Statement by Sandy Kress, former senior education advisor to President Bush

“Gov. Perry has a stellar record on improving education. It’s hard to understand why anyone would criticize higher teacher pay, higher classroom standards and some of the best student achievement gains in America.”

“The fact is, Texas is leading the nation in education reform and improved student results under Gov. Perry’s leadership. We are acting boldly to establish higher standards so that all high school graduates are prepared for college and the workplace. We have raised pay for all teachers, set aside more money than any other state to reward teachers who make the greatest difference, and devoted substantial new monies to education. Last year, Texas was one of only three states in the nation where students scored significantly higher on national reading and math tests at the 4th and 8th grade levels. Texas white, Hispanic, and African American students are performing better than their peers nationally in each subject and in each grade.”

“Gov. Perry recognizes that success in education is not measured by how much taxpayers spend, but how much our children learn. We’ve come a long way. And we’ve got much more to accomplish. One thing is clear: our prospects for further progress are much enhanced if we re-elect Rick Perry to another term as our governor.”