Office of the Governor Rick Perry

Preparing Texas' Future
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Governing Principle

As the world becomes more competitive and the workplace more technologically challenging, the status quo in education is no longer enough to ensure a prosperous future for the children of Texas.

With that in mind, Gov. Perry has led Texas through a revolutionary transformation of our education system, starting from the ground up with the input of educators from all across the state.

Texas has made great strides in preparing our students for the future, becoming the first state in the nation to make a rigorous college and career preparatory curriculum the default for all high school students. Texas has also placed a renewed emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, working particularly to enable traditionally disadvantaged students to secure a solid base in these core subjects.

Through innovative programs and public-private partnerships, Texas has provided the tools necessary for schools to address the needs specific to their students, while simultaneously enacting some of the nation's toughest school accountability standards to ensure those students' needs are being met.

By pursuing our aggressive education agenda, Texas will continue to boast the best workforce in the nation, and secure our state's position as an economic force well into the future.

Action Items

»  Gov. Perry recently proposed expanding the Virtual School Network by creating the Texas Virtual High School that will provide students who have dropped out of traditional high schools an opportunity to earn a high school diploma without returning to a bricks and mortar school. Additionally, this expanded network will give students additional access to classes their schools may not offer, dual credit opportunities, and flexibility to help keep students in school.
»  Gov. Perry has also recommended creating a tax incentive for employers who grant their employees two hours a week of paid time off to return to school or study for their GED. Once the employee has received their diploma or GED, the employer is then eligible to receive $1,500 per student in credit toward sales tax liability.
»  In October 2009, Gov. Perry proposed a $160 million expansion of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program by doubling the number of T-STEM Academies in Texas, funding STEM scholarships to help ensure students receive a competitive education in these subjects, and doubling the number of UTeach programs.
»  Gov. Perry has supported the creation of the Texas High School Project (THSP), a multi-million dollar public-private partnership designed to improve outcomes for economically disadvantaged and at risk students through innovative programs such as High School Redesign, Early College High Schools and T-STEM Academies. To date, THSP has served 83,000 students in 172 schools across the state. These efforts combined with new proposals, will provide multiple avenues for Texans to earn their diploma.

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