The Facts

According to a recent report, women's progress into high-ranking state government positions is sluggish throughout the U.S. In fact, in one-third of states, the percentage of top policy positions held by women either fell or stayed the same between 1998 and 2004.

Happily, the Lone Star State doesn't fall into that category. Here in Texas, women's share of state government leadership positions is growing, slowly but steadily.

• From 1998 to 2005, women's participation as top policy leaders in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of Texas state government rose by 3% - from 20.4% to 23.5%.
  


• Today, women hold almost 39% of Texas' top advisor jobs, which have policy-influencing responsibilities within the governor's office.
  


• Women now hold about 32% of our state's department head positions, which is above the national average of just under 30%.
  


• Women hold over 19% of Texas' elected state legislator posts.

Sources: Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, University at Albany, State University of New York.