Why is Texas Lowest for Education?
Introduction
Throughout the world, people view Texas as having beautiful vast spaces and a diverse range of cultures. They also see the state as having a strong economy and a vibrant population. Nevertheless, why is Texas lowest for education when compared to other US States? The state has been significantly low most of the times. This disheartening assertion provokes important questions for which answers impact on the educational outcomes in the state of Texas.
Those who have to make decisions, those who teach, those who care about the results in favor of the students understand why it is necessary to who, why Texas is always at the end of the education positions. The article seeks to address the issues that surround the education system in Texas. It will look at the historical background, funding; teacher’s quality and socio-economic status, curriculum, management, technology and the community.
Historical Context
The evolution of education within the territories that now constitute Texas has witnessed variations in ideas, policies, and the public’s view. Education was, for most of the twentieth century, quite underfunded and usually prone to inequities, especially towards the minority groups. The Texas Education Code was also a legislation that was substantive in the core objective of creating an educational system but a good part of it has never realized in practice.
Then the 1980s and 1990s education reforms were tried in Texas with the launch of programs such as Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). These, though, did not lead to the betterment of the entire system. They, instead, fixated on the area of testing which is standardized. The end result has been over-dependence on standardized test scores. Thus, school seems to be concentrating more on such aspects as critical thinking, creativity, and social-emotional learning.
Comparison with Other States
While analyzing the state of Texas with other states known for better performance in education, some inequalities arise. To illustrate, states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey spend much more on a per pupil basis and provide more complete systems of support for both students and faculty. This comparison prompts us to question why Texas has the lowest education standards. State policies and funding also influence education standards, not just the composition of the student population.
Funding Issues
Overview of Texas Education Funding
In the sense that Texas education funding scenarios are intricate and involves heavily local property taxes, there exists large gaps amongst rich and poor geographic regions. However, there is a national standard, or a minimum level of funding which the state provides. Other than this level, most of the funding for education comes from local sources. This system reinforces the existing disparities since more affluent regions are able to commit greater resources towards their educational facilities or services, whereas less well-off regions can barely provide the most basic levels of education.
Impact of Funding on School Resources
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