The Perry Record

Texas' Number One Funding Priority

Download this document in Adobe PDF format

Under Rick Perry, Texas has made a significant financial investment in the state's public schools, making education the top budget priority. Even when the state faced a $9.9 billion budget deficit in 2003, Texas increased funding for public education by $1.2 billion. During Rick Perry's tenure as Lieutenant Governor and Governor, funding for public education has grown by $7.1 billion - an increase of 26.5%. Growth in public school enrollment accounted for $3.25 billion (46%) of the funding, while the remaining $3.85 billion (54%) funded higher teacher salaries, improved classroom instruction, facilities and other school needs. For the 2002-2003, Texas schools received $10,400 per pupil. Total expenditures per pupil have increased by $1,900 or 24.7%, since the 1998-1999 school year. In 2003, Texas ranked third among the 50 states in percentage of overall budget spent on education.

Historic Teacher Pay and Benefit Increases

As Lieutenant Governor, Rick Perry helped to secure a historic $3,000 annual pay raise for public school teachers, full-time librarians, full-time counselors, and full-time school nurses. Teachers employed by public schools since 1999 have earned an average salary increase of nearly $9,300. Additionally, in 2001, Governor Perry signed into law a statewide teacher health insurance program for all active employees of school districts, regional education service centers, and charter schools, beginning in the 2002-2003 school year.

Educator Professional Enhancements

Rick Perry has proposed and achieved reforms designed to support the efforts of teachers in the classrooms, including new laws to reimburse teachers for classroom supplies they purchase with their own money, protect teachers from frivolous lawsuits, provide mentoring programs for new teachers, and increase professional development for all teachers.

Master Teacher Program

Rick Perry championed the creation of the Master Teacher Program in the fields of reading, math and science. Teachers who earn advanced certification in reading, math or science, apply those skills in high-need classrooms, and share their knowledge with their fellow teachers as peer mentors qualify to earn a $5,000 annual bonus.

Higher Standards and Strong Accountability

In 1999, Rick Perry championed and helped pass a series of legislation that strengthened the requirements of the state's public education accountability systems by ending the harmful practice of social promotion, increasing the rigor of the statewide test, testing more subjects, and testing at more grade levels, including the addition of the ninth grade test and the exit-level test in the eleventh grade. In 2003, Governor Perry created an Advanced Placement incentive, which rewards schools with $100 for every student who score 3 or higher on an AP test.

Texas High School Initiative

In 2003, Rick Perry launched the Texas High School Initiative. He proposed and signed legislation to require individual graduation plans for students at-risk of dropping out of school in order to get students back on track toward graduation. Governor Perry also proposed and signed legislation that creates a pilot Middle College Program designed to give students an opportunity to achieve an associate's degree while simultaneously earning their high school diploma. Rick Perry, along with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Communities Foundation of Texas, established the $130 million Texas High School Project with the goals of lowering dropout rates and improving the college readiness of graduating high school students. 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. The Texas High School Project will also fund proposals to redesign existing under-performing 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.

Texas Reading Initiative

In 1999, Rick Perry helped create the Texas Reading Initiative, a scientific, research-based effort top ensure all children read at grade level by the third grade. This goal is achieved through the use of diagnostic assessment to identify children at risk of reading difficulties, comprehensive instructional programs based on scientific research, differentiated intervention instruction through on-going progress monitoring, and end-of-year performance analysis. Professional development through the Student Success Initiative helps teachers put scientifically-based research into practice and students on track for school success.

Texas Math Initiative

In 2001, Rick Perry created the Texas Math Initiative. Patterned after the state's reading initiative, the Texas Math initiative offers math educators assistance, ranging from help grading mathematics homework to conducting scientifically-based research on effective instructional strategies. An on-line mathematic diagnostic instrument has been developed to help educators assess students' math skills and aid in prescriptive instruction. To enhance the teaching of mathematics, the Texas Math Initiative establishes institutes to provide the latest scientifically-based research about math instruction to those who teach math in the fifth through eighth grades. The Texas Math Initiative authorizes school districts to create intensive after-school and summer math instruction programs for students who need extra help.

Texas Science initiative

In the spirit of the Reading and Math Initiatives, Rick Perry in 2003 proposed and signed into law the Texas Science Initiatives. Still under development by the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Science Initiative aims to eliminate student performance gaps in science by developing and implementing training for science educators, improving the quality of science instructional materials and creating higher standards for science education.

Early Childhood Education

Rick Perry proposed and signed legislation in 2003 aimed at improving early childhood education, including higher standards, improved instructional materials for early childhood education, a focus on pre-reading skills development and a school readiness checklist for parents. At Governor Perry's direction, the Texas Education Agency established a state center for model early childhood programs, which is responsible for coordinating all early childhood services.

Before- and After-School Learning Opportunities

Since 1999, Rick Perry has been an advocate for the expansion of before-and after-school learning opportunities for at-risk students. Governor Perry championed $25 million in funding for before-and after-school programs, which focus on areas in Texas communities with high rates of juvenile crime, as well as a franchise tax credit to encourage businesses to invest in these programs.

Tougher Discipline in Public Schools

Rick Perry has been a strong proponent of giving teachers and administrators important tools to address disruptive student behavior. In 1999, he backed legislation that expels students from school for assaulting school personnel. In 2001, Governor Perry signed legislation to require school attendance officers to enforce and maintain records of violations and hold parents accountable for their children's attendance. Also in 2001, Governor Perry signed legislation establishing a school safety center at Texas State University-San Marcos.