We know that our public officials have good intentions. Their message is "We must remain vigilant; we must strive for continued excellence in our schools." Sadly, “fixing” the public schools is a favorite platform for politicians. And what the public ends up hearing and reading is, "We're not good enough. We need to reform our educational system. We must revolutionize the way we educate!"

Our system is revolutionary, and Texas public schools are overwhelmingly successful. In the face of ever-increasing standards, public scrutiny, complex policy and budget battles, Texas public schools continually rise to the occasion on behalf of their students.

The Truth About Texas Public Schools

Unfortunately, many of the success stories are hidden in the shadows.
We’d like to shed some light on the subject. For example:

The Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate (AFGR) in Texas for school year 2002-2003 rose two full points over the previous year to 75.5%. This exceeds the national average of 73.9% and does not include students who complete the GED program. The AFGR provides an estimate of the percentage of high school students who graduate on time. The rate uses aggregate student enrollment data to estimate the size of an incoming freshman class and aggregate counts of the number of diplomas awarded 4 years later. Source: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/2006601.pdf (Click here to read original PDF article.)
Between 1994 and 2003 on TAAS Reading, the number of:
	The percentage of Hispanic students passing increased from 65% to 93%;
	The percentage of African-American students passing increased from 60% to 92%;
	The percentage of White student passing increased from 87% to 98%.
.
Between 1994 and 2003 on TAAS Math, the number of:
	The percentage of Hispanic students passing increased from 47% to 98%;
	The percentage of African-American students passing increased from 38% to 96%;
	The percentage of White student passing increased from 73% to 100%.
.
	Texas is one of only eight states scoring above the national average on NAEP Math & English, 4th and 8th grade levels… and they achieve this with the highest percentage of Limited English Proficient students, the highest percentage of students whose parents have less than a high school diploma, and with the highest percentage of students of Free & Reduced Price Lunches.
	In 2004-05 the average operating expenditure per student in Texas was $873 less than the national average of $8,208.
	In 1903, only 3% of public school students graduated from high school. That number didn’t reach 50% until the late 1940s. In 2003, 83% of public school students graduated from high school, and an additional 8% completed requirements through the GED program.
	When scores were expected to fall in spring 2004 due to the release of a more rigorous TAKS exam, Texas third graders in fact exceeded expectations, scoring 91 percent passing in reading.
	A substantially higher percentage of Texas students take the SAT than do students nationally. While 57 percent of Texas graduating seniors took the SAT, only 48 percent nationally took the exam.
	When Texas students go toe-to-toe with their peers nationally, they consistently earn higher scores. Each major ethnic group in Texas schools scored seventh or higher among their peers around the country on the fourth-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam.
	Asian American students in Texas fourth-grade classes outscored Asian-American students in all the other 53 states and jurisdictions.
	African American fourth-grade students in Texas earned second place among African American students around the country. Caucasian fourth-grade students in Texas tied for fourth place with New Jersey. Hispanic fourth-grade students in Texas ranked seventh place on the NAEP math exam.
	The proportion of Texas public school 8th graders who scored at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress increased by 11% between 1998 and 2002.
	The proportion of Texas public school 8th graders who scored at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress increased by 11% between 1998 and 2002.
	The proportion of Texas 4th graders who scored at the highest two levels in math increased by 80% between 1992 and 2000.
	While 71% of Texas’s public high schools offer Advanced Placement courses through which high school students can earn college credit, just 50% of Texas’s private high schools offer these advanced courses.
	Texas 8th grade students are among the nation’s best in writing. The proportion of 8th grade students scoring at the highest two levels of writing achievement is the 3rd highest in the nation.
	Texas is the leading state in the nation in the proportion of students taking advanced math courses. It is No. 1 in the nation in the proportion of students taking calculus, AP calculus, and AP statistics.
	The number of Texas teachers being honored with certification from the prestigious National Board of Professional Teaching Standards has increased more than 5-fold since 1999!
	Texas leads the nation in the size and scope of its gifted and talented program. It is one of the top six states in the nation in the percentage of public primary schools with a gifted and talented program.
	Texas leads the nation in cutting edge foreign language immersion programs for elementary school students—taking advantage of the natural capacity of young children to learn languages.
	“Good news about public schools serves no one’s political education reform agenda even if it does make teachers, kids, parents, and administrators feel a little better.” --Gerald W. Bracey, Author On the Death of Childhood and the Destruction of Public Schools Available at Amazon.com

Public Opinion Research

While the data, statistics and thousands of stories about successful Texans tell the truth about Texas public schools, recent data demonstrates that the negative nature of news, half-truths and misinformation influence the public’s perception of public schools.

Surveys continually demonstrate that people are happy with the school located in their neighborhood. Yet, surveys also reveal that people are generally frustrated with the “failing” public schools. How can the public schools be “failing” if people throughout the nation are happy with their local schools? Does it not stand to reason that the national collective opinion should demonstrate that people are happy with the public schools?

The best known public opinion research on the subject is conducted annually by the Gallup organization in association with Phi Delta Kappa. Their 35th Annual Poll, conducted in September 2003, found that respondents are generally happy with the nation’s public schools. The first conclusion noted in the Executive Summary of the findings states, “The public has high regard for the public schools, wants needed improvement to come through those schools, and has little interest in seeking alternatives.”

The 2004 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll found that only 26% of respondents would give the nation’s public schools a grade of A or B. But when asked how they would grade the school where their oldest child currently attends, 70% of respondents gave the public schools an A or B. Clearly there is a perception gap between those with a direct connection to the public schools and those without one -- those whose only point of reference regarding public schools comes through indirect, second-hand sources of information, such as the media.

Existing research on public attitudes toward the public schools concentrates on a national perspective. Though many of the findings would likely reflect the attitudes of Texans toward Texas public schools, Friends of Texas Public Schools plans to conduct a random sample poll of Texans to establish an accurate baseline of public opinion before it launches its public relations campaign in January 2005. Periodic polls thereafter will help Friends of Texas Public Schools measure the impact of its efforts on public opinion about public schools in Texas.