Guillen Appointed to Education Committee

AUSTIN -- Representative Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, recently was appointed by Joe Straus, the Speaker of the House, to the Education Standing Committee for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Representative Guillen has been a strong supporter of public and higher education and thanked the speaker for this important appointment. “Education is an issue important to all families and all Americans. I look forward to working with other members of this group to find ways to improve educational opportunity for Texas Students,” Guillen said.

In this past legislative session, Rep. Guillen worked on legislation that invested a total of $3 billion in education. These funds were provided to develop drop-out recovery programs, enhance library resources, support Career & Tech courses, and establish more opportunities for health care. $265 million of this amount went specifically to ROTC students to assist with financial aid, grants and scholarships. Other portions went to technological advances in the education system and additional basic education services to South Texas adults. A sales tax holiday for school supplies was created and course flexibility in high schools expanded. The legislation also provided an $800 pay raise and guaranteed health insurance coverage for educators along with a $500 dollar bonus for retirees.

In legislative sessions preceding the 81st, the representative has consistently fought for and succeeded in passing legislation that supports education in Texas. He has increased funding for educator pay raises and retiree bonuses. Also, his agenda included increased spending to help build schools, increased spending on school technology equipment, and library grants. The first two received funding during both the 80th and 79th Sessions. Capital was supplied to drop-out prevention, student financial aid, end-of-course exams to replace the TAKS test, and the Texas Tomorrow Fund II. The representative also passed legislation that allowed governing boards of higher education institutions to decide if their students could pay tuition in multiple installments during the summer. During his first session, Representative Guillen drafted legislation that provided $500 to teachers and $1000 to administrators for teachers insurance. During this same session, he allowed consultation between the Texas Workforce Commission and national teacher pilot programs. The TWC was also permitted to submit status reports to the governor and teachers were promised reimbursement of any personal funds that they spend on a classroom.

The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that provides technical assistance to policymakers. The conference is an excellent opportunity for legislators to meet, exchange ideas, and introduce studies that allow for deliberation of the most urgent state issues and concerns. The conference met in Philadelphia July 20th to the 24th for the 2009 Legislative Summit.

The Education Standing Committee gave presentations on the social and economic costs of dropouts, and training initiatives for green jobs. The representatives that attended received a walk-through of a 21st century school that finds textbooks unnecessary, requires each student to have a laptop with them at all times, and incorporates independent learning for each student into the community.

The legislators also met on ways to increase funding for higher education despite tight fiscal circumstances. The committee discussed school safety and determined if enough progress has been made to prevent school violence since the Columbine shootings.

Improving college completion rates is also an important issue for the committee members as postsecondary education in the U.S. has fallen from its top position among the nations of the world.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke at the conference. He has dedicated his time and resources to not only improving education but also to finding revolutionary ways to improve education with economic stimulus money.