A Message From Hank

Click here to download Hank's Plan for funding K-12 Education Reform in Texas in PDF format

In September when I entered the race for governor of Texas, I unveiled a bold, common-sense reform package for k-12 education in Texas. At that time, I announced that I would unveil a funding plan for those reforms later in the year. I did this because I wanted to insure that the ideas and policies—not the minutiae associated with the funding—was the key story.

Now that Texans have had the opportunity to assess my policy proposal, I am announcing what I believe to be the best plan to fund my package of k-12 education reforms.

Whether this plan becomes reality ultimately depends upon Texas voters. Each of you will have the opportunity to go to the polls and approve the necessary constitutional amendments to make part of this plan work.

In order to fund improvements to public education in Texas, bold new ideas are needed. With Texas facing a record budget shortfall in the next biennium, I believe this plan is the most appropriate.

Sincerely,

Hank Gilbert

New Revenue Is Needed To Fund Improvements In K-12 Public Education In Texas.

Hank proposes three separate revenue streams to generate new funding to support primary and secondary education initiatives:

• A “Big Box” Tax. Hank proposes a gross receipts tax on retail stores that have more than $20 million in sales annually and a tax exemption deal from local entities.

• Internet Sales Tax Fairness. Hank proposes legislation mandating that Internet retailers operating “affiliate programs” in Texas and making more than $10,000 in annual sales through in-state affiliates charge Texas sales tax to Texas residents.

• Operation Of Racinos and Destination Resort Casinos in Texas. Hank proposes allowing existing Texas racetracks to be licensed to operate full casinos, and that the state grant a small number of permits for destination resort casinos.

The “Big Box” Tax.

Hank proposes a gross receipts tax on retail stores that have more than $20 million in sales annually.

Although “big box” retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Sam’s Club bring benefits to Texans (such as convenience and good product selection), they also take a tremendous toll on local small businesses and the overall Texas economy. For example, the employees of big-box retailers are often paid low wages and provided healthcare that is too expensive for low-income families to afford. In fact, Wal-Mart, Dillards, Home Depot and Sears ranked among the top 20 employers in Texas in terms of the number of children of employees served by the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program[1].

In addition, these out-of-state corporations often are exempt from local property taxes, directly removing critical revenue that could go to local public schools.

Under Hank’s plan, a retail gross receipts tax would be imposed on sellers from a single taxable establishment in Texas with gross receipts from the retail sales of consumer goods exceeding $20 million per calendar year.

Establishments generating over $20 million in sales up to $30 million would be taxed at one percent. Those generating between $30 million and $40 million would be taxed at a rate of one and a half percent. “Big Box” retail establishments generating over $40 million would be taxed at two percent.

Electricity, farm machinery, gasoline, and motor vehicles, would be excluded from calculations.

PROJECTING REVENUE: While projected revenue from such a gross receipts tax is difficult to calculate without significant study, one can easily see the potential fiscal impact such a revenue stream would have on the state budget.

As of October, 2009, Texas had 444 Wal-Mart stores and Sam’s Club retailers of varying type[2]. If we assumed that each of these stores generated $20,000,000 in gross receipts annually[3], that totals $8.88 billion dollars in annual taxable gross receipts. One percent of this total is $88.8 million in new tax revenue for Texas.

Internet Sales Tax Fairness.

Hank proposes legislation mandating that Internet retailers operating “affiliate programs” in Texas and making more than $10,000 in annual sales through in-state affiliates charge Texas sales tax to Texas residents.

Under Hank’s plan, Internet retailers such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com operating “affiliate programs” within Texas (whereby affiliates post advertisements on their websites and receive a commission from sales) would be required to charge Texas residents Texas sales tax if the retailer made over $10,000 in annual sales from Texas in a calendar year. Under Hank’s proposal, individual entrepreneurs such as those who sell items on E-Bay would be exempt from these taxes.

PROJECTING REVENUE: New York state, which enacted its so-called “Amazon tax” in 2008, estimated the state would see as much as $60 million in new revenue from the tax[4].

How much tax revenue is generated from such a tax in Texas would depend upon the current tax rate as well the annual sales in the state by the retailer. The New York model is an appropriate barometer because New York, Texas, and California are the nation’s most populous states.

Operation Of Racinos and Destination Resort Casinos in Texas.

Hank proposes allowing existing Texas racetracks to be licensed to operate full casinos, and that the state grant a small number of permits for destination resort casinos.

Under Hank’s plan, the state’s 13 existing racetracks would be allowed to be licensed to operate full casinos (“racinos”) in conjunction with their racing operations. Under Hank’s plan, instead of allowing the casinos to be licensed only to operate Video Lottery Terminals, the tracks would be allowed to operate full casinos including table games such as roulette and card games such as poker.

