Rick Perry won’t give a straight answer to the question of what’s happening to Texas students.

Public education is the most important business of state government because investments we make in students now will determine the economic future of our state. Texas ranks at the bottom of all states in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas and 45th in SAT scores. That is unacceptable. We need to hold our teachers, schools, and students accountable, but accountability must start at the top. We need a new Governor.

With new leadership, Texas can increase high school graduation rates, and reduce the barriers to higher education.

• When a student drops out of school, it must be treated as an emergency, not just another statistic. In Houston, Bill White launched Expectation Graduation to cut the dropout rate. For example, each fall, Bill White led thousands of volunteers to go to the homes of high school students who have not returned to school. Approximately 8,800 students have returned to school as a result, and this initiative has been replicated in communities across Texas.
• There should be multiple pathways to high school graduation. Students who must work should be matched with jobs close to school. As Governor, Bill White would help local school officials work with local employers to create effective job banks for those students who have to work, with some requirement that the student stay in school. There also should be flexible hours for classes, like those provided by community colleges, for students who must work.
• An educated workforce is critical in today’s economy, but today too many families cannot afford to send their children to college because of prohibitive costs and skyrocketing tuition. College tuition in Texas public colleges has risen more than 82% since 2003, far faster than financial aid and family incomes. Bill White will work to make both two year and four year programs more affordable. Texas students should have an opportunity to pay little or no tuition with a public service commitment after school.