Success in education is clearly related to early education preparation
A former head of the U.S. Census Bureau said Texas must do more to prepare preschool-age children before they enter kindergarten so they won’t drop out later. Steve Murdock, the former state demographer, also said Texas needs to boost its grant program for college students. Murdock realized current trends show that by 2040, three of every 10 workers may not have a high school education. “Clearly, with the dismal levels that we have in terms of education right now, that’s clearly where we’re headed,” Murdock said.
Murdock also said the trend of higher dropout rates in the state’s public schools with more low-income students could also mean more Texans will depend on food stamps, Medicaid and CHIP as well as higher incarceration rates.
“It frightens me because it makes it difficult for Texas to achieve the things that all Texans want to achieve that is, to be very competitive, to be an economic leader in the country and world,” Murdock said. The San Antonio Express-News reported Monday that if nothing changes, average Texas household incomes will be about $6,500 lower in 30 years than they were in 2000.
Failure to prepare students typically leads to academic failure
The solution would require Texas to do more to prepare preschool-aged children for the next level of education and boost its TEXAS — Toward EXcellence, Access and Success — grant program.
These suggestions come as the Texas Republican Party recently adopted a platform calling for the repeal of government programs dealing with early childhood development. Failing to prepare low income students often leads them to falling behind and many eventually dropping out according to the Texas Education Agency.
More than 130,000 students that enter high school as ninth-graders do not end up graduating with their class. “Every kid deserves to be educated, and we’re going to figure out what it takes and do it,” said Bill Hammond, president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business. “The only way we will turn around public education in Texas is for the business community to realize that their future is at stake.”
