ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

"What we need are good jobs that pay us a living wage, provide health benefits, and allow us to build assets. And what businesses really need are customers. They hire when we are buying more. Our policies should encourage growth in good jobs that provide ALL of us the opportunity to be productive Texans." ­— Don Baylor, Senior Policy Analyst

The center delivered written testimony to the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce on Oct. 9. on limiting the payday loan and auto title loan fee amount and how many times the fee can be charged.

The center testified before the House Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services on payday and auto title lending. Speaking on behalf of the Texas Fair Lending Alliance, the center expressed concern over the affordability of payday and auto title loans in Texas.

CPPP on the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey:

“We are encouraged by the Census Bureau’s preliminary report that more Texans have the security of health insurance coverage. The data show the overall uninsured rate slightly improved thanks to the Affordable Care Act."

“But U.S. Census Bureau data show the number of Texans living in poverty remains stubbornly high and unacceptable."

The center submitted written testimony on the Senate Higher Education Committee interim charges exploring student financial aid and the issue of student loan debt Texas institutions of higher education.

Click here for a link to access the presentation and audio recording from our College Financial Aid Policy Webinar.

Financial aid enables thousands of Texans with limited financial resources to pursue postsecondary education, but need-based grant aid is under attack at state and federal levels. With new restrictions on need-based aid coupled with state budget cutbacks, financial aid rationing threatens college access, persistence, and success for a young and growing population in Texas.

How Texas families fare when it comes to poverty and health care coverage affects the strength and overall physical and fiscal climate of our state. The Current Population Survey (CPS) and American Community Survey (ACS) data being released this month provide a picture of where Texas stacks up against others, giving us a sense of what it really takes for Texas families to get by, get ahead, and create a productive life for their children.

In response to the Great Recession, the Legislature chose to make extensive cuts to school funding instead of using the Rainy Day Fund to protect Texas school children, putting the state’s economy and long-term prosperity in jeopardy.

State and local funding for preK-12 education is 11.2 percent below 2008 levels in Texas after adjusting for student growth and inflation, according to a report released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-partisan policy research organization based in Washington, D.C.

The OpportunityTexas Tax-Time Savings Project (TSP) �" a partnership with the United Ways of Texas and Foundation Communities �" aims to increase household savings and reduce asset poverty. TSP provides modest incentives to clients who get their taxes prepared at Volunteer Income Assistance (VITA) sites to encourage them to save a portion of their tax refunds by purchasing at least one U.S. Savings Bond. As a result of our partnerships promoting savings at tax time, the number of VITA savers has soared. The numbers of savers tripled and the amount saved quadrupled from last year.

New poll results released today show that Texans support legislation to protect payday and auto loan borrowers from high interest rates and fees. The majority of those registered Texas voters polled want more state regulations on this issue, and the center is committed to helping protect consumers from crippling debt. The center joins more than three dozen other organizations that represent consumers, financial institutions, low-income communities, and the elderly, in forming the Texas Fair Lending Alliance to push for new state laws to control high-cost lending and protect the borrower.

On Wednesday, June 20, Policy Analyst Leslie Helmcamp submitted written testimony on the Senate Higher Education Committee interim charges exploring student barriers to college success, the use of technology in college courses, and developmental education programs at Texas institutions of higher education.

Over the past decade, Midland enjoyed population and employment growth at rates faster than the state average. Despite concerns about a “boom and bust” cycle, Midland’s economy and employment fell only in tandem with the past two national recessions (2001-02, 2008-09). The economy remains heavily shaped by Midland’s natural resources�"with about 37 cents for every dollar in private sector wages being earned in the Natural Resources & Mining supersector; statewide, the average is about six cents of every dollar.

Texas is among eight other states getting hit by cuts to the federal unemployment insurance (UI) program on Saturday. Nearly 25,000 Texans will be cut off from federal UI tomorrow, leaving more Texas families without needed assistance while the economy recovers.

“CPPP applauds the State Board of Education for approving robust curriculum standards for the new statutory requirement (SB 290) that financial literacy be incorporated into the K-8 grade math curriculum. The standards, which include content about the connection between educational attainment and earnings, along with instruction about financial preparation for postsecondary education, will help Texas students become more financially capable adults.”

