AUSTIN, Texas – Testifying before the Texas House Committee on Public Education, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s director of education research said Tuesday that the time for school vouchers is long overdue. “The great myth is that vouchers are some kind of experiment,” said Chris Patterson. “When Texas established the public schools in 1876, it...
Press Release March 18, 2003AUSTIN, Texas – When the Governor delivered his State of the State address today, he was right to take tax increases off the legislative table, according to a spokesman for the state’s leading policy think tank. “A tax increase to solve our economic and budget problems is like removing someone’s heart because they have low...
Press Release February 11, 2003AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Public Policy Foundation today released the agenda for the 78th Legislature Policy Orientation. Headlining the multi-day event will be the state’s top elected officials, including Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Attorney General Greg Abbott, House Speaker Tom Craddick, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips and key...
Press Release January 23, 2003AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Board of Directors has announced the selection of Brooke Leslie Rollins as the Foundation’s new president. She will take office on January 1, 2003. “We’re delighted to welcome Brooke Rollins to the Foundation,” said Board chairman Wendy Gramm, Ph.D. “She brings an exciting energy, experience and vision...
Press Release December 17, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – Texas public schools are now selecting social studies textbooks, with superintendents and teachers deciding what students will learn about their state, nation and world over the coming decade. To assist schools identify factually sound, academically rich textbooks, the Texas Public Policy Foundation is this week mailing a summary of its comprehensive 2,100-page...
Press Release December 16, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – Wendy Gramm, chair of the Texas Public Policy Foundation Board of Directors, announced today that Jeff Judson, President and CEO, will be leaving the Foundation on December 31, 2002. She offered her thanks to Judson for his “work on behalf of TPPF and Texas.” “Under Jeff’s leadership, the size and scope of...
Press Release December 16, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – State Board of Education members voted 12-1 today to adopt new social studies textbooks. The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 2,200-page review has led to numerous changes that will be incorporated in the textbooks. “The publishers’ main interest has obviously been to improve the quality of textbooks,” said Chris Patterson, Director of...
Press Release November 15, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – Despite the rhetoric and headlines, there is not a teacher shortage and an across-the-board pay raise will not address problems in Texas schools, according to a report issued today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “There is no teacher shortage, it is a myth,” said Chris Patterson, the Foundation’s director of education...
Press Release September 25, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – An internationally acclaimed economist warns that Texas’ reputation as a low tax state attractive to new industry hangs in the balance. The Texas system needs “moderate changes designed to make the Lone Star State even more attractive to individuals and businesses.” In the fifth installment of his comprehensive six-part “Taxing Texans” series,...
Press Release September 18, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – An exhaustive review of the proposed social studies textbooks to be considered by the State Board of Education has found more than 500 factual errors, and hundreds of additional problems with insufficient discussion of key people, places and events. The complete listing of factual errors will be submitted to the Texas Education...
Press Release July 10, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – As the Texas Public Policy Foundation prepares to release reviews of proposed social studies textbooks, problems are being uncovered according to the foundation’s director of education research. Even after new textbooks are adopted by the State Board of Education this November, pinpointing Texas on a map and knowing why colonists threw tea...
Press Release July 2, 2002AUSTIN, Texas – The US Supreme Court today upheld the Cleveland, OH, school voucher program, clearing away obstacles for more wide-spread use of the school choice vehicle. The following statement was issued today by Texas Public Policy Foundation president and CEO Jeff Judson: “This is a great day for all parents and children; they have...
Press Release June 26, 2002