Once again, we see evidence that Bush's "no child left behind" education initiatives are leaving far too many of our young people behind. The Texas Education Agency has just released figures for the number of students completing high school for 2006. The numbers are not good.
In 2005, students graduated high school at a 91.9% rate. In 2006, that rate had fallen to a disturbing 88.9%. In just one year, the rate of students who did not complete high school had risen from 8.1% to 11.1% -- a full 3% jump!
In an era where jobs that provide a livable wage are requiring education beyond the high school level, Texas is failing to provide even a high school education for over 11% of its students. That is an unacceptable level of failure for our educational system.
This means the state is dumping thousands of students into our society each year that simply do not have the skills to get ahead. They face a lifetime of low-skill jobs and poverty wages. Is it any wonder that many choose to escape their dismal future in a life of crime?
Republicans believe they have a magic solution with "school vouchers". But allowing private schools to "cherry pick" the best students from the public system and abandon the rest is not a solution. Injecting religion into our schools will also do nothing to solve the problem.
We must bite the bullet and provide schools with enough money for great teachers, smaller classes (and smaller schools), adequate supplies and modern textbooks. Then we must demand that the money be used properly. It must be used to educate students.
Too often, we find that some schools think a winning football or basketball program is more important than teaching math, science, literature and history. This is backwards. Teaching must come first when the budget is set.
I'll probably make some people mad when I say this, but if a school's coach is paid more than the other teachers, then that school's priorities are screwed up. It is time for schools and communities to put education first. By failing to do so, we are damaging the future for everyone.
Right now we are failing over 11% of our students. Let's fix the problem and create a brighter future for everyone.
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