In addition to allowing casino gambling at the state’s 13 existing racetracks, under Hank’s plan, three Native American tribes in Texas—the Kickapoo (Eagle Pass), Alabama-Coushatta (Livingston) and Tiguas (El Paso) would be allowed to operate full casinos.

Hank’s plan also includes allowing licenses for up to three destination-style resort casinos in Texas. Under Hank’s plan, the legislature would determine the locations in which destination-style resort casinos could be built (such as the Gulf Coast, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, or the Rio Grande Valley).

PROJECTING REVENUE: This plan will bring well in excess of $1 billion in annual revenue to the state. With just VLTs at existing racetracks and on reservations, with a tax rate of 30 percent, it is projected the state would receive $1 billion in annual revenue from the casinos themselves as well as from secondary sources associated with the full economic impact of the casinos[5]. Allowing full gambling operations as Hank proposes would likely generate significantly more revenue than this.

In 2007 alone, Texas leaked nearly $2.4 billion dollars in revenue to other states with casino gambling. $1.016 billion went across our eastern border into Louisiana while another $478 million went north to Oklahoma. With VLTs alone at racetracks, it was projected that Texas would recapture $1.830 billion in leakage to other states and generate $1.531 billion in new revenue[6].

[2] Wal-Mart Stores. [SOURCE]

[3] $20 million in annual sales for a single location would equal roughly $55,000 in sales per day.

[4] New York Sun [LINK]

[5] The Economic and Tax Revenue Impact of Texas Racino Gambling,  Texans for Economic Development. February, 2009.

[6] ibid

TYLER-Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hank Gilbert said Monday morning that Texas Governor Rick Perry’s continued comments about how great Texas is doing show just how far out of touch the incumbent governor is with reality.

At a Republican gathering Friday in Fort Worth, Perry criticized the federal government and proclaimed that, “Texas is the blueprint America needs to look at to go forward.”

“If America uses the blueprint from Rick Perry’s Texas as a model to move forward, America would quickly become a third-world country,” Gilbert said. “All we’ve seen from the Perry administration is record unemployment, higher tuition costs, toll road disasters that will end up soaking taxpayers, failed privatization experiments that cost hundreds of millions, cover-ups, and worsening conditions for the middle class and poor,” Gilbert continued.

“For this governor to say that our state is doing so well that everyone should follow our lead shows just how out of touch he is,” Gilbert said. “Ask the thousands of Texans with out health insurance or who have lost their jobs if Rick Perry’s model is working for them. It is not,” Gilbert continued. “If his so-called blueprint was for a house, the roof would be on the floor, there would be no walls, and the toilet would be in the dining room,” Gilbert continued. “The only project Rick Perry could serve as the architect for would be a ditch, because that is where his leadership has driven Texas,” he concluded.

Gilbert pointed out that, under Perry’s leadership, Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured citizens of any state, kept 1.4 million children from health insurance, priced college tuition out of reach of thousands of Texans, has seen utility rates skyrocket 64 percent and property taxes which are at an all time high.

FACT SHEET

Rick Perry’s Bad Blueprint For Texas

SKYROCKETING UTILITY COSTS

Under Governor Perry’s leadership, electric rates have skyrocketed 64 percent. (SOURCE: Associated Press)

INCOME, JOB LOSS & POVERTY

Texas ranks 7th in among the states in the percent of our children living in poverty. (SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, R1704. Percent of Children Under 18 Years Below Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months, 2007)

Texas ranks 3d among the state in terms of the percentage of our population living below the Federal Poverty Level. (SOURCE: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation)

Texas ranks 3rd among the nation in terms of the percent of our population with food insecurity. (SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Household Food Insecurity in the United States, 2006)

Texas ranks third in the nation in terms of the percent of women in our population living in poverty. (SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006, Table 4b, Reported Voting and Registration of the Voting-Age Population, by Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin, for States: November 2006)

Job Loss in Rick Perry’s administration has been the worst Texas has seen since the 1970s and 1986 and 1987.

(Texas LMCI TRACER Generated graphic, with modifications to highlight Perry’s years as governor)

UNINSURED TEXANS

The number of uninsured Texans has increased from 4.9 million in 2001 to 6.1 million in 2008. The percent of non-elderly adults with out insurance rose from 27.8 percent to 32.1 percent. This number only considers people who are uninsured for an entire year and doesn’t include many Texans who have lost their health coverage as a result of the recession. (SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

Employer-based health plans in Texas are quickly disappearing. The percentage of employer-based health coverage decreased from 63.3 percent of the state’s population in 2001 to 55.6 percent in 2008. (SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

3.4 million Texas workers are without health insurance. The percentage of Texas workers without health insurance rose from 25.6 percent in 2001 to 29.7 percent in 2008. (SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).

