent before more state aid is committed,” said Foundation board member David O. Russell. “Most of those surveyed favor using assessment tests, such as TAKS, to measure school performance, and 83 percent say any new money spent on the state’s education system should be used to fund accountability measures, such as lowering the dropout rate or improving student achievement.”

The Foundation commissioned Baselice & Associates to conduct the survey to gauge public support for continued education reform and use of the TAKS exam as a tool to measure school performance.

The survey of 806 randomly selected Texas adults was conducted February 12-17 and has a margin for error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

The importance placed on education cuts across political party lines, Russell noted. Of the 86 percent of respondents who said they were registered to vote, 37 percent said they tended to vote Republican, 35 percent Democrat and 21 percent independent of political party.

“Texans clearly see a link between today’s public education system and the future of our state,” Russell said. “They want a strong education system that ensures students can succeed not only in school, but in the world beyond high school graduation. Texans need to see a return on their education investment, a return that can be measured by accountability tests and other tools.”

Other key findings from the survey include:

• Without stronger schools, 91 percent of Texans say our state cannot be strong.
• 79 percent of Texas adults believe local school districts should be able to pay administrators and teachers based on their performance and market requirements rather than just length of service.
• Three-fourths of Texas adults say that it is smart to use assessment tests to measure school performance and to hold the schools accountable accordingly.
• While Texas schools have made major strides, 82 percent believe Texas must continue the course of education reform to secure the state’s future.
• 86 percent say students should not be promoted to the next grade unless they have the necessary knowledge and skills.
• 69 percent say that the TAKS test helps teachers be more effective because they can adjust their curriculum in areas in which students excel or struggle.

“It’s not enough to spend more money on education – Texans want to see results,” Russell said. “The survey shows that future reforms should concentrate on measuring just how well our schools and students are meeting the performance standards we’re setting for them, and whether those benchmarks are adequate.”

About The Texas Education Reform Foundation (TERF) is a non-profit 501©3 corporation formed in 2001. Its membership includes elected and appointed officials, educators, school administrators, representatives of state agencies and associations, parents, and business leaders.