1 / 13

Education Policy Issues in Texas: Past and Present Perspectives

Trace the evolution of education policies in Texas from Plessy v. Ferguson to current challenges in school financing, affirmative action, and school choice. Explore the impacts of historical decisions, such as Brown v. Board of Education, on the state's education landscape.

petronella
Download Presentation

Education Policy Issues in Texas: Past and Present Perspectives

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Education Policy

  2. Issues in Education Policy • Plessy v. Ferguson case provided for “separate but equal” public facilities, including education • Texas maintained such facilities until the 1950’s • Brown v. Board of Education overturned Plessy in 1954 and required steps to integrate public schools

  3. Issues in Education Policy • Starting in the 1950’s many Texans moved out of cities • Many reasons, including crowding, crime rates, bigger housing • That movement, along with racial integration of schools, resulted in the phenomenon of suburbanization

  4. Issues in Education Policy • Retail businesses followed, as did other industry • Urban school systems began to have limited economic resources • Property tax system hurt lower-appraised districts, requiring a higher tax rate

  5. Issues in Education Policy • Challenge by property-poor districts in San Antonio School District v. Rodriguez failed, with U.S. Supreme Court holding that school finance was a state issue • Edgewood v. Kirby, decided by the Texas Supreme Court, held system of financing unconstitutional

  6. Issues in Education Policy • Result was Robin Hood, a bill requiring sharing of resources • Legislature will be forced to address school financing sooner, rather than later

  7. Higher Education • Affirmative action programs have long been used to increase minority enrollment • Hopwood case held that institutions could not rely on race as a factor in admissions • Other factors, such as income, 10% rule, and reduced weight on SAT can increase enrollment

  8. Higher Education • Permanent University Fund (PUF) provides support for UT and A&M systems • UT gets 2/3, A&M 1/3 • Higher Education Assistance Fund was established in 1984 to assist other institutions

  9. Comparison • Texas teachers earn about 10% less than the national average, but argument is made that if cost of living is considered, Texas is with 1% of the national average • Per pupil spending is also about 10-15% lower than national level

  10. Comparison • Texas’ National Assessment of Educational Progress scores outpace the national average • Scores vary by race, ethnicity and social class

  11. School Choice • Voucher programs have been held constitutional by U.S. Supreme Court • Publicly funded voucher is provided to permit child to attend any school of choice • Charter schools operate under a relaxed set of regulations and can experiment with new and innovative teaching techniques

  12. Issues • School prayer • Santa Fe decision prohibited student-led prayer, although there is not an entire ban on prayer • Textbook selection

  13. Players in the Game • Legislature • Governing Boards • Boards of Regents • Governor • Courts • Local School Boards • Administrators/Faculty

More Related