On Tuesday, April 3, OpportunityTexas Project Coordinator Laura Rosen presented testimony before the House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services about the positive developments for consumers resulting from the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The center has officially moved to our new home on North Lamar! Our new address is 7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78752.

The center along with four other groups that work to improve college access and success in Texas submitted comments to Ken Levine, director of the Sunset Advisory Commission, on his agency's review of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and to offer additional proposals to strengthen our state’s higher education system.

This week Texas is one of many states celebrating America Saves Week, a campaign to promote personal savings and encourage individuals to take responsibility for their finances. America Saves works with state and local partners to raise awareness about the importance of saving and helps low- and moderate income individuals open savings accounts. Having savings is key for low-income families to move up to the middle class.

In Texas today, 27.7 percent of households are “asset poor,” meaning they have little or no financial cushion to rely on if unemployment or another emergency leads to a loss of income, according to a report from the national nonprofit Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED). Excluding important assets such as a vehicle or home, the (liquid) asset poverty rate increases to 50.6 percent of Texas residents.

OpportunityTexas, a joint project of CPPP and RAISE Texas working to expand economic opportunity through education and asset building, is entering its second year of promoting savings at community tax centers by providing incentives for low-income filers to save a portion of their tax refunds.

Center for Public Policy Priorities Executive Director F. Scott McCown made the following comments on the Austin American Statesman’s PolitiFact:

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor and OpportunityTexas Project Coordinator Laura Rosen gave this presentation about OpportunityTexas at the RAISE Texas Summit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 2, 2011.

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor gave this presentation, “College Access, Success and the 82nd Texas Legislature," at the RAISE Texas Summit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas November 2, 2011.

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor gave this presentation, "Building a Strong Middle Class: the Role of College Savings Accounts," on the State Platforms for College Savings Accounts panel at the College Savings Forum at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas on November 1, 2011.

The American Jobs Act takes the right approach to creating jobs and reducing long-term unemployment by expanding employment and training programs for unemployed Americans and continuing unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to those out of work for more than six months. Texas has suffered from persistently high unemployment over the past two years. Our state simply has more people looking for work than available jobs. If Congress does not continue federal UI benefits, an estimated 150,000 unemployed Texans will be cut off, leaving them without help and creating a drag on our economy.

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor regarding the American Jobs Act:

American Community Survey

• The Texas Top 10 (PDF)
• ACS Tables: Metro Area Poverty and Uninsured (xls)

New data from the Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey (ACS)¹ illustrates that poverty and uninsured rates vary dramatically by age, race and ethnicity, and across Texas’ metropolitan areas. Our analyses of the ACS data, released September 22, focus on 10 of the most striking findings.

(AUSTIN, Texas) �" The American Dream means working hard to learn, earn, save, and build assets so that our families are financially secure. These opportunities are in short supply in Texas. As today’s new jobs numbers show, Texas’ unemployment rate rose to 8.4 percent, marking the 23rd month the state unemployment rate has exceeded 8 percent, which ties the modern-day stretch set in the wake of the 1980s oil and real estate bust (Feb. 1986-Dec. 1987). With the state’s jobless rate higher than the past two recessions, many more Texans are experiencing sharp losses in their family income. A new report released today titled, “Under Attack: Texas’ Middle Class and the Job Crisis" suggests that stagnant incomes, a lack of good-paying jobs, and a lack of health insurance are the real issues that are crippling Texas’ middle class.

The report, co-published by CPPP and national policy center Demos, examines how stagnant wages, falling union participation, the lack of good jobs and health benefits, and the rising cost of a college education are all squeezing the Texas’ middle class.

Texas faces numerous challenges, but also abundant opportunities to build the middle class and increase prosperity. Unfortunately, too many Texans are sidelined, lacking access to opportunities to learn, earn, and save to secure a prosperous future for themselves and their families.

