Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled a new proposal yesterday to create Student Success Academies to assist students struggling with reading and math.
“Student Success Academies will ensure we identify struggling students early and get them the help they need,” said Governor Abbott in a statement announcing his plan. “By giving parents a clear understanding of the resources available to support their child, we can work together to ensure every Texas student masters the reading and math skills they need to succeed.”
Under Abbott’s plan, children who are struggling in reading or math will receive targeted interventions and stronger subject-matter support at school. Additionally, the parents of these students will be provided with materials to assist them with learning at home, as well as notifications of their child’s progress at school.
At a press conference in Waco on his new student success proposal, Abbott was joined by parents, teachers, and lawmakers. In his remarks, the Governor emphasized the work he and lawmakers had done to improve education in Texas and achieve his goal of making Texas “number one in educating our children.”
“This last session, for example, we provided a record-breaking $8 billion more in funding for our public schools that included more than a $4 billion increase in teacher pay, and ensured that we are now providing per-pupil funding at an all-time record,” said Abbott. He also discussed the new teacher incentive allotment to “attract and to retain the best teachers in our classrooms.”
Nicole Johnson, a parent who spoke at the press conference, talked about how Abbott’s proposal will help her family.
“My husband and I are so excited for an at-home plan to equip our students. We have an elementary, a middle school, and a high school student, and we had them fall behind in reading. And my husband and I were looking for things to do at home to equip our students, and so this legislation, this proposal, will do just that. They will equip us to be able to help our students and also provide a roadmap of resources that we can come alongside the teachers and our students to deliver them excellence in reading, and for those fundamentals, so they can continue to succeed in college and on,” said Johnson.
State Representative Angelia Orr endorsed Abbott’s proposal at the event.
Orr remarked, “I’m a former school board member in Itasca ISD, and so I am very much appreciative of this program because I think it will help schools of all sizes. Because the main focus here is the students, and I think as long as we keep our focus on the students, we’re going to have great success in Texas.”