Rick Perry’s failures on Children’s Health Insurance has forced over 1.4 million kids to go without health care coverage – over 20%, the highest rate of uninsured children in the nation. (SOURCE: Families USA)

Being uninsured isn’t just a problem for the poor. An additional 361,000 people from homes considered “high-income” households by the census bureau are now uninsured in Texas. (SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

EDUCATION

Although Texas ranks third in the nation in terms of the money spent on public education, the state ranks 45th in the nation in terms of dollars spent per student. (SOURCES: Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007. & ScoreCard.org)

Texas ranks 34th among the states in average teacher salaries. (Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007)

Texas ranks 50th in terms of the percent of the population over 25 with a high school diploma, and 41st in terms of its high school graduation rate. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

THE ENVIRONMENT

Texas is the worst air polluter in the nation.

Texas releases more volatile organic compounds into the air than any other state in the country. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

Texas releases more toxic chemicals into water than any other state in the nation. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

Texas ranks fifth in the nation in terms of toxic chemicals released into the air. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

Texas releases more cancer-causing carcinogens into the air than any other state in the U.S. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

Texas ranks seventh out of the fifty states in terms of the number of cancer-causing carcinogens released into water. (SOURCE: ScoreCard.org)

Texas ranks second among the fifty states in the amount of hazardous waste generated and first in carbon dioxide emissions. (SOURCE: Environmental Protection Agency)

“A promise is a promise,” Gilbert, (D-Whitehouse) said. “The word of the state is the bond of all Texans. Governor Perry is standing by while an obscure board of appointees breaks our promise to parents. That is unacceptable,” he continued.

This week, the Texas Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board announced that parents who invested in the Texas Tomorrow Fund would only be allowed to receive the amounts they paid in if they withdrew the funding because their children earned school scholarships or otherwise no longer needed the funds.

“This policy results in a loss to middle class parents who scrimped and saved to buy into the program and its promise. For Governor Perry to stand idly by and let this happen is a disgrace,” Gilbert said. “Texans deserve better. Texans deserve a governor they can trust. I was raised at a time when a promise from our leaders meant something more than just a sound-bite,” Gilbert said.

A Message From Hank

Click here to download Hank's Plan for K-12 Education in Texas in PDF format

This plan is titled “A Pledge of Allegiance to Texas Education” because we must commit ourselves as a state to making our public schools and colleges the centerpiece of our future prosperity. It takes time and a lot of work — the kind of time and work that classroom teachers put in day after day and year after year.

Unfortunately, state leaders don’t put in the same kind of commitment. But sounding the clarion call for a new statewide priority could bring about the most sweeping education reforms Texas has seen since House Bill 72 was adopted in 1984.

In the aftermath of HB 72, attempts at education reform have been piecemeal at best, and carried over from one governor to the next and one legislative session to the next. The time for piecemeal reform is over.

As Governor, I will propose sweeping and comprehensive reform legislation as soon as I take office and ask the Texas Legislature to pass it and send it to me for my signature by the end of the 83rd Session.

That is an admittedly ambitious goal. However, our leaders have risen to this challenge before. The time is ripe for us to rise to the challenge again.

As a former public school teacher and parent of two school-aged children, I know how desperately we need comprehensive education reform in Texas. We’ve needed it for a decade, but Rick Perry has put politics above policy and failed to deliver on his promise to make education a priority.

Simply throwing money at the problem isn’t the answer. Good, sound, public policy is.

The plan you have before you isn’t every single education reform I’ll propose. As the campaign continues, you’ll see a lot more from me on education. This plan is, however, the cornerstone of my comprehensive education reform plan.

Many of you will ask how I plan to fund such ambitious goals. On November 24th, I’ll roll out my plan for comprehensive school finance reform, but you won’t see it or hear about it today. That’s because I don’t want policy to be eclipsed by budget calculations, revenue projections, and financial minutia. Texas public school students and teachers deserve better than that—and, when I am governor, I’ll make good on that promise. This is the starting point for the conversation about the future of education in Texas.

Texas was built on bold visions and ambitious plans. It is time to dream big, Texas.

HANK’S VISION FOR K-12 EDUCATION IN TEXAS

Hank believes every child has the right to a quality, publicly funded education. He  believes in returning more local control to school districts, developing and retaining qualified teachers, and innovative strategies to help Texas students graduate high school well-prepared for college or the workforce. Hank believes that real and comprehensive reform is the key to improving education in Texas.

BACKGROUND

The first public school law was enacted in Texas during the days of the Republic, in 1840. The Constitution of 1845 provided that one-tenth of annual state tax revenue be set aside as a perpetual fund to support free public schools. Following Reconstruction, the Constitution of 1876 established the Permanent School Fund comprised of 45 million acres of public land for school support.

Over the next century and a quarter, education in Texas changed significantly, from being overseen by a State Superintendent of Public Instruction and funded by a statewide ad valorem tax and rural common schools, to 1,030 school districts and more than 7,000 individual campuses. These campuses serve 4.67 million students¹ funded by a complex mix of local funding from property taxes and state formula funding.

Texas’ public school enrollment ranks second in the nation, behind only California².