Expanding economic opportunity in Texas depends on our state’s ability to increase the college graduation rate for the thousands of college freshmen arriving on campuses each year. The pending budget bills would hamper college access for thousands of Texans through severe cuts to successful financial aid programs, including TEXAS Grants (Towards Excellence Access and Success) and other grants for aspiring college students. Despite these cuts, several bills aim to promote college success through developmental education, performance-based funding, and more eligibility restrictions for TEXAS Grants. This policy page provides an overview of this pending legislation.

Over the past several years, unregulated and high-cost, short-term lending has taken a toll on Texas consumers and communities. Without state oversight, Texas consumers do not have basic protections against abusive lending practices or a way to escape the cycle of debt which traps Texans with unlimited fees. The 82nd Legislature has a unique opportunity to address these problems by enacting House Bill (HB) 2592, 2593, and 2594.

The Center for Public Policy Priorities supports House Bill (HB) 120, which would codify and expand the award-winning noncustodial parent (NCP) Choices program. NCP Choices has demonstrated great success in helping noncustodial parents find employment, increasing the amount and consistency of child support payments, and increasing the household incomes of custodial parents. By increasing child support payments to low-income families, the program has the added benefit of reducing the reliance on TANF cash assistance by custodial parents and decreasing unemployment insurance claims.

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor and OpportunityTexas Project Coordinator Laura Rosen presented testimony before the House Committee on Higher Education regarding House Bill (HB) 34 and enhancing college access through statewide financial preparation. This testimony emphasizes the importance of FAFSA completion as a college access support.

A thriving economy needs access to credit to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Many Texas working families living paycheck-to-paycheck also need consumer credit to bridge the gaps between their income and basic needs. Consumer credit products should have protections, enabling Texans to meet their obligations while building their credit. Unfortunately, the Texas Credit Service Organization (CSO) loophole allows payday and auto-title lending without state oversight and consumer protections. On Tuesday, February 22, the Texas Senate will hear testimony on Senate Bill 253 to close the CSO loophole, restore consumer protection, and create opportunity for Texans.

The proposed state budget in Senate Bill 1 cuts Texas’ college financial aid grant programs by 39 percent, reducing the state’s investment in postsecondary grant aid by $385 million. Even at current funding levels, Texas’s grant programs only reach about half of eligible students. Funding cuts for state grant programs will further shift costs to hard working students and families and will serve as a barrier to college access and success in Texas.

Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor presented, "Federal Financial Reform Implications for Texas and Consumers," at a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas roundtable breakfast in San Antonio on September 30.

Over $1 billion in funding for state child support programs could potentially be cut from the 2011 federal budget if Congress fails to repeal funding cuts enacted as part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and restore full funding for the child support program. A cut of this magnitude would be devastating to states and needy children. According to the Congressional Budget Office, child support collections would decline by over $2 billion. What’s at Stake Because the cut would be to the federal matching funds on incentive payments earned by state child support programs, states, such as Texas, with the best performance would stand to lose the most funding. Because the cut would be to the federal matching funds on incentive payments earned by state child support programs, states, such as Texas, with the best performance would stand to lose the most funding.

As the U.S. Congress returns to work today from their Labor Day recess, members must take action on Senate Bill (SB) 1859 to further their commitment to strengthening American families.

Recent data on personal income and per capita personal income released by the Bureau of Economic Statistics (BEA) demonstrates the devastating effects of the recession on Americans across the country, especially in Texas where per capita personal income fell from a rank of 26 to 29 in the United States. Despite a 2 percent population increase in Texas between 2008 and 2009, total personal income declined by 1.6 percent to $904.2 billion. Although Texas had a lower unemployment rate (8.2 percent) compared to the national average (9.5 percent), per capita personal income in the state declined faster than the national rate. Twenty-one out of the 25 Texas metro areas (MSA) experienced declines in per capita personal income. Statewide, the decline in per capita personal income has been most pronounced in the larger MSAs during the recession. The data also indicate the role of unemployment insurance (UI) as an income stabilizer. Without the state UI program and federal UI extensions, per capita income would have fallen as much as 4 percent in 2009.

