Texas Almanac 2012–2013

Education

Texas Public Schools UIL Winning Schools for 2009–2010 & 2010–2011 Higher Education inTexas Universities and Colleges Channing School in Channing, Hartley County, was built in 1931. Robert Plocheck photo. Education Education 587 Texas Public Schools Source: Texas Education Agency; www.tea.state.tx.us Enrollment in Texas public schools reached a peak of 4,933,617 students in 2010–2011, according to the Texas Education Agency. That is an increase of almost 338,675 students over the last four years; enrollment was 4,594,942 in 2006–2007. The seven largest districts (listed in descending order by average daily attendance) are: School District County Enrollment Houston Harris 204,245 Dallas Dallas 157,162 Cypress-Fairbanks Harris 106,097 Northside Bexar 95,581 Austin Travis 85,697 Fort Worth Tarrant 81,651 Fort Bend Fort Bend 68,948 In Texas, there are 1,030 independent and common school districts and 207 charter operators. Independent school districts are administered by an elected board of trustees and deal directly with the Texas Education Agency. Common districts are supervised by elected county school superintendents and county trustees. Charter schools are discussed later in this article. Brief History of Public Education Public education was one of the primary goals of the early settlers of Texas, who listed in the Texas Declaration of Independence the failure to provide education as one of their grievances against Mexico. As early as 1838, President Mirabeau B. Lamar ’s message to the Republic of Texas Congress advocated setting aside public domain for public schools. His interest caused him to be called the “Father of Education in Texas.” In 1839, Congress designated three leagues of land to support public schools for each Texas county and 50 leagues for a state university. In 1840, each county was allocated one more league of land. The Republic, however, did not establish a public school system or a university. After Texas was admitted into the Union, the 1845 Texas State Constitution advocated public education, instructing the Legislature to designate at least 10 percent of the tax revenue for schools. Further delay occurred until Gov. Elisha M. Pease, on Jan. 31, 1854, signed the bill setting up the Texas public school system. The public school system was made possible by setting aside $2 million out of $10 million Texas received for relinquishing its claim to land north and west of its present boundaries in the Compromise of 1850 (see map on page 53). During 1854, legislation provided for state apportionment of funds based upon an annual census. Also, railroads receiving grants were required to survey alternate sections to be set aside for public-school financing. The first school census that year showed 65,463 students; state fund apportionment was 62 cents per student. When adopted in 1876, the present Texas Constitution provided: “All funds, lands, and other property heretofore set apart and appropriated for the support of public schools; all the alternate sections of land reserved by the state of grants heretofore made or that may hereafter be made to railroads, or other corporations , of any nature whatsoever; one half of the pubTexas School Enrollment and Expenditures per Student School Year Enrollment Spending per student 2009–2010 4,824,778 $11,567 2008–2009 4,728,204 11,024 2007–2008 4,651,516 10,162 2006–2007 4,576,933 9,629 2005–2006 4,505,572 9,269 2004–2005 4,383,871 8,916 2003–2004 4,311,502 7,708 2002–2003 4,239,911 7,088 2001–2002 4,146,653 6,913 2000–2001 4,059,619 6,638 1999–2000 3,991,783 6,354 Graduates and Dropouts School Year Graduates *Dropouts 2008–2009 264,275 40,923 2007–2008 252,121 45,796 2006–2007 241,193 55,306 2005–2006 240,485 51,841 2004–2005 239,716 18,290 2003–2004 244,165 16,434 2002–2003 238,109 15,117 2001–2002 225,167 16,622 2000–2001 215,316 17,563 1999–2000 212,925 23,457 1998–1999 203,393 27,592 *Grades 7–12. Personnel and Salaries Year/ Personnel Type Personnel (Full-Time Equivalent)* Average Total Salaries† 2009–2010 Personnel Teachers 333,007 $49,544 Campus Administrators 18,543 70,723 Central Administrators 6,853 88,467 Support Staff* 58,576 57,243 Total Professionals 416,979 52,207 Educational Aides 64,701 18,596 Auxiliary Staff 178,141 22,686 Total Staff 659,821 40,941 2008–2009 Personnel Teachers 327...