Problems In Need Of A Solution

Although Texas ranks third in the nation in terms of the money spent on public education³, the state ranks 45th in the nation in terms of dollars spent per student⁴, 34th in average teacher salaries⁵, 50th in terms of the percent of the population over 25 with a high school diploma⁶, and 41st in terms of its high school graduation rate⁷.

In addition, for much of the last decade, Texas schools and students have been burdened with a school accountability and student promotion system overly dependent on standardized testing, specifically the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Test (TAKS Test). Although House Bill 3, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature, improved upon a bad situation, more work remains to be done.

While changes in Texas high school graduation programs in the last two decades have done more to ready students for college, they have done little to help students who may desire to immediately enter the workforce or are unable to attend college. Some even suggest that Texas’ college-focused high school programs may be helping keep the state’s drop-out rate elevated.

In terms of early childhood education, Texas missed an opportunity to make landmark reforms in its pre-kindergarten program in 2009. Although the Texas Legislature approved legislation to improve pre-k instruction, Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill.

PATHWAYS TO CHANGE

Hank Gilbert believes that education reform in Texas cannot be done piecemeal. He will provide strong leadership to guide the Legislature into taking immediate action in the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature to promote the adoption of a comprehensive public primary and secondary education reform bill.

HANK’S PLAN

• Dropping The Drop Out Rate

Texas’ high drop-out rate is unacceptable. Hank proposes a variety of measures to curb the state’s drop-out rate.

Hank proposes providing “catch-up” programs for credit-delinquent students.

Failing one core class in high school puts students at a disadvantage and can affect whether or not a student will graduate on time—especially if a student can’t afford or does not have access to summer school. Hank proposes “catch-up” programs which will help students in danger of failing a core subject or who have failed a core subject. These will include before and after school programs including an additional period of instruction before or after school and online learning opportunities, including making virtual summer school courses in core subjects available to students statewide— including students who want to accelerate their learning as opposed to catch up a failed course.

Hank proposes creating a free, online tutoring service available to all Texas public school students.

Hank proposes a system modeled off of Alabama’s successful “HomeWorkAlabama.org” website where students can connect to a tutor for live help via the Internet. Tutors will help students through the use of instant messaging, interactive virtual “chalkboards,” shared browsing, and similar features including enhanced capabilities to help students with science and math. Tutors would be online from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Hank proposes making high school more relevant for students.

Hank proposes making high school education more relevant to students in the 21st Century. In addition to increased career and vocational training outlined elsewhere in this proposal, Hank proposes mandatory dual-credit opportunities be offered in all Texas high schools (this can be done through distance learning), and funding more science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) magnet high schools, and more vocational magnet schools.

Hank proposes creating a Graduation Coach Program for at-risk students.

Because drop-out prevention must begin early, Hank proposes a Graduation Coach Program which will begin by helping at-risk students with the transition from middle school to high school and helping students fulfill their personal graduation plan. Graduation Coaches will help students with vocational exploration, course selection, and with securing tutoring and additional subject area assistance when needed.

Hank proposes integrating evidenced-based dropout prevention strategies to decrease the dropout rate among African American and Latino students.

Dropout prevention isn’t something that belongs just in schools. It requires school- and community-based programs and involvement to keep students in school. It also involves integrating the components of existing State programs to help students outside the classroom. If students don’t have food at home, or don’t have adequate housing, it will adversely affect their performance in the classroom. Hank proposes funding evidenced-based drop-out prevention strategies—some of which are already in use in pilot programs across the State.

Hank proposes requiring schools to employ counselors solely to address psychological, social, and behavioral issues among students.

School counselors have many responsibilities under current policy—much of which doesn’t necessarily revolve around a student’s psychological, social, and behavioral needs. School counselors are overburdened with paperwork and other duties. Hank proposes a program funded with state dollars to require that every Texas school have at least one counselor dedicated solely to addressing psychological, social, and behavioral needs of students.

• Early Childhood Education.

At the present time, the state funds only half-day pre-k programs for eligible students with formula funding.

Hank proposes increasing funding for the TEA’s Early Start Grant program to allow districts to fund expanded pre-k (pre-k education for children three years of age from low-income families, and pre-k for any child, regardless of financial need).

Hank proposes mandatory full-day pre-k programs in districts with high drop-out rates, significant ESL populations, and high poverty rates by 2012.

The early years of a child’s educational development are important, and play a major role in whether or not a student succeeds—or fails—in school. Mandating full-day pre-k in districts with high drop-out rates, large populations of students for whom English is a second language, and in districts or neighborhood schools where more than 60 percent of students enrolled in grades k-5 are in households with an income at or less than the federal poverty level helps address this problem. The Texas Education Agency would be directed to conduct a study and establish standards and percentages relating to which drop-out rates and ESL population percentages would be most appropriately suited for mandatory full-day pre-k by 2012.

Hank proposes universal Pre-K By 2013.