How will financial reform affect Texas and consumers? CPPP Senior Policy Analyst Don Baylor recently spelled out the implications of reform at an FDIC Alliance for Economic Inclusion (AEI) meeting.

The old saying, “You have to learn to earn,” underscores the importance of investing in higher education. Yet rising tuition, limited financial aid, and a lack of savings keeps college out of reach, and out of mind, for many Texas families, especially low-income families.

Although the Legislature created the Texas Tuition Promise Fund explicitly to reach low-income students, an analysis of the plan’s first two years demonstrates that students who most need college savings accounts largely remain untouched.

To close the gaps, the state must align its college savings plans and master plan for higher education to seamlessly provide incentives for economically disadvantaged students to begin college savings.

As Arizona’s controversial new immigration law makes clear, Americans are frustrated about immigration. While we share Arizona’s frustration, we strongly reject its approach. Congress must act to reform our immigration system�"it is critical to our national security, our economy, and who we are as a nation. As the President has said, "failure to act responsibly at the federal level will only open the door to irresponsibility by others."

To promote responsible action, we propose a common-sense approach. Our approach is similar to that of a broad-based coalition of Texas employers that have joined together as Texas Employers for Immigration Reform (TEIR). This convergence of views says something important: The divide on immigration is not between business and workers or conservatives and progressives; it is between the informed and the uninformed. If our nation follows common-sense principles, we can reform our immigration system in a way that that protects our national security, strengthens our economy, enhances labor standards for all workers, and honors American traditions and constitutional principles.

Senior Fiscal Analyst Dick Lavine testified before the Texas House Ways and Means Committee about the optional homestead exemption.

Texas community colleges have a high dropout rate, which limits economic opportunity for Texans and poses a major barrier to building and sustaining a skilled workforce. Although two-thirds of Texas college-bound high school graduates are prepared for college work, a large number of recent graduates and adults returning to pursue higher education are not college ready. Those underprepared for college face the hurdle of completing remedial courses-known as developmental education-in one or all core subject areas of math, reading, and writing--before enrolling in credit-bearing coursework.

Nationally, fewer than 40 percent of students who are referred to developmental education actually enroll in college-level courses. With emerging demand for higher-skilled workers, developmental education reforms are key to maximizing access to good jobs and moving the Texas economy forward.

The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring thousands of workers in Texas to help conduct the 2010 Census. More than 84,000 jobs will be created throughout the state during peak operations. This policy point tells you more. An accurate Census count has direct implications for every Texan. Many government funding decisions for services such as schools, housing, job training, roads, health care, and social services rely on Census data. Many communities are historically undercounted. Census workers can help ensure an accurate count for the 2010 Census.

On the one year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this policy page provides an overview of the impact of ARRA on employment in Texas and makes recommendations as Congress considers proposals to protect existing jobs and create more jobs.

CPPP senior food and nutrition policy analyst Celia Hagert delivered this presentation on "fighting hunger, improving nutrition" to the Texas Food Policy Roundtable, a new initiative founded by the Christian Life Commission of the General Baptist Convention of Texas.

Austin, Texas�"The Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) today highlighted a new report showing that, along with boosting the economy and saving and creating jobs, seven provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) enacted in February kept 640,000 Texans from falling into poverty this year. According to the study, released today by the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), ARRA also reduced the severity of poverty for another 2.9 million impoverished Texans by boosting their incomes, in most cases by at least $700.

Despite strong growth in indicators related to GDP, population, employment and exports in one of the state’s largest boom times, the overall conditions for low-income working families saw little improvement since 2004. This report updates how Texas’ working families fared during a period of economic growth and proposes policy solutions to ensure that the state invests in work force and skill development for working Texans.

Although Texas was late to feel the effects of the national recession, economic indicators including the unemployment rate, underemployment, home foreclosure rates, and declining wages demonstrate that Texas is feeling the full impact of the economic downturn. For example, unemployment numbers released today show that our unemployment rate has climbed to 8.2 percent, with 44,700 Texas jobs lost in September. In addition, underemployment, household poverty, and labor force participation are headed in the wrong direction. The State of Working Texas 2009 annual report summarizes the employment situation in Texas and analyzes various indicators to highlight economic conditions for Texas workers.

