Texas Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Education== {{main|Education in Texas}} The second [[List of Presidents of the Republic of Texas|president of the Republic of Texas]], [[Mirabeau B. Lamar]], is the ''Father of Texas Education''. During his term, the state set aside three [[league (unit)|leagues]] in each county for public schools. An additional 50 leagues of land set aside for the support of two universities would later become the basis of the state's [[Permanent University Fund]].<ref name="PUF">{{cite Handbook of Texas |id=khp02 |title=Permanent University Fund |date=June 15, 2010 |first=Vivian Elizabeth |last=Smyrl}}</ref> Lamar's actions set the foundation for a Texas-wide public school system.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hendrickson | first=Kenneth E. Jr. |title=The Chief of Executives of Texas: From Stephen F. Austin to John B. Connally, Jr |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8zF5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA37 |publisher=[[Texas A&M University Press]] |year=1995 |page=37 |isbn=978-0-89096-641-9}}</ref> Between 2006 and 2007, Texas spent $7,275 per pupil, ranking it below the national average of $9,389. The pupil/teacher ratio was 14.9, below the national average of 15.3. Texas paid instructors $41,744, below the national average of $46,593. The [[Texas Education Agency]] (TEA) administers the state's public school systems. Texas has [[List of school districts in Texas|over 1,000]] [[school district]]s; all districts except the [[Stafford Municipal School District]] are independent from municipal government and many cross city boundaries.<ref name="Stafford">{{cite press release |title=Comptroller Strayhorn to Review Stafford Municipal School District |publisher=Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn |date=September 16, 2003 |url=http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/news/30916stafford.html |access-date=June 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040222021846/http://www.cpa.state.tx.us/news/30916stafford.html |archive-date=February 22, 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref> School districts have the power to [[taxation|tax]] their residents and to assert [[eminent domain]] over privately owned property. Due to court-mandated equitable school financing, the state has a tax redistribution system called the "[[Robin Hood plan]]" which transfers property tax revenue from wealthy school districts to poor ones.<ref name="robinhood">{{cite web|last=Saghaye-Biria |first=Hakimeh |title=Robin Hood Plan is Working |date=April 22, 2001 |publisher=World Internet News Cooperative |url=http://soc.hfac.uh.edu/artman/publish/article_137.shtml |access-date=June 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511051857/http://soc.hfac.uh.edu/artman/publish/article_137.shtml |archive-date=May 11, 2008 }}</ref> The TEA has no authority over private or [[homeschooling]] activities.<ref name="homeschool">{{cite web|date=November 1, 2007 |title=Home School Information Letter |publisher=Texas Education Agency |url=http://www.tea.state.tx.us/home.school/homeltr.html |access-date=June 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613083329/http://www.tea.state.tx.us/home.school/homeltr.html |archive-date=June 13, 2008 }}</ref> Students in Texas take the [[State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness]] (STAAR) in primary and secondary school. STAAR assess students' attainment of [[reading (activity)|reading]], writing, [[mathematics]], science, and [[social studies]] skills required under Texas education standards and the [[No Child Left Behind Act]]. The test replaced the [[Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills]] (TAKS) test in the 2011–2012 school year.<ref name="TAKS">{{cite news|url=http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/admin/eoc/index.html |title=End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments: Implementation |last=Texas Education Agency |work=Assessment Division |date=October 22, 2007 |access-date=October 22, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120064701/http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/admin/eoc/index.html |archive-date=November 20, 2007 }}</ref> Generally prohibited in the [[Western world]], [[school corporal punishment]] is not unusual in the more conservative, rural areas of the state,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Salhotra |first1=Pooja |title=Proposed ban on corporal punishment in Texas schools fails again |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/26/texas-house-corporal-punishment-public-schools/ |access-date=17 January 2024 |work=The Texas Tribune |date=27 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Frosch |first1=Dan |title=Schools Under Pressure to Spare the Rod Forever |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/education/30paddle.html |access-date=17 January 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=29 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gershoff |first1=Elizabeth T. |last2=Font |first2=Sarah A. |title=Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: Prevalence, Disparitiesin Use, and Status in State and Federal Policy |journal=Social Policy Report |date=2016 |volume=30 |pages=1–26 |doi=10.1002/j.2379-3988.2016.tb00086.x |pmid=29333055 |pmc=5766273 |issn=1075-7031}}</ref> with 28,569 public school students [[paddle (spanking)|paddled]] at least one time,{{efn|This figure refers to only the number of students paddled, regardless of whether a student was spanked multiple times in a year, and does not refer to the number of instances of corporal punishment, which would be substantially higher.}} according to government data for the 2011–2012 school year.<ref name="CORPUN_US_SCHOOL" /> The rate of school corporal punishment in Texas is surpassed only by [[Mississippi]], [[Alabama]], and [[Arkansas]].