Hank proposes mandating that Texas public school districts offer voluntary, publicly funded, “universal” pre-k programs for all three and four-year-old children whose parents wish to enroll them by 2013. There is much value in universal pre­kindergarten. Studies have shown that universal pre-kindergarten can improve prereading, prewriting, and prenumeracy skills for children from all walks of life⁸.

Hank proposes limiting pre-k class sizes to 22 children, with an 11 to one child per staff ratio.

Hank proposes requiring pre-k classes be taught by certified teachers with an additional nine hours of class training in early childhood education, and that aides assisting certified teachers be required to attend annual training courses in child development and early childhood education offered by local regional service centers.

• Improve Math & Science Education In All Texas Public Schools.

Texas must develop critical thinkers for our future; science and math instruction are key to preparing students for solving the complex problems of the 21st century.

Hank proposes strengthening math and science education in Texas’ elementary schools.

Hank proposes expanding Texas’ existing Master Teacher program to ensure that educators who are specialists in core academic subjects such as science and math are available to provide mentoring to other teachers to ensure elementary school students receive a quality education in these core subjects. Hank proposes creating the Science & Math Master Educator Grant Program to put more Master Teachers in science and math in more elementary schools across Texas.

Hank proposes enhanced educator requirements for math and science.

Hank proposes strengthening the math and science education requirements for new elementary school teachers to ensure they are prepared to instruct students in these fields of study.

In addition, Hank proposes that science teachers from grades 6-12 should be required to participate in additional staff development geared toward the specific science subject areas and grade levels taught. Hank proposes creating partnerships between Texas college and university science departments and local Education Service Centers to ensure that our state’s science teachers are kept abreast of both the latest technical developments in their field and new and innovative ways of educating students.

• Middle Grades Matter, Too.

For too long, education policy writers have focused much attention on the early grades and high school, and middle grade education in Texas has fallen through the cracks. Hank’s reform plans will change that.

Educating Middle Grade Students Who Graduate And Succeed.

Hank’s goal for middle grade education is to reform it in such a way that 90 percent of middle grade students who transition into high school complete high school. Hank’s proposes reducing the ninth grade failure rate by giving middle grades students the preparation they need to do well in high school and graduate.

Giving Students A Leg Up.

Hank proposes a statewide gear-up program in the middle grades for seventh and eighth grade students who have fallen behind and need intensive, accelerated instruction in mathematics, language arts, and reading. This will help make these students high school ready.

Summer Bridge Programs.

Hank proposes providing a statewide four-to-six week summer bridge program, which will be available both at schools and virtually to students who lack transportation or have other obstacles preventing them from attending, for seventh and eighth grade students who need additional instruction to succeed in high school.

• Increasing The Focus On Vocational Education & Training.

In an ideal world, every Texas high school graduate would both want to and be able to afford to go to college. The reality, however, is different.

Hank believes students who need and desire an alternative to a college degree should be able to earn an education which will better suit them for the work they want to do. Too, Texas’ businesses and the State’s economy need highly qualified workers to perform rewarding jobs in a variety of occupations that do not require a college degree but do require technical knowledge or even technical or state certifications.

Hank’s plan would revise the state’s graduation tracks and add an additional vocational education graduation track geared toward creating work-ready students and with a focus on apprenticeship and dual credit courses to allow students to leave high school either holding a professional certification in a vocational field of their choice or ready to continue their education in college-level vocational programs.

Hank proposes creating the Vocational & Technical High School Program.

Under Hank’s plan, a new graduation track geared toward vocational and technical career training would be added to the existing graduation tracks. The Vocational & Technical High School Program would create curriculum guidelines to allow high schools to prepare students to achieve state and/or professional accreditation certificates for a variety of professional fields including healthcare.

Hank proposes creating stakeholder partnerships between high schools, colleges, labor unions and central labor councils, and businesses to improve vocational education.

Hank proposes that the state establish guidelines to allow public schools to create and maintain stakeholder partnerships between industry, labor unions and labor councils, and colleges to further vocational education at the high school level. These programs would still need to be taught by certified teachers or individuals holding certifications in their field who have completed a course of study prescribed by the State Board for Educator Certification to enable them to teach selected subjects in Texas public schools.

Hank proposes giving students real-world experience through apprenticeship programs.

Under Hank’s proposal, students on the Vocational & Technical High School Program would receive real world experience through apprenticeship or internship programs in their chosen field for credit during their final year of high school. This will help Texas produce well-qualified graduates ready to enter the workforce. Hank proposes that schools work closely with not only industry stakeholders, but labor unions and local labor councils to develop geographically-appropriate apprenticeship programs for Texas public schools.

Hank proposes expanding curriculum offerings to include coursework in entrepreneurship.

Any one of Texas’ public school students could have an idea for a product or service that changes the way we live our lives. Quality vocational and career training should prepare those students to develop, market, and share their product or service with the world and help those students understand the ins and outs of the business, retail, and service, and e-commerce marketplaces.

