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Coalition on a mission.

“Let’s challenge our public schools to do better, while also celebrating and acknowledging when they have been successful,” says Bill Ratliff of Mt. Pleasant, former Texas senator and lieutenant governor and one of the founders of Raise Your Hand. The bipartisan group of influential business and community leaders formed in February to defend public schools and obtain additional funds for education. Also participating in the coalition are the CEOs of AT&T, Continental Airlines and HEB, former Texas Education Commissioner Mike Moses and many other leaders in the business and education arenas.

Raise Your Hand counts among its goals the availability of high-quality full-day prekindergarten and kindergarten for all four- and five-year-olds, smaller class sizes, an increase in education funding, and replacement of exit-level tests with end-of-course exams. The group opposes private school vouchers, which Ratliff expressed in testimony in March: “We do not believe the way to improve our education system is to walk away from our public schools.” The House later overwhelmingly voted to bar use of any state funds for private school vouchers, though this prohibition was ultimately dropped from the final budget.

TCTA Executive Director Jeri Stone said of the new group, “It’s good to have influential allies who can provide a business perspective other than that of the Governor’s Business Council.” Like TCTA, Raise Your Hand opposed the GBC-initiated SB 1643, which would require the majority of a teacher’s appraisal to be based on student performance.

Raise Your Hand testified on a number of other important education issues during the session, including the state accountability system, which the group says should be entirely revamped or at least made consistent with the federal accountability system. Again, they were successful, and a committee was appointed to review and make recommendations on the state accountability system.

Thus far, Raise Your Hand is demonstrating a high degree of understanding of the perils of continued emphasis on a high stakes, test-based, accountability system. Ratliff has commented, “Weighing a cow does not make it heavier, you have to feed it.” Noting the frustration felt by teachers who are expected to generate higher levels of performance from students every year, Ratliff said that he was reminded of the old joke that “the beatings will continue until morale improves.”

TCTA is pleased to have an “ally in the trenches,” and appreciates the coalition’s reasoned and sensible approach to the complexities of education. Additional information on the Raise Your Hand coalition is available on their website.

Raise Your Hand Texas - Legislative Priorities

• Universally accessible, full-day pre-K and kindergarten for all Texas four- and five-year-old children
• Safe and orderly schools
• A comprehensive review of the current accountability system to align with federal requirements focusing on clear, measurable results that are easy for parents, educators and taxpayers to understand
• Campus pay for performance based on improvements in student achievement
• Financial incentives for those teaching in challenging schools and in high need subjects such as math and science, and bilingual and special education
• Expansion of current graduation options to include new concentrations in career and technology, math and science, and the arts
• Encourage choice within the public school system and support well-run charter schools that meet public school accountability standards
• Maintain the vital resources needed for public schools by opposing voucher programs for private schools

Web posted: 06/12/07