With the unemployment rate reaching 7.9 percent in July, coupled with a decrease in job creation, Texans face greater financial hardships, with many unable to pay their mortgages, afford health care and provide for their family’s basic needs. With unemployment on the rise, more Texans turn to the unemployment insurance (UI) system for financial relief to bridge the gap between jobs. Unfortunately, fewer than 35 percent of unemployed Texans became insured during the first quarter of 2009 �" maintaining Texas’ ranking of 50th in the nation. Despite a low recipiency rate and a lower unemployment rate compared to the rest of the nation, the chronically insolvent UI Trust Fund ran dry after only six months of elevated claims. The Trust Fund now faces a gigantic deficit heading into 2010, billions of dollars in future debt service, and higher employer rates for years to come.

This Policy Page provides an overview of the Texas labor market and the state of the unemployment insurance system.

If the First Infantry suffered 9 percent wounded, while the Second Infantry suffered “only” 7.9 percent, sending medicine to the First Infantry, but not the Second, would make no sense. Every wounded soldier deserves help. And, if the Second Infantry is bigger than the First, sending help to the Second would be even more important to the strength of the army. Yet, HR 3404 (McDermott) and S 1647 (Reed) propose to trigger an additional 13 weeks of critically important Emergency Unemployment Compensation for unemployed American workers based upon state unemployment rates. Unemployed workers in 28 states, including Texas, would not get help because of state rates below the trigger. This approach is unfair to American workers and counterproductive for the national economy. Congress should help workers in all states equally.

The most important natural resource Texas has is Texans. Unfortunately, our state suffers from a “brain drain” as many of our best and brightest students leave to further their education. A contributing cause is a lack of “tier one” universities in Texas. Proposition 4 (a constitutional amendment to create a National Research University Fund to help fund certain state universities to become nationally recognized research institutions) would provide funding to Texas universities seeking to attain tier-one status. With more university research, the state hopes for new jobs, increased wages, and more state and local tax revenue. This Policy Page describes criteria commonly used to determine tier-one status, the benefits of having more tier-one universities in Texas, progress of selected Texas schools toward tier-one status, and the specifics of Proposition 4.

Texas Weatherization Assistance Program Provides Relief to Low-Income Families and Creates Jobs for the New Economy

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Texas will receive $327 million in additional Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funds through 2011. The new funds will increase the number of homes weatherized in Texas to between 30,000 and 35,000 homes, up from 4,173 in 2006. Weatherization helps low-income communities by making their homes more energy efficient, thereby reducing the cost of utilities and homes from extreme weather conditions. Weatherization also enhances the value of a family’s primary asset �" their home. This policy page provides background on the Texas WAP and explores how ARRA funds can prepare more Texans for jobs of the future, meet consumer demands, and improve the quality of life for low-income seniors, persons with disabilities, and families with children.

Texas’ commercial health insurance market is considered “healthy” because it has a relatively large number of carriers writing coverage, is subject to a low level of regulation compared to other states, and generates $22 billion in premiums annually. The effect of this market on Texas consumers, however, is anything but healthy. For Texas health insurance consumers, this market produces some of the fastest growing premiums in the nation, one of the lowest rates of coverage through job-based insurance, and small employer premiums as high as $29,000 a year per employee. SB 1257 makes changes in the health insurance market which will allow consumers to maintain coverage during certain disputes with insurers, provide consumers with more information on health insurance, and establish a mechanism to review large rate increases for small employers to ensure they are justified.

SB 6 will create the Healthy Texas program. With nearly 6 million Texans lacking health insurance coverage and the cost of coverage growing ten times faster than incomes, Texas needs to take bold steps to confront issues with access to health coverage. Healthy Texas has the potential to put private health insurance coverage within reach of many uninsured Texans working for small employers by addressing the primary barrier to coverage�"the high cost of premiums�"using a public-private partnership.

