Standardized Testing in Texas

In Ms. Quinones commentary on the article, "Standardized Testing in Texas Increases Ten Fold From 2009-2010,"she tells how much more money taxpayers will end up paying for standarded testing in Texas. Obviously, the higher the student population, the higher the education costs rise to meet the demand. This seems logical, but Ms. Quinones has to wonder whether the testing is used for the student's academic level or simply the school's level of teaching. There is an abundance of money spent on hiring more teachers to teach the material.Tutors, study guides, and other helpful testing materials are also necessary in preparing students to do well on the tests. It was calculated how much money will be spent on these tests in the Perry/Bush era and it came out to be about 93 million dollars.

I have to agree with Ms. Quinones when she questions whether or not these standardizing are at all helpful to students. Not only is this costing the state an arm and a leg, but it is, and has been for a long time, hurting the Texas k12 education and the student’s ability to pass. It seems like it is more a more expensive and less effective way to educate the students of Texas. Considering the fact that Texas is ranked in the bottom ten for k12 education I think it is time that we try something different that might also involve saving millions of dollars. We could possibly stop focusing on tests that analyze crammed test material and teach what is actually going to be needed in the higher education world. It’s a win-win situation.  

Texas spends millions on college for prison inmates

In an article entitled, "Texas spends millions on college for prison inmates," Mike Ward states how Texas is giving inmates the opportunity for higher education while in prison. The tuition does not need to be payed back until after they are out of prison and over a period of time. Before recieving higher education classes, they are required to agree to pay back the full amount when they are released or paroled. Out of the 22,000 ex prisoners who had recieved aid for this program, only 6,630 have reimbursed all of the money loaned to them by the state, which adds up to about $4.5 million. There is an estimated $9.5 million that is owed to the state from the remaining 16,088 ex cons that haven't paid it back.

Although there are statistics that show that inmates who were educated have a higher recidivism rate, the $9.5 million that is not yet paid back to the state stands out a little more to me. I think it is unfair and unnecessary to be providing higher ed to felons instead of trying to reach out to the people who haven't gone to prison. I think we can take the total of $15 million and use it toward people who can't afford college instead of cutting the amount of financial aid that is given to law abiding citizens. I personally think that spending could easily be cut if we didn't spend so much money on programs like this that we don't even need!