<ref name="CORPUN_US_SCHOOL">{{cite web|url=http://corpun.com/counuss.htm |title= Corporal punishment in US schools |publisher=World Corporal Punishment Research | last = Farrell | first = Colin | date=February 2016|access-date=April 4, 2016}}</ref> ===Higher education=== {{further|List of colleges and universities in Texas}} [[File:University of Texas at Austin August 2019 30 (Littlefield Fountain and Main Building).jpg|thumb|The [[University of Texas at Austin]]]] [[File:Roy Gustav Cullen Building.JPG|thumb|[[University of Houston]]]] [[File:TAMUcampus.jpg|thumb|[[Texas A&M University]]]] [[File:Lovett Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Rice University]]]] The state's two most widely recognized flagship universities are [[The University of Texas at Austin]] and [[Texas A&M University]], ranked as the 21st<ref>"[http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-texas-austin-3658 University of Texas—Austin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908040718/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-texas-austin-3658 |date=September 8, 2014 }}". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> and 41st<ref>"[http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/texas-am-university-college-station-10366 Texas A&M University—College Station] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908040651/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/texas-am-university-college-station-10366 |date=September 8, 2014 }}". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> best universities in the nation according to 2020's latest Center for World University Rankings report, respectively. Some observers<ref name="Tier One 1">{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7386162.html |title=UH takes big step up to Tier One status |website=Houston Chronicle |date=January 18, 2011 |access-date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> also include the [[University of Houston]] and [[Texas Tech University]] as tier one flagships alongside UT Austin and A&M.<ref name="Tier One 3">{{cite web |url=http://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2011articles/Jan2011/011811CarnegieTierOne.php |title=Carnegie Foundation Gives University of Houston its Highest Classification for Research Success, Elevating UH to Tier One Status |author=Bonnin, Richard |publisher=University of Houston |access-date=February 8, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Tier One 4">"[http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/mar/26/hance-chief-of-growth-fundraising-for-tech/ Texas Tech University has quietly emerged as top-tier institution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209205948/http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2012/mar/26/hance-chief-of-growth-fundraising-for-tech/ |date=February 9, 2014 }}". San Angelo Standard-Times. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> The [[Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board]] ranks the state's public universities into three distinct tiers:<ref name="UT System Tier One">"[http://www.utsystem.edu/tierone/tierone.htm Tier One/Prop. 4] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916002505/http://www.utsystem.edu/tierone/tierone.htm |date=September 16, 2013 }}". The University of Texas System. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref> * National Research Universities (Tier 1)<ref>"[http://www.texastribune.org/2012/05/25/tech-and-uh-qualify-tier-one-prize-money/ Tech and U. of Houston Qualify for Tier-One Prize Money]". Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2013.</ref><ref>"[https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/utep/2019/01/09/utep-tier-1-research-university-diana-natalicio/2517085002/ UTEP hits major milestone with top-tier research funding status]". ''El Paso Times''. Retrieved January 9, 2019.</ref> **[[The University of Texas at Austin]] **[[Texas A&M University]] **[[Texas Tech University]] **[[University of Houston]] **[[The University of Texas at Arlington]] **[[The University of Texas at Dallas]] **[[The University of North Texas]] **[[The University of Texas at El Paso]] * Emerging Research Universities (Tier 2)<ref name="UT System Tier One" /> **[[The University of Texas at San Antonio]] **[[Texas State University]] * Comprehensive Universities (Tier 3)<ref name="UT System Tier One" /> ** All other public universities (25 in total) Texas's alternative affirmative action plan, [[Texas House Bill 588]], guarantees Texas students who graduated in the {{nowrap|top 10}} percent of their high school class automatic admission to state-funded universities. This does not apply to [[The University of Texas at Austin]], which automatically admits Texas students who graduated in the {{Nowrap|top 6}} percent of their high school class.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 21, 2021 |title=Automatic Admissions Threshold Remains at 6% for UT Austin |url=https://news.utexas.edu/2021/09/21/automatic-admissions-threshold-remains-at-6-for-ut-austin/ |access-date=May 13, 2022 |website=UT News |language=en-US}}</ref> The bill encourages demographic diversity while attempting to avoid problems stemming from the ''[[Hopwood v. Texas]]'' (1996) case.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 8, 2019|title=Texas top ten percent policy provides a cautionary lesson|url=https://hechingerreport.org/texas-top-10-policy-didnt-expand-number-of-high-schools-feeding-students-to-top-universities/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=The Hechinger Report|language=en-US}}</ref> Thirty-six public universities exist in Texas, of which 32 belong to one of the six state university systems.<ref name="UniSystems">{{cite news |last=Heath |first=Ben |newspaper=Daily Texan |date=July 7, 2003 |url=http://www.utsystem.edu/news/clips/dailyclips/2003/0706-0712/UTSystem-DT-BillRequires-070703.