The Legislative Budget Board just released their annual Texas Fact Book, which shows how Texas ranks compared to other states, and our education rankings are nothing to be proud of.
Texas has more public elementary and secondary schools than any other state and is responsible for educating more than 5 million children, second only to California. Though Texas has seen increases in the graduation rate, the state still ranks 31st in drop-out rates. The long-term impact of our high drop-out rate is reflected in the fact that Texas ranks dead last in the percentage of the population that graduated from high school.
Texas is also nearly at the bottom – 48th – in expenditures per pupil. This low-level of investment translates to some of the lowest teacher salaries in the country, an area where Texas ranks 37th.
The Texas school finance system is being challenged in court, once again, because our schools are not being provided the resources they need to deliver a quality education. Investments in education today will ensure a strong and prosperous Texas for tomorrow.
