When I entered the first grade, I was assigned to the lowest reading group. This came as a shock to my mom, as I had always loved books. Over the winter break, my mom and I read from “Fun with Zip and Zap,” a phonics chapter book. When I returned to school after the break, I was placed into the highest reading group. Because of this early intervention, I had the reading skills needed to graduate college, and even earn a master’s in Finance.
While children from affluent families, such as mine, have access to parental interventions and private schools, children from less affluent families are often unable to access parental or teacher-based interventions. Recent data from the Education Recovery Scorecard shows post-pandemic NAEP scores have declined far more in middle- and low-income communities than in wealthy ones, creating a K-Shaped outcome: Affluent students advance while disadvantaged ones fall further behind. This widening gap compounds over time, limiting economic mobility for students from lower-income families.
In 2025, Texas enacted a landmark Education Savings Account (ESA) program through Senate Bill 2—a major victory. While ESAs are a huge step forward, most students in Texas will remain in public schools. To prevent further entrenching of economic division and give low-income students a shot at the American Dream, Texas must reform school performance measurement to prioritize deep learning and enhance public school accountability by enabling swift state receivership for chronically failing schools.
The Flaws in Current Measurement
Texas relies heavily on STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) tests, which critics argue incentivizes “teaching to the test” and foster “MCQ brain,” leaving students skilled at multiple-choice questions but unable to solve real-world problems.
The results speak for themselves. Spring 2025 STAAR EOC Assessment Results data show only 42% of “Economically Disadvantaged (ED)” students and 25% of “Emergent Bilingual (EB)” students met grade level proficiency in English I & II; in Algebra I, just 38% and 32% respectively.
And while disadvantaged students struggle under rote preparation, affluent families often opt for Montessori or parochial schools that build nuanced analytical skills demanded by today’s workforce.
Texas should reduce STAAR dominance and emulate the “Mississippi Miracle” by incorporating metrics for foundational literacy skills like phonics, explicit instruction effectiveness, and retention at third grade—ensuring schools prioritize proven, efficient methods for college and career readiness.
Enabling State Receivership for Turnaround
Chronic school failure is unacceptable and traps generations in an endless poverty cycle. Current interventions such as turnaround plans are too slow, often taking years while students continue to suffer.
Texas needs decisive action through state receivership. The Texas Education Agency already knows which schools and districts are failing. By appointing expert managers with authority over staffing and curriculum—modeled on reforms in Houston ISD—and removing incompetent administrators and teachers, the state can accelerate turnaround. During receivership, students should have access to other schools via open enrollment or charters, ensuring no child remains in persistent failure. This isn’t just accountability for adults who’ve fallen short; it’s a lifeline for students and protection of taxpayer investment.
Raising the Floor to Complement Choice
ESAs will empower families to exit failing schools—a historic win. But strong public schools benefit everyone by producing citizens capable of critical thought, essential to our Republic.
Reformed performance metrics and swift receivership complement school choice by raising the public-school floor, driving improvement through competition and accountability.
Texas leads the nation in opportunity, but subpar K-12 education puts the American Dream out of reach for too many. Without bold reforms, we calcify inequality. The time has come for parents and legislators to demand accountability that serves every child.
