State Must Do Its Part for Students, Teachers
Our former mayor, Betsy Price, describes Fort Worth as a community of front porches, a phrase that really resonates with me as an advocate for our public schools. We are stronger together, and that sense of community is evident in and vital to the success of our local public school teachers and students.
The city of Fort Worth and Tarrant County combined boast 16 public school districts, which teach more than 370,000 students and employ thousands of professional teachers.
Fort Worth has a strong civic ecosystem. The community understands the importance of strong, well-funded public schools. Everyone from city hall to business leaders, philanthropists, employers, parents, and voters is committed to owning our public schools’ success, and it’s time for the state to join us.
I’m heartened by state leaders’ recent public commitments to give teachers a pay raise. Teachers are strongly linked to significant increases in high school graduation rates, college completion, and salary earnings. Quality teachers impact students well beyond their academic growth, supporting students’ physical, social, and emotional health, too. We should support teacher retention through increased compensation and benefits of at least $15,000. Teacher recruitment and education pathway preparation are also worthy focus areas for state lawmakers. Investing in our teachers matters.
Support for our youngest Texans is vital, too, if we aim to thrive as a state for generations to come. Texas lawmakers can and should commit to fully funding full-day pre-K and expanding opportunities for early childhood education.
In recent years, local schools in and around the Metroplex and all across our state have been asked to do more with less, driven by a lack of state investment in our schools, students, and teachers. It’s simply not sustainable. Districts from Fort Worth ISD to Northwest ISD, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw to Aledo ISD are all facing budget deficits, compounded by inflation, and driving tough choices in the years ahead.
When we invest in our public schools, we invest in the future of Texas. The business community understands the importance of this investment with their workforce needs. The long-term viability of our economy is inextricably linked to the strength and ability of our public schools to deliver quality education to every child who walks through their doors.
Despite robust state budget surpluses, the Texas Legislature last updated its funding formulas for public schools in 2019, meaning the basic allotment that drives how much the state provides to our public schools has not increased since then.
That lack of state funding places Texas among the bottom 10 in per-student funding, more than $4,400 below the national average.
To make matters worse, rising inflation and additional program requirements also mean districts effectively operate with $1,300 less per student than they did just five years ago.
In addition, Texas presently ranks 43rd in the nation for child well-being, suggesting that we are among the worst states in terms of children’s health, economic stability, academic proficiency, and access to community support.
To be clear, everyone pays a price for the state’s lack of support for public schools. We can’t expect our teachers and students to soar if we don’t lift them up, both Tn word and deed.
It’s time for the State of Texas to fulfill its constitutional duty to ensure all children in Texas have access to quality public education. By contacting your legislators, the business community can play an important role in supporting investment in public schools, students, and teachers, too.
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Matthew Hall is the Director of Strategy and Partnerships and the Senior Regional Advocacy Director for Raise Your Hand Texas in Fort Worth, online at raiseyourhandtexas.org.
