What They Are Saying About Greg Abbott’s Early Education Plan
“Teachers, school officials, parents and education experts around the state are praising Greg Abbott’s early education plan as ‘ambitious’ and ‘aim[ing] high’ on substance while remaining ‘prudent’ and ‘reasonable’ on spending. It’s clear Greg Abbott is the only candidate who has a substantive plan that will make Texas first in the nation in education.”
Houston Chronicle: “Setting The Ambitious Goal Of Achieving The Highest High School Graduation Rate In The Nation And A Ranking Among The Top 10 States In Math And Reading Performance.” “Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott announced his plan for education Monday, emphasizing the importance of early grades and setting the ambitious goal of achieving the highest high school graduation rate in the nation and a ranking among the top 10 states in math and reading performance in the next decade.” (Houston Chronicle, 3/31/14)
The Associated Press: “The Texas Attorney General Isn’t Ceding The Debate Over Public Schools This Election To Democrat Wendy Davis…” “The Texas attorney general isn’t ceding the debate over public schools this election to Democrat Wendy Davis, who counts teachers among her biggest backers.” (The Associated Press, 3/31/14)
Texas Tribune: “Abbott’s Plan Also Focuses On Improving Literacy And Math Scores In Texas Schools Through Professional Development And The Creation Of Teacher ‘Academies’…” “Abbott’s plan also focuses on improving literacy and math scores in Texas schools through professional development and the creation of teacher ‘academies’ that mirror the Texas Reading Initiative, created by then-Gov. George W. Bush, to help boost performance scores by providing additional training for teachers who teach kindergarten to third grade at a cost of $15 million per year.” (Texas Tribune, 3/31/14)
San Antonio Express-News Headline: “Abbott: Make Grades K-3 The ‘Foundation’” (San Antonio Express-News, 3/31/14)
Florence Shapiro, The Former Chairwoman Of The Senate Education Committee Was “Optimistic” About Abbott’s Plan Because “It’s Reasonable.” “Florence Shapiro, former chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, said Abbott’s focus on quality and local innovation will be more effective than costly blanket mandates. ‘I’m very optimistic about it because I feel that it’s reasonable,’ said Shapiro, a Plano Republican who now serves on the board of Texans for Education Reform.” (Austin American-Statesman, 4/6/14)
KVEO: “Make Texas Number One In The Nation For Education Within Ten Years.” “Abbott announced the first phase of his educating Texans policy plan to make Texas number one in the nation for education within ten years.” (KVEO, 4/1/14)
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown: “Our Children Deserve Every Chance We Can Give Them To Succeed As We Work Toward Achieving Greg Abbott’s Goal To Become The No. 1 Education System In The Nation.” (Dallas Morning News, 4/6/14)
San Antonio Express-News: “Abbott Last Week Outlined His Own Plan — A Dense, 26-Page Report With Almost 90 Footnotes.” Abbott last week outlined his own plan — a dense, 26-page report with almost 90 footnotes — that takes swipes at the effectiveness of preschool and observes that “the general understanding concerning what constitutes ‘high quality’ is far from universal.” (San Antonio Express-News, 4/5/14)
Austin American-Statesman: “By 2025, Texas Would Have The Highest High School Graduation Rate In The Country, Would Double The Number Of Third-Graders Doing Math And Reading At Grade Level, And Would Be Among The Top 10 States In Math And Reading On National Test Scores.” “Abbott’s early education proposal released last week provided the first inkling of his education ambition. By 2025, Texas would have the highest high school graduation rate in the country, would double the number of third-graders doing math and reading at grade level, and would be among the top 10 states in math and reading on national test scores.” (Austin American-Statesman, 4/6/14)
- Austin American-Statesman Headline: “Greg Abbott Aims High For Education With Modest Budget” (Austin American-Statesman, 4/6/14)
Bill Hammond, President Of The Texas Association Of Business, Said Abbott’s Plan Was A “More Prudent Approach.” “But Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business, said Abbott’s plan to focus on improving the quality of early childhood education is a more prudent approach than that of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, state Sen. Wendy Davis, who is pushing for all-day pre-kindergarten.” (Austin American-Statesman, 4/7/14)