Texas’ student reading and math results are lackluster and declining. According to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), 55% of Texas third-graders are reading below grade level and 52% are doing math below grade-level. Similarly, according to the April 2018 Nation’s Report Card (NAEP), Texas reading scores are some of the lowest in the nation and declining: Texas ranks 46th in fourth-grade reading (down from 40th in 2015). In addition, the achievement gaps between white and minority children are persistent and the state’s economically disadvantaged population is increasing.
Water Markets in Texas
Texas water law should be updated to embrace free market transactions that have been incorporated into other Texas statutes governing markets such as electricity, telecommunications, and insurance. Key points: The best instrument for optimizing allocation of scarce water resources is the exercise of private property rights in a competitive marketplace, otherwise known as a water...