• Attracting And Retaining Qualified Teachers

In order to address its broader educational problems, Texas must attract and retain more qualified teachers. Texas’ rank nationally of 34th among the states in average teacher salaries is appalling and must change. Low pay is forcing teachers to leave the profession and causing prospective teachers to select other professions altogether. Hank’s proposals will remedy that.

Hank proposes an across-the-board $5,000 teacher pay raise.

Hank proposes an across-the-board $5,000 pay raise for teachers, with $2,500 coming in the 2011-2012 school year and the remainder in the 2012-2013 school year.

Hank proposes indexing the State Minimum Salary Schedule To Inflation.

Every legislative session, pay raises are promised to teachers, but not delivered. Hank proposes indexing the State Minimum Salary Schedule to inflation (the CPI) to ensure that, as the cost of living goes up, teachers automatically get an annual raise— without the raise being tied up in appropriations battles or partisan bickering.

Hank proposes expanding the State Minimum Salary Schedule out to 30 years of experience.

For years, the State Minimum Salary Schedule for Classroom Teachers, Full-Time Librarians, Full-Time Counselors, and Full-Time Nurses has topped out at 20 years of experience. However, a teacher who enters the teaching profession at age 24 or 25 would, if they stayed in the profession, expect to teach for at least 30 or more years before being eligible for retirement. That means, exclusive of local supplements and locally funded raises, a teacher might teach for ten or more years without a single pay raise, unless the Legislature gave them one. Hank proposes expanding the State Minimum Salary Schedule out to 30 years of experience.

Hank proposes expanding the Texas Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

This program, which is designed to assist persons who teach in low-income areas or in subject fields designated as “shortage fields” repay their student loans, is limited in eligibility and scope. Hank proposes a temporary, 10-year expansion of the program to cover all teachers—regardless of subject area or school district—as long as those individuals teach in Texas public schools (and remain a classroom teacher) for at least ten years.

• Real School Accountability & Student Assessment

House Bill 3 took us part of the way toward a better system of school accountability, but did not get us all the way.

Hank proposes ending the “Test and Punish” culture in student assessment and public school accountability.

Hank proposes developing student assessment and public school accountability models which use multiple assessment measures and aren’t primarily based on standardized test results.

• Building Educational Infrastructure For The 21st Century.

Hank proposes creating a state building fund to help schools meet their physical plant requirements for the next decade or more.

Hank proposes creating a state building fund which will be funded by general revenue bonds to meet the physical plant requirements of the districts in the state for the next decade or more. This will remove new school construction and finance from the budgets of local ISDs—allowing them to shift resources to teacher pay and instruction. This would apply only to instructional facilities.

• Taking The Politics Out Of Curriculum Development & Textbook Adoption.

Hank proposes stripping the State Board of Education of all oversight for curriculum development and textbook adoption.

In recent years, Texas has become the laughing stock of the nation thanks to how politically polarized curriculum development and textbook adoption has become. Hank proposes stripping the Sate Board of Education of all oversight for curriculum development and textbook adoption and placing those tasks in the hands of the Texas Education Agency and the Commissioner of Education. Input from educators and the public would still be required in developing TEKS and curriculum standards, but politics would be removed from the equation by placing the task in the hands of professional educators instead of politicians.

• Making Schools Safer And More Welcoming By Putting A Stop To Bullying.

Hank proposes changing the way Texas deals with schoolyard bullies.

Hank proposes a multi-part plan to curb bullying in Texas public schools. Hank proposes expanding the definition of bullying to include cyberbullying (bullying through computers, cell phones, text messaging, and instant messaging), and expanding the definition further to include incidents that occur off school property if the communication is likely to cause a disruption on campus. In addition to other reforms, Hank proposes expanding PEIMS reporting to require that incidents of bullying, harassment and sexual harassment be reported. Hank proposes a requirement to report specifically if incidents were the result of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability.

• 21st Century Educational Technology.

Restoring Innovative Technology Leaders At TEA.

Texas deserves to be the leader in how new and innovative, student-centric learning technologies are applied. Texas had a rich history in using technology to bridge distance, time, and organizational barriers. Hank believes that restoring the Texas Education Agency’s capacity to rapidly enable leading edge technologies is a must. Texas is too large to rely only on a few regions who have highly qualified technology staffs. Hank believes we need to restore innovative technology leaders in TEA’s Austin office and re-position Texas to be the leader in K-12 distance education. Master teachers, university faculty, business organizations, and national experts can provide a rich set of mentors and educators using technology to challenge students in ways not currently possible.

Texas libraries are working together to share resources and holdings across our state. Hank believes adding public and educational libraries in a truly integrated manner with K-12 schools will provide expanding capabilities that challenge students and enrich their educational experience.

