By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
Outlining what they call an "ambitious" and "aggressive" timeline, a handful of members of the Texas Senate joined Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst today at a press conference to outline their goals in writing public school reform and public school finance legislation.
According to the Senate members, the Senate Appropriations Bill could come to the Senate floor as early as next week, followed by a series of Senate Education Committee hearings and then the school reform bill coming to the Senate floor by April 21 or 22.
With HB 2 and HB 3, the public school reform bill and the property tax relief bill, having passed in the House and now in the Senate for debate, Dewhurst said the Senate stands ready to work with House members toward a common goal regarding the state's public school system.
"The shipwreck of Texas school finance system has run aground," said Dewhurst, noting that the House is willing to work with the Senate "to right the course."
He said the Senate is prepared to put its principles into action to ensure Texas children have an opportunity to have a "first-rate education."
"Education is the door of opportunity we give to every child in Texas," said the lieutenant governor. He said it is the duty of lawmakers to "assure Texas children receive the very best education we can provide them. It is our duty to put Texas children first."
Dewhurst announced a web site, Texas Children First, regarding the Senate's efforts on public school reform and public school finance. He said the Senate proposal will put $6.7 billion more into public education for the 2006-07 biennium, will provide homeowners with local school property tax relief, will help recruit the best and brightest teachers into the classroom, will provide financial and academic accountability, will create more jobs in the state and increase investments and will provide more equity among schools.
He said the Senate is "very focused" on the regressive nature of many taxes. Senate Education Chair Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) added that the Senate plan does not include any type of gambling or gaming.
The lieutenant governor said the Senate and House will work together to "pass a very good and fair bill," adding that the Senate is committed to a "tax neutral plan" that creates a "level playing field for all businesses through a broad-based tax rate."
Dewhurst said the Senate Finance Committee will soon pass out SB 1, the general appropriations bill, and bring it to the Senate floor before the Easter break. During the week of March 27, he said, Shapiro will begin Senate Education Committee hearings on a school reform plan.
Shapiro said she expects Education hearings to begin probably on Thursday, March 31, with the early hearings to explore what the House did in its HB 2. She said she expects to hold two, and possibly three, hearings in the first full week of April, two and possibly three the second full week in April and to pass a bill out of the committee by April 18. If that schedule is met, she said, the bill could come to the Senate floor either April 21 or 22.
"It's a very aggressive plan," said the committee chair, noting her committee has already been meeting regularly talking about philosophies and basic principles regarding public schools and school finance. She said the goal is to "provide all students in Texas with an education that prepares them for the 21st Century." She said the emphasis will not be on just preparing them to become a member of the workforce, but to prepare them for a post-secondary education - to be "college ready."
Shapiro added that because teachers are the key element in making classrooms successful, the Senate wants both pay raises and incentive programs for Texas teachers. One goal will be the retention of the state's best teachers as a means of improving student performance. She said the Senate wants to ensure that "any dollars we put into this system have a result on the back end - that result is we graduate more children." An accountability system must be in place to ensure those dollars lead to results, according to the committee chair.
"We want to make sure our dollars are going to the students," said the Plano legislator. "We want our students to be completely, 100 percent learned - ready and prepared for college."
Senate Finance Committee Chair Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), said reform of the state's public school system is "the most ambitious effort and the most significant challenge" that the legislature has faced in more than a decade. But he said he considers the challenge to also be an opportunity. "This is about reform," said Ogden. "Our tax system in Texas cries out for reform. It is antiquated. It is out of touch with the 21st Century economy that we live in." The Finance Committee chair said the Senate is aiming at producing a revenue package that is "mostly reformed" and that aligns with the 21st Century and will grow with the state economy so the state does not continue to dwell in a "day late and dollar short" mode.
Ogden confirmed that he expects SB 1 to be on the Senate floor before Easter and that a Senate version of HB 3 will be on the floor the first week of May.
Dewhurst said he is confident the principles agreed to in the Senate will "put substantially more resources into public education while mandating results." He said the bill will increase equity, cut property taxes by one-third, bring teacher salaries up to the national average, increase financial and academic accountability, provide more resources for special programs, treat all businesses fairly by eliminating tax loopholes and give a large reduction in sales taxes for recipients of Lone Star card.
Two Senate Democrats, Judith Zaffirini of Laredo and Royce West of Dallas, joined with the two Republican senators and Dewhurst in support of the efforts of the Senate toward reform of the public school system.
"I would like to focus on excellence in education, not merely adequacy," said Zaffirini, noting the Senate will "save the best parts of HB 2 and HB 3" and build on those elements. While admitting the timeline laid out is "rather swift," the Senate Finance Vice Chair said the Senate will move "swiftly but thoroughly" in addressing the issue.
"This is not a Democratic issue," said West, vice chair of the Senate Education Committee. "This is not a Republican issue." He said the goal is to pass "the best school reform bill that we can" as well as the best revenue bill to help fund it.