Americans are grappling with major policy questions about education, from improving student performance to funding, charter schools to classroom size. More than a decade ago, New Zealand, a country only slightly smaller than Texas, faced similar, if not worse, problems. We “Kiwis” made bold, across-the- board reforms, with positive results.
Is the State Not Spending Enough on Public Education?
One state lawmaker recently accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of not “spend[ing] the tax $ that you collected from us on our neighborhood schools instead…hoarding it in the treasury.” Setting aside the fact that the Legislature authors the state budget and dictates where money is spent—not the chief executive—this critique gets things wrong in another...