James Madison
Textbook Initiative
The Issue of Education on a National Level
Education of our children is one of the most crucial battles conservatives must engage in. Since the incorporation of our schools in the 1970’s overhead has grown at a rate 3X that of student growth proving the inefficiency of the federal government over local and state government. This failed government bureaucracy has created stagnant test scores with double the expense, increased numbers of drop-outs, the revision of core curriculum, low teacher morale and a non-existent pool of good teachers. Teachers used to be the best and brightest students colleges had to offer but with the current failed union tactics the majority of new teachers are from the bottom third of all college graduates. There are many reasons for this outcome from the regulations placed on teachers to the ancient pay structure of the union, and the bottom line is our Texas students become the innocent victims of the overbearing bureaucracy. The Department of Education continues to be a burden on what was once an envied educational system. The larger the DOE grows the less accountability parents and teachers have. Texans must stand up to the over-reaching arm of the Federal Government and put the control back into the hands of parents, teachers and citizens when it involves education of Texas children. Solving this situation is not as difficult as many would think, it will require concerned Texans to engage in the education process of our youth and remain vigilant in the oversight of their education.
Concerned Texans must demand the State Board of Education change the current process for curriculum reviewers. Currently there are only 4 reviewers from outside the TEA (Texas Education Agency) structure. Parents and local citizens must be actively involved in reviewing the accuracy of education materials for Texas students. Look at the voting record of your SBOE (state board of education) member, ask questions and support your SBOE member. The 15 SBOE members are elected but UNPAID and need support from Texas citizens. Many of the current members are doing a great job and can do better with parental support. It is up to you to provide that support and voice to keep revisionism out of Texas curriculum.
Concerned Texans must demand a new pay structure for teachers based on performance not seniority. The union has fought against performance pay as it does not reward mediocrity. The time has come to demand only those able to perform gather the reward.
Concerned Texas must demand school choice via charter schools, vouchers, scholarships and tax-incentives. Florida has pioneered an impressive program that more than doubled the achievement rate of students in reading. Texas students have enjoyed the success of Charter Schools but we can do more. Allowing parents the freedom of choice through their tax dollars will create completion and raise standards.
Concerned Texas must participate in all curriculum hearings to demand unbiased, accurate and measurable standards are adopted. Texas Code calls for input from parents and tax-payers in curriculum adoption by the SBOE, this is your chance to make your voice heard and play an important role in the education of Texas youth.
The incorporation of the above initiatives will pave the way for the best and brightest graduates to return to the teaching profession and for our Texas students to reap the benefits of a solid educational foundation.
NewRevolutionNow knows the only choice to promote the above standards will be by electing the following to The State Board of Education for Texas. We endorse:
Ken Mercer for District 5
Brian Russell for District 10
Don McLeroy District 9
Randy Rives District 15
Issues Specific to Texas
What NewRevolutionNow.org has done for Texas education measures.
Earlier this year NewRevolutionNow members testified before the State Board of Education on the term American Exceptionalism and held the “America IS Exceptional” press conference. They were joined by many of the amazing groups and individuals successful in past curriculum battles and a couple new to process. Bill Ames a current reviewer for the state of Texas, Ken Mercer current SBOE member, Peggy Venable Texas Dir. Of Americans for Prosperity, Jonathan Saenz of Free Market Foundation, Connie Sandowski of CEO Austin Foundation, Jason Moore “Captain Watchdog” KWEL, Jim Cardel Texas Insider, Lela Pittenger, Carole Haynes and Dr. Donna Campbell.
The results of the public testimony and press conference have been tremendous! We have been successful at giving Texas children a more accurate and un-biased view of the history of our nation. The battle is not over and will resume in March and you can bet NRN members will stand ready to make sure our Texas students have the most accurate account of our great nation’s history!
Information is the baseline for transformation. Therefore to be informed is to be transformed and to be misinformed is to be deformed. I am not smarter than anyone else, I’m only more informed.
—David Oyedepo
NewRevolutionNow worked with Americans for Prosperity, Austin CEO Foundation, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Insider, SBOE member Ken Mercer and Free Market Foundation during the January SBOE hearings and success was obtained with the following items being added or remaining in the state curriculum:
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Relevent Links
Issues For The Patriot Brigade
HB 2488 “ The Open Source Textbook Bill” was signed into law last year. The bill will allow on-line curriculum to by-pass the approval process of the State Board of Education. Curriculum will be used without parental or tax-payer input and without the review of the SBOE. There are many problems with this bill:
- Not all schools have the required internet access, abilities or computers to use on-line textbooks.
- On-line textbooks are new and will have errors; these books are un-tested and should be under strict review to ensure students are taught accurate and necessary information.
- Not all children will be able to access the material from their home.
- On-line textbooks will only need approval from the commissioner making corruption a high risk.
- E-textbooks initial reviews show only 25% of students like e-textbooks. Most students dropped out of initial trial classes saying the e-textbooks “are not fully functional for a learning environment.” Mike Furlough asst. dean for scholarly communications Penn State Univ.
On-line textbooks are cutting edge, but cutting out the comments, suggestions, review and approval of parents and the 15 elected state board of education members is a blatant disregard for improving Texas education. Educrats have lost many battles over Texas curriculum and as Texas speaks for the nation on textbooks they must find new ways to by-pass the conservative Texas base. HB 2488 allows the educrat to by-pass you the tax-payer, the parent and the conservative.
Educrat- One concerned more with the bureaucracy of learning than with the learning. i.e. An educator cares about what a child HAS LEARNED. An educrat cares how a child FEELS about the process of learning.
By supporting good SBOE members and candidates we can keep this scene from overtaking our Texas schools.
Read the text on the student’s electronic board and understand the importance of supporting strong control measures.
“Race to the Top” White House program will undermine every student, parent and tax-payer in the country by taking away every shred of accountability. Brooke Terry with The Texas Public Policy Foundation has pointed out several problems with the initiative: http://biggovernment.com/bdterry/2010/01/15/texas-is-right-to-quit-the-race-for-the-top-education-program/
- Education has historically been a state issue; powers in Texas are delegated to the legislature and SBOE.
- The TEA estimates Texas taxpayers will need to spend $3 billion to have a CHANCE to receive at most $750 million (in federal funds).
- Federal funding will dry up, as seen with other stimulus funds leaving states and local school districts to find those funds when they stop
- Each day Texas remains one of only two states refusing to move towards a national curriculum, Texas will lose points on its application for Race to the Top funds. Texas has steadily improved the rigor of its own K-12 curriculum, why should Texas be forced to adopt national standards Not Yet Developed that could be weaker than our own?
Brooke Terry says “Education is a state issue, and the federal government has no business dictating academic standards or curriculum to states. Washington, please leave Texas alone.” NewRevolutionNow couldn’t agree more with Brooke Terry! Texas and Alaska are the only two states to refuse The Race to the Top initiative
Our State Board of Education members act as the safe guard for the education of Texas students. Without this control measure in place students will fall victim to the liberals who recently testified “High school students are unqualified to ask questions”. Liberals must not be allowed to silence our students and squelch the freedom of individuals to analyze, disseminate and hone their critical thinking skills.
What You Can Do
NewRevolutionNow.org calls upon our Patriot Brigade and Concerned Texans to write your SBOE member sboeteks@tea.state.tx.us and David Dewhusrt info@DavidDewhurst.com and demand control measures to counter HB2488 be passed.
Call or write Governor Perry’s office and tell him to stand strong against the “Race to the Top” initative for Texas students.