Public structures such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Unemployment Insurance were created to help families in tough economic times and to help the economy recover from a down cycle. These are indeed tough times�"we face the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Tragically, many Texans are becoming aware for the first time of the crumbling nature of many of our public structures, weakened by years of neglect when times were good. Now that times are tough, we find our systems unprepared. Fortunately, though, the new federal economic recovery law makes resources available to help repair and improve these systems, which will in turn energize economic activity and get Texas on the road to recovery.

But, Texas will only get the federal funds�"and the needed improvements to our public structures�"if state policymakers make the right choices, soon.

Consumers and employers deserve to know that their hard-earned money going to health insurance premiums is used by insurance companies primarily for health care costs rather than insurance company administration, marketing, and profits. HB 531 sets standards for how insurance companies use premiums dollars that will introduce a much needed level of accountability and transparency to the health insurance market.

Reliable means of transportation are essential for families trying to get to and from work, and they are especially important for out-of-work Texans trying to find employment. Current asset tests for determining eligibility for public benefits unfairly penalize Texan families for owning reliable means of transportation. CPPP staff recently offered testimony in support of updating Texas' asset tests to ensure that needy individuals and families get the help they need and still have transportation.

ARRA provides enough funding for additional eligibility staff and 12-months continuous coverage of children on Medicaid. The TANF Emergency Contingency Fund also gives us the opportunity to help extremely poor families during the economic downturn.

With more than $16 billion in federal recovery spending coming to Texas through state agencies, the Center for Public Policy Priorities urged state policymakers to invest in programs that will give struggling low-income families and unemployed workers new opportunities to succeed economically. CPPP also called on the state to ensure that recovery money helps stabilize the economy and benefits those hurt most by the recession. Spending should be done openly, efficiently and with accountability.

The Center for Public Policy Priorities today urged state policymakers to draw down available funds for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in the federal recovery law. The center highlighted an exchange yesterday between Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) regarding the counterproductive effects of states forgoing money for UI:

BERNANKE: If unemployment benefits are not distributed to the unemployed, then they won't spend them and it won't have that particular element of stimulus.

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): So if this was done on a wide basis, it would be counterproductive, not productive?

BERNANKE: It would reduce the stimulus effect of the package, yes.

Today, Congress released the details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provides $789 billion to stimulate the economy. Many of these measures will also help protect vulnerable Texans during this economic downturn. To take full advantage of the benefits in the recovery package and set our economy on the road to recovery, Texas must plan immediately. We applaud Speaker Joe Straus for appointing the Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding, charged with monitoring federal action and suggesting to standing committees needed steps to qualify for federal economic recovery funds. This paper summarizes the portions of the bill that affect the state budget.

Yesterday, CPPP brought together state and national experts to discuss steps Texas could take to strengthen our unemployment insurance system. We were joined by Maurice Emsellem, the Policy Co-Director of the National Employment Law Project.

Presentations given at the event by CPPP's Don Baylor and Mr. Emsellem are now available online.

As the national recession enters a second year, Texas is retreating from a three-year period of economic expansion and broadbased job growth. With jobs and profits harder to come by, Texas will need to respond to the immediate challenges posed by an impending global recession while crafting a more sustainable economic development strategy that equally considers the economic needs of companies and working families. The State of Working Texas 2008 is the latest in a series of joint projects of CPPP and the Economic Policy Institute, which published The State of Working America 2008/2009 earlier this year.

Meaningful access to higher education is a cornerstone of economic opportunity. Higher educational attainment strengthens the workforce, increases earnings, and often leads to a better quality of life�"for individuals and the broader society. To remain competitive in the global marketplace, Texas must support students who are seeking higher education. This policy page discusses the underfunding of Texas’ financial aid programs and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s strategies to improve educational participation and success.

Our Texas KIDS COUNT Project reports annually on key measures of child well-being, monitoring our state’s progress to ensure that all Texas children can grow into healthy, secure, and educated citizens who contribute to our common good.

This year’s report includes an essay focusing on the steps Texas must take if we are serious about closing educational gaps between economically advantaged, primarily White students and economically disadvantaged, primarily minority students in achievement (how well children do in school) and attainment (how far children go in school).