The grand education bargain Texas needs in 2013
by Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist
We are hearing a lot about grand bargains in Washington, so here is the grand bargain I’d like to see for education in Texas in 2013:
First, legislators make some restitution to schools for the $5.4 billion in cuts that education took in the 2011 session. It may not be possible to put every single dime back into education, given competing budget priorities. But Austin should do more than look askance at restoring funding, as this DMN articlesuggests some budget writers are doing.
For example, lawmakers dealt a body blow to the Student Success Initiative, which has been around since 1999. The initiative helps schools intervene with struggling students so they move from grade to grade ready to learn at the appropriate level. Legislators whacked this program when funding could have helped secure more interventionists for classrooms, create pilot programs for middle schools and give students access to qualified math tutors, among other smart strategies.
But here’s the second part of the bargain:
In return for more funds, legislators insis
