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Education Policy. Issues in Education Policy. Plessy v. Ferguson case provided for “separate but equal” public facilities, including education Texas maintained such facilities until the 1950’s
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Issues in Education Policy • Plessy v. Ferguson case provided for “separate but equal” public facilities, including education • Texas maintained such facilities until the 1950’s • Brown v. Board of Education overturned Plessy in 1954 and required steps to integrate public schools
Issues in Education Policy • Starting in the 1950’s many Texans moved out of cities • Many reasons, including crowding, crime rates, bigger housing • That movement, along with racial integration of schools, resulted in the phenomenon of suburbanization
Issues in Education Policy • Retail businesses followed, as did other industry • Urban school systems began to have limited economic resources • Property tax system hurt lower-appraised districts, requiring a higher tax rate
Issues in Education Policy • Challenge by property-poor districts in San Antonio School District v. Rodriguez failed, with U.S. Supreme Court holding that school finance was a state issue • Edgewood v. Kirby, decided by the Texas Supreme Court, held system of financing unconstitutional
Issues in Education Policy • Result was Robin Hood, a bill requiring sharing of resources • Legislature will be forced to address school financing sooner, rather than later
Higher Education • Affirmative action programs have long been used to increase minority enrollment • Hopwood case held that institutions could not rely on race as a factor in admissions • Other factors, such as income, 10% rule, and reduced weight on SAT can increase enrollment
Higher Education • Permanent University Fund (PUF) provides support for UT and A&M systems • UT gets 2/3, A&M 1/3 • Higher Education Assistance Fund was established in 1984 to assist other institutions
Comparison • Texas teachers earn about 10% less than the national average, but argument is made that if cost of living is considered, Texas is with 1% of the national average • Per pupil spending is also about 10-15% lower than national level
Comparison • Texas’ National Assessment of Educational Progress scores outpace the national average • Scores vary by race, ethnicity and social class
School Choice • Voucher programs have been held constitutional by U.S. Supreme Court • Publicly funded voucher is provided to permit child to attend any school of choice • Charter schools operate under a relaxed set of regulations and can experiment with new and innovative teaching techniques
Issues • School prayer • Santa Fe decision prohibited student-led prayer, although there is not an entire ban on prayer • Textbook selection
Players in the Game • Legislature • Governing Boards • Boards of Regents • Governor • Courts • Local School Boards • Administrators/Faculty