SOURCES

¹ Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2007-2008, Texas Education Agency. http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/enrollment_2007-08.pdf; Accessed 14 September 2009.
² National Education Association. http://www.nea.org/home/29402.htm Accessed 14 September 2009.
³ibid
⁴Ibid.
⁵Ibid.
⁶U.S. Census Bureau tabulations, http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/cps2006/tab13.xls accessed September 13, 2009. See also Spencer, Jason and Jo Ann Zinuga, “Texas again ranks last in percentage of grads,” Houston Chronicle, June 30, 2004, p. 1. 7
⁷ Kathleen O’Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, State Rankings 2008, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, Inc., 2008 at 134.
⁸Gormley, William T, Ted Gayer, Deborah Phillips, and Brittany Dawson. “The Effects of Universal Pre-K on Cognitive Development.” Developmental Psychology. Vol. 41, No. 6, 872-884. 2005.

McALLEN — Hank Gilbert, an East Texas rancher and former school teacher, says Gov. Rick Perry can’t run his re-election campaign on the back of education reform.

Since Perry assumed office in 2000, he has failed to deliver on promises of education reform, said Gilbert, who announced this week is running for governor as a Democrat. The state has languished near the bottom of education rankings, including being the 41st-worst in the nation when it comes to high school graduation rate.

“What Rick Perry has done is widen that gap,” Gilbert said. “What we have now is a broken system.”

Gilbert, who was in McAllen on Tuesday as part of a 13-city campaign tour, said the state needs common-sense solutions to its education woes.

He rolled out what he said will be a cornerstone of his campaign, an education reform package that creates a universal pre-kindergarten program, expands vocational training for high school students and uses a mentor program and online tutoring service to lower the state’s high school dropout rate.

He proposes recruiting and retaining qualified teachers through an across-the-board pay raise of $5,000 per teacher and a plan to remove the cap that bars raises for teachers once they reach 20 years’ experience.

Gilbert doesn’t plan to release details on how to fund his reform plan until November.

He joins a crowded Democratic field that includes former U.S. ambassador Tom Schieffer, humorist Kinky Friedman and therapist Mark Thompson.

Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison are battling one another for the Republican nod.

In 2006, Gilbert received more votes than any other Democratic candidate when he lost to Todd Staples in a three-way race for Texas agriculture commissioner.

Since then, the gubernatorial hopeful has traveled the state to speak out against the Trans-Texas Corridor — an ambitious but ultimately abandoned plan to build a major highway and rail network as a single massive project — as well as speaking out about other issues relating to eminent domain.

Despite joining the race for governor at a time when supporters for other candidates are already firmly entrenched, Gilbert said he believes he offers a better choice than the others.

“(Texans) are tired of kicking the same old can down the street,” he said. “They want somebody who is willing to pick up the can and offer common-sense ideas to fix the system.”

Hank Gilbert unveils plan for 7 Tier 1 Universities

LUBBOCK—Hank Gilbert today unveiled a plan to create seven Tier One universities in Texas in the next decade that does not require matching funds from the schools and stops research funding from being at the mercy of legislative politics or appropriations battles. Gilbert, a Whitehouse rancher seeking Texas Democrats’ nomination for governor in the 2010 primary, made the major policy announcement during a meet and greet event with supporters in Lubbock.

“The Legislature has spent part of the last two decades trying to close the research gap between Texas A&M and the University of Texas and schools like Texas Tech and the University of Texas at Dallas. What we’ve lacked is a governor who demonstrated any meaningful leadership willing to roll up his sleeves and fix the problem,” Gilbert said.

Although Gilbert noted that the Texas Legislature made great strides toward sustaining more Tier One universities in Texas with the creation of the National Research University Fund—contingent on voter approval this November—he said that addresses only half of the problem.

“Our universities shouldn’t be forced to go out and beg for money and compete against each other with the same pool of donors to try to earn matching funds from a pot that is already $450 million dollars too small and dependent on the whims of legislators for more funding in two years,” Gilbert said. “Throwing $50 million dollars at seven universities who need at least three times that much per year each to sustain Tier One level research doesn’t come close to solving the problem. It is like telling the Texas Tech cheerleaders they need to hold a bake sale to pay for a new football stadium. It is a drop in the bucket.”

Under Gilbert’s plan, a constitutional amendment passed by voters would require the state to allocate $500 million per biennium for a newly created “University Excellence Fund” to fund research at the state’s seven Emerging Research Universities for ten years.

Four universities in geographically diverse areas of the state—Texas Tech, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Houston would be immediate beneficiaries of the money they need to allow for $150 million in annual spending on research. The remaining three Emerging Research Universities—the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of North Texas, would be beneficiaries of funds in subsequent biennia. In addition to the mandatory allocation, additional funding could come from new revenue sources as well as reallocation of some existing revenue.

UNIVERSITY EXCELLENCE FUND PROPOSAL FACT SHEET

• Texas presently has only two public Tier One institutions: UT Austin and Texas A&M University College Station. Rice University is also a Tier One institution but is not supported by state funds.

