Nov. 12, 2003

Gov. Perry Announces $130 Million Initiative to Boost Graduation Rates

Public-Private Effort to Focus on At-Risk Students, Low-Performing Schools

DALLAS – Gov. Rick Perry today announced the creation of a major public-private education initiative called the Texas High School Project (THSP). The initiative – which partners the State of Texas, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Communities Foundation of Texas – is designed to increase high school graduation and college attendance rates in school districts statewide.

“As we usher in a new era of higher standards, tougher tests and a more rigorous curriculum, we face the difficult challenge of lowering the dropout rate while improving the college attendance rate in Texas,” Perry said. “In order to succeed in the 21st century, our students must be college ready and job ready.”

Perry made the announcement at W.T. White High School and was accompanied by Susan Dell, CEO of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation; representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Communities Foundation of Texas, and state Sen. Florence Shapiro.

Perry said the $130 million high school completion initiative, which includes $65 million in state funds along with roughly $65 million in private funds, is one of the largest public-private efforts of its kind to improve Texas schools. The state’s portion of the funding was allocated in the budget during the regular session of the Texas Legislature. The THSP also builds on the High School Completion Initiative that Perry announced in his State of the State.

Under the THSP, the state will offer grants of up to $600,000 to approximately 140 school districts. The grants will help pay for additional services for at-risk students at low-performing high schools to help them graduate and be academically prepared for college. Grants to the first set of 70 districts are expected in February, with a second round to be allocated in September.

Investments from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Communities Foundation of Texas will fund proposals to redesign existing underperforming high schools and to create new ones, including schools that focus on math, sciences and technology. Charter schools and early college high schools would also be created with foundation funds. The first grants for this use are expected in August.

“Our focus has long been on bringing students up to the minimum standard,” Perry said. “I envision a new approach where schools earn additional funding based on the number of students who meet the maximum standard.

“Excellence at Texas high schools must not be confined to what happens under the Friday Night Lights. It must be our mission every day in every high school classroom.”

The Texas Education Agency, in coordination with the Governor’s Office, will be responsible for managing and oversight of state funds in the THSP. State funding will be used for Early Intervention grants at low-performing campuses, dropout prevention programs, after-school programs and individual graduation plans for students at risk of dropping out.

The Communities Foundation of Texas, a public charity and the largest community foundation in the South, will oversee the private foundation investments in the THSP.

Perry noted the THSP will build upon the commitment and investments made by the state to public education over the past few years, including new accountability measures, a $6 billion increase in education funding, a renewed focus on core subjects like reading, math and science, and record teacher pay raises.