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2007 |title=Bill requires review of university systems |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205011655/http://www.utsystem.edu/news/clips/dailyclips/2003/0706-0712/UTSystem-DT-BillRequires-070703.pdf |archive-date=February 5, 2009}}</ref><ref name="unisystems2">{{cite web |title=Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education Testimony Regarding the Benefits of a Stand Alone Institution |publisher=Sam Houston State University |date=June 25, 2008 |url=http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c535/20080625/062508_SFA_Testimony_Dr_Pattillo.pdf |access-date=October 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028193024/http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c535/20080625/062508_SFA_Testimony_Dr_Pattillo.pdf |archive-date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref> Discovery of minerals on [[Permanent University Fund]] land, particularly oil, has helped fund the rapid growth of the state's two largest university systems: the [[University of Texas System]] and the [[Texas A&M University System|Texas A&M System]]. The four other university systems: the [[University of Houston System]], the [[University of North Texas System]], the [[Texas State University System|Texas State System]], and the [[Texas Tech University System|Texas Tech System]] are not funded by the Permanent University Fund.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title= Permanent University Fund|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/permanent-university-fund|access-date=December 28, 2020|publisher=TSHA |work=Handbook of Texas |first1=Vivian Elizabeth |last1=Smyrl |orig-date=1976 |date=June 9, 2020 }}</ref> The Carnegie Foundation classifies four of Texas's universities as Tier One research institutions: [[University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas at Austin]], the [[Texas A&M University]], the [[University of Houston]] and [[Texas Tech University]]. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University are the flagship universities of the [[University of Texas System]] and [[Texas A&M University System]], respectively. Both were established by the Texas Constitution and hold stakes in the Permanent University Fund.<ref name=":8" /> The state has sought to expand the number of flagship universities by elevating some of its seven institutions designated as "emerging research universities". The two expected to emerge first are the University of Houston and Texas Tech University, likely in that order according to discussions on the House floor of the 82nd Texas Legislature.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tier-One Prize Money Tentatively Passes House |date=April 14, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2011 |url=http://www.texastribune.org/texas-education/higher-education/tier-one-prize-money-tentatively-passes-house-/}}</ref> The state is home to various private institutions of higher learning—ranging from liberal arts colleges to a nationally recognized top-tier research university. {{nowrap|[[Rice University]]}} in Houston is one of the leading teaching and research universities of the United States and is ranked the nation's 17th-best overall university by ''U.S. News & World Report''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rice University, Best Colleges 2009 |website=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|access-date=March 27, 2009 |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3604 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216191034/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/items/3604 |archive-date=February 16, 2009 }}</ref> [[Trinity University (Texas)|Trinity University]], a private, primarily undergraduate liberal arts university in San Antonio, has ranked first among universities granting primarily bachelor's and select master's degrees in the Western United States for 20 consecutive years by ''U.S. News''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Trinity University |website=Best Colleges 2011—U.S. News & World Report |access-date=January 6, 2012 |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119182030/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-universities-west |archive-date=January 19, 2012 }}</ref> Private universities include [[Abilene Christian University]], {{nowrap|[[Austin College]]}}, {{nowrap|[[Baylor University]]}}, {{nowrap|[[University of Mary Hardin–Baylor]]}}, and {{nowrap|[[Southwestern University]]}}.<ref name="privateuni">{{cite web |title=About Baylor |publisher=Baylor University |access-date=May 21, 2008 |url=http://www.baylor.edu/about/}}</ref><ref name="southwestern">{{cite web |title=Southwestern History |publisher=Southwestern University |access-date=October 12, 2008 |url=http://www.southwestern.edu/about/about-history.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024123018/http://www.southwestern.edu/about/about-history.html |archive-date=October 24, 2007}}</ref><ref name="austincollege">{{cite web |title=History |date=November 2009 |publisher=Austin College |access-date=June 9, 2015 |url=http://www.austincollege.edu/about/history/}}</ref> Universities in Texas host three presidential libraries: [[George Bush Presidential Library]] at Texas A&M University,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archives and Research – George Bush Library and Museum|url=https://bush41library.tamu.edu/|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=bush41library.tamu.edu}}</ref> the [[Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum]] at The University of Texas at Austin,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plan Your Visit to the LBJ Library – LBJ Presidential Library|url=http://www.lbjlibrary.org/footer/plan-your-visit|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=lbjlibrary.org|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125080437/http://www.lbjlibrary.org/footer/plan-your-visit/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title= Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lyndon-baines-johnson-library-and-museum|access-date=December 28, 2020|publisher=TSHA |work=Handbook of Texas |date=1976 }}</ref> and the [[George W. Bush Presidential Library]] at [[Southern Methodist University]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The George W. Bush Presidential Center and SMU – SMU|url=https://www.smu.edu/bushcenter|access-date=December 28, 2020|website=smu.edu}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page