What Do I Stand For?

I have decided to write a post about some of my opinions on popular topics that have been long-standing decision points for voters, so that you can make an informed decision based upon positions in the upcoming election. So I will continue to fill in the gaps weekly on where I stand on some important issues. I would like to start off with a big one this week, education. I have had several inquiries about my position on this issue, and I would like to respond to some of those.

First of all, just to get an idea of where things are, as a country our schools are not competitive in the world. We are ranked 21st in the world in terms of high school graduation, and 25th in standardized math testing. You can get the facts about the state of our public education system at EDin08.com. Now to narrow in a little more, Texas schools have been improving, we are headed in the right direction. Our schools have produced better results this year than last year in standardized testing. Ranking are available here.
"Statewide, about 46 percent of schools were exemplary or recognized this year, compared with about 37 percent last year. And 2.6 percent of schools were unacceptable this year, compared with 3.4 percent last year. Schools that are repeatedly rated unacceptable are subject to sanctions ranging from hiring private tutors to closure." Found here.
There is still more ground to take in this area. Parents who can't afford private schools are left with no other choice but to send their children to private schools, no matter how good or bad they may be. This is why I want to open up the choice for school districts to allow vouchers to fund children's education at private schools. This may not completely cover the costs of schooling at private schools, however it does open more options for parents who can afford to pay the difference between the tuition and what the voucher program provides.
A secondary issue that arises when a school voucher program is created is the question of the separation of church and state. I believe this does not cross that line. The choice is still left to the parents of whether their children are sent to a private school, and because no-one has to attend a religiously affiliated school without a choice to attend a public school, there is no violation of this primary safeguard. No-one is coerced into religiously affiliated school, and those that choose to, are allowed to go, and the funding that they would otherwise be paying towards public schools, is actually put to use for their choice instead.
What about the loss of funding that public schools will have? There is also a hidden benefit to this program. Students that choose to attend private schools will actually reduce the burden upon public schools. This means smaller classes, and more attention from teachers for the students that remain. Another important fact to notice is that the same amount of money per student will continue to be spent on public schools as is already spent. There is really no drawback to public schools from a school voucher program, and the benefits are all very attractive. Parents who can't afford private schools, due in part to the already high tax burden in America, will now have the opportunity to send their children to private schools at a reduced cost with a voucher program, and those children who remain in private school will enjoy the benefits of smaller class sizes, and more teacher attention. This is a win-win choice, and Texas would benefit from a school voucher program.

As always I invite your questions, and I acknowledge you for being someone who is making an informed choice for this coming election. I continue to be surprised and impressed at the public involvement in government in Texas, and I look forward to working for you.