Under Republican leadership, Texas cuts 25,000 teachers

Class sizes have increased in Texas over the last year: bad news for learning

The Texas constitution calls for compulsory education for all Texans under 18 years of age.  The state GOP party has, therefore, proven to be anti-constitutional as it cut the last bi-ennial education budget by $5 Billion. Over the last year, this has translated to 25,000 less teachers in our state's classrooms. Nice going GOP.

From United States Society.com

Visit public schools across Texas, and you’ll see more students packed into classrooms. You’ll see fewer of just about everyone else – teachers, librarians, counselors, janitors.

New data from the Texas Education Agency illustrate what school officials have decried for months: Their staffs are stretched thin following the unprecedented state budget cuts that took effect this school year.

Statewide, districts eliminated roughly 25,000 positions, including more than 10,700 teaching jobs. Overall, districts cut their workforce by 4 percent – through attrition and, in some cases, layoffs – since last school year.

“I’m hoping the Legislature will see there’s hard data showing that, yes, districts are making some good decisions in terms of efficiencies,” said Bob Sanborn, president of Children at Risk, a Houston-based nonprofit that analyzed the state figures. “But the Legislature should be very worried that in the haste to be more efficient we are cutting our future out from under us.”