• California and New York have more public Tier One institutions than Texas; California has nine while New York has seven. Texas has nearly five million more inhabitants than New York, and less than half as many public Tier One universities.

• The University Excellence Fund would replace the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIF), which was created by Senate Bill 51, as passed by the 81st Texas Legislature. TRIF is the program which set aside $50 million in “matching funds” for universities competing for Tier One status.

• With Texas Tech University’s announcement last week that it had raised more than $20 million dollars in funds eligible for TRIF match, nearly half of the appropriated matching funds are already depleted—and the state is less than 15 days into a new budget cycle. That money can’t be replaced until the Legislature convenes in January, 2011.

• In addition to Texas Tech’s announcement, several other Emerging Research Universities announced significant fundraising totals eligible for TRIF matching funds: University of Texas at Dallas, $16.8 million; University of North Texas, $1.7 million; University of Texas at Arlington, $1.1 million; University of Houston, $4.7 million; University of Texas at San Antonio, $2.8 million; University of Texas at El Paso, $3 million. The total of all funds eligible for TRIP matching (including Tech) as of September 1 is approximately $50.1 million dollars.

• Nationally, Tier One universities typically spend a minimum of $150 million per year on research, and award at least 100 doctorates in a minimum of 15 disciplines annually.

• Of Texas’ two public Tier One institutions, the University of Texas at Austin spends approximately $500 million annually on research; Texas A&M University spends approximately $570 million on research annually.

• The University Excellence Fund Plan would require a constitutional amendment to mandate that a minimum of $500 million per biennium be set aside for research at the Emerging Research Universities in a manner similar to the mechanism by which other higher education funds have been allocated.

• The plan would last for ten years and automatically sunset unless additional universities have qualified for Emerging Research University Status and voters reauthorize the measure.

• $500 million is roughly 2.97 percent of the state’s total budget of $168 billion for the 2008-2009 biennium just concluded.

• Additional funding from new revenue or reallocated revenue could include reallocation of unencumbered and Texas Lottery revenue which is typically funneled into general revenue (the Lottery Commission reports that as roughly one percent of all lottery revenue); the reallocation of some existing state taxes and fees; the creation of new revenue such as a surcharge on parking violations issued at Texas colleges and universities or a $1 to $5 fee per student per semester paid by college and university students.

Download a Copy of Hank’s Plan to Create Seven Tier One Universities In Ten Years in PDF format

• California and New York have more public Tier One institutions than Texas; California has nine while New York has seven. Texas has nearly five million more inhabitants than New York, and less than half as many public Tier One universities.

• The University Excellence Fund would replace the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIF), which was created by Senate Bill 51, as passed by the 81st Texas Legislature. TRIF is the program which set aside $50 million in “matching funds” for universities competing for Tier One status.

• With Texas Tech University’s announcement last week that it had raised more than $20 million dollars in funds eligible for TRIF match, nearly half of the appropriated matching funds are already depleted—and the state is less than 15 days into a new budget cycle. That money can’t be replaced until the Legislature convenes in January, 2011.

• In addition to Texas Tech’s announcement, several other Emerging Research Universities announced significant fundraising totals eligible for TRIF matching funds: University of Texas at Dallas, $16.8 million; University of North Texas, $1.7 million; University of Texas at Arlington, $1.1 million; University of Houston, $4.7 million; University of Texas at San Antonio, $2.8 million; University of Texas at El Paso, $3 million. The total of all funds eligible for TRIP matching (including Tech) as of September 1 is approximately $50.1 million dollars.

• Nationally, Tier One universities typically spend a minimum of $150 million per year on research, and award at least 100 doctorates in a minimum of 15 disciplines annually.

• Of Texas’ two public Tier One institutions, the University of Texas at Austin spends approximately $500 million annually on research; Texas A&M University spends approximately $570 million on research annually.

• The University Excellence Fund Plan would require a constitutional amendment to mandate that a minimum of $500 million per biennium be set aside for research at the Emerging Research Universities in a manner similar to the mechanism by which other higher education funds have been allocated.

• The plan would last for ten years and automatically sunset unless additional universities have qualified for Emerging Research University Status and voters reauthorize the measure.

• $500 million is roughly 2.97 percent of the state’s total budget of $168 billion for the 2008-2009 biennium just concluded.

• Additional funding from new revenue or reallocated revenue could include reallocation of unencumbered and Texas Lottery revenue which is typically funneled into general revenue (the Lottery Commission reports that as roughly one percent of all lottery revenue); the reallocation of some existing state taxes and fees; the creation of new revenue such as a surcharge on parking violations issued at Texas colleges and universities or a $1 to $5 fee per student per semester paid by college and university students.

Download a Copy of Hank’s Plan to Create Seven Tier One Universities In Ten Years in PDF format