Frustration with Texas Politics and Education

Texas politics and education are doing a great job here in Texas! Then, I woke up from my dream and this statement said out-loud would be a lie. Texas is doing a bad job when it comes to education, Texas is close to the bottom in spending per student and also close to the bottom in SAT scores in the nation.

The following information comes from Texas Comptroller website:

• Texas is #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation (493) and #46 in average math SAT scores (502).
• Texas is #36 in the nation in high school graduation rates (68%).
• Texas is #33 in the nation in teacher salaries. Teacher salaries in Texas are not keeping pace with the national average. The gains realized from the last state-funded across-the-board pay raise authorized in 1999, which moved the ranking from 33 to as high as 26th in the nation, have disappeared over the last five years.
• Texas was the only state in the nation to cut average per pupil expenditures in fiscal year 2005, resulting in a ranking of #40 nationally; down from #25 in fiscal year 1999.
• Texas is #6 in the nation in student growth. The general student population in Texas public schools grew by 11.1% between school years 1999 and 2005, with the largest percent of growth seen among low income and minority children.
• Between school years 1999 and 2005, the number of central administrators employed by Texas public schools grew by 32.5%, overall staffing in public schools grew by 15.6%, while the number of teachers grew only 13.3%.

All this information tells me is that, the way Texas handles education is a major problem and it should be fixed. A good start would be politicians putting more money into education, instead of making these ridiculous budget cuts.  Texas has chosen to increase funding for other things, such as public safety and corrections over the years far more than education.
I hope that most people in the Lone Star state would be willing to pay more taxes if it's for education, I know I would. I am personally at the point where I really don't care where or how they get the funds (allowing gambling or Texas having a state-income tax), as long as politicians address the issues and make some significant positive progress.
Teachers need pay raises and students need more educational resources (books, programs, etc...). Education in Texas is only going to get worse if our politicians don't do something and start to make this issue a priority.