Perry Calls a Special Session for Education

[Updates below.]

Perry set to call special session

Gov. Rick Perry has told the Legislature's top officials that he will call a special legislative session for the middle of April to address school financing.

Sources told The Associated Press and that Perry told Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick that he will announce the call this week.

The sources say April 12 or April 19 have been mentioned as possible start dates.

The Dallas Morning News is also reporting the news of the special session.

However, a spokesman for Perry told News 8 Austin the AP and Morning News reports are premature.

The governor has no intention of announcing a special session either Thursday or Friday, said Robert Black.

Copyright ©2004TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

News8 is probably referring to this Morning News article that you'll need to register to access. Other sources are the Houston Chronicle and the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

News8Austin has a poll asking whether Governor Perry's decision was a good one. I voted "yes" and added this comment:

Calling the session is a good thing. The current system isn't working. Of course, what needs to happen won't happen:

The privatization of public education.

As long as people are forced to pay for the educations of others, public education will continue to be mediocre for most and a failure for too many. Government involvement screws everything up.

My position on the Texas educational problem is simple:

1. An education is very important but it is not a right; it's a service.
   
2. As such, it should be subject to free market forces. Meaning, if you want to partake in the service, you and the service provider should come to an agreement on the terms and conditions of that service's nature, cost, and rules.
   
3. Therefore, the state should not interfere with educators and educational institutions:
   • People should pay their own way or seek help from charitable third parties.
     
   • The curriculum should not be imposed from above, either from the state or federal level.
   
   
4. Etc.

In short, get the government out of the education business.

Will anyone in the Texas Legislature propose such a radical change? I'll keep an eye on the process and blog what pops up, from the Good to the Even Worse.

UPDATE(4/9/2004 12:45pm)
Oppose all state income tax plans!

UPDATE(4/13/2004 12:30pm)
The ball is in motion.

Perry calls special session

On April 20, legislators will meet in Austin to consider a new way to pay for public schools.

The governor announced the special session on school finance at a Tuesday morning press conference.

Although there would be partisan disagreement, Perry urged members of both legislative bodies to work together.

A school finance reform package may not get passed in one session, Perry said, but he would call as many as necessary.

Copyright ©2004TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

There's a lot more at the link, including the full text of Governor Perry's prepared statement.

UPDATE(4/28/2004 9:25am)
The proposed solutions for Texas school financing aren't any better.

UPDATE(5/4/2004 9:07am)
I did some quick 'n dirty educational cost calculations of my own.

UPDATE(5/18/2004 12:21pm)
The special session has ended and no bills were passed.

Posted by Drizzten at April 01, 2004 05:00 PM