Too often people complain about the quality of education in Texas, but rarely do they look at ways in which we can restructure and improve our educational system. A step in the right direction would be to return our focus to educating students which means more emphasis on teachers and cutting administrative costs. Aside from refocusing employment policies, I believe Texas school districts could undergo a fundamental restructuring, saving taxpayers more money and focusing more attention on the education of students.
One such way I believe this can be accomplished is if Texas did not have so many school districts. I understand consolidating more school districts would be problematic in certain large metropolitan areas or in sparsely populated areas, but there are districts that can be consolidated considering there are more than 1,000 school districts to choose from. Bryan/College Station is a perfect example. Couldn’t we suffice with one school district?
If there was only one school district in this region, taxpayers would have to support only one superintendent and significantly fewer administrators. With some superintendents being paid well in excess of $200,000, more than any elected official in the state, taxpayers could see large cuts in their local taxes and potentially save more than if we just skirted around the problems that make our education system grandiose and ineffective.
Aside from having fewer administrative costs, consolidation could provide a higher quality of education to more students. With more people being eligible to pay into into a school district’s tax base, and with fewer administrative costs, consolidated school districts could effectively place more dollars in the classroom, ensuring that Texas will lead the nation in educational standards as much as it does in job creation.
School districts are not meant to be places for employment, they are meant to be places where the future is prepared for unbounded career opportunities. In order to ensure that students receive the highest quality education possible, it is necessary that Texas school districts seriously consider restructuring the way money is spent and place a higher degree of emphasis on teachers, and more importantly, students.
