The first expert witness called by the state in the school finance trial in Austin – paid more than $75,000 for his testimony – praised the performance of public schools at current funding levels this week, but also called into question two of the major talking points raised by state attorneys in defending the funding system. Grover Whitehurst, an education policy expert at the Brookings Institution, lauded Texas schools for having a high graduation rate in comparison with other states, as reported in a national study.Texas’ graduation rate of 86 percent tied for fourth with five other states – a statistic that has been touted by state leaders. But during cross examination by an attorney for school districts suing the state, Whitehurst was confronted with his recent comments in a Washington Star article, in which he voiced skepticism about the graduation rate
The first expert witness called by the state in the school finance trial in Austin – paid more than $75,000 for his testimony – praised the performance of public schools at current funding levels this week, but also called into question two of the major talking points raised by state attorneys in defending the funding system. Grover Whitehurst, an education policy expert at the Brookings Institution, lauded Texas schools for having a high graduation rate in comparison with other states, as reported in a national study.Texas’ graduation rate of 86 percent tied for fourth with five other states – a statistic that has been touted by state leaders. But during cross examination by an attorney for school districts suing the state, Whitehurst was confronted with his recent comments in a Washington Star article, in which he voiced skepticism about the graduation rate