Number 100 … and counting!

I started my blog almost 2 ½ years ago and today’s blog is the 100^th one I have posted!  Initially focused on the implications of House Bill 5 and the importance in expanding opportunities for students across the state, my hope was that my blog would serve as a stimulus for discussion about public education.  Since that initial blog, I have shifted and expanded my focus to address a wide range of topics relating to education, some pretty mainstream and some on the fringes.  But through it all, I remain committed to fulfilling a passion of public education advocacy.

Part of what drives this passion is my involvement as president of Make Education a Priority (MEaP), a 501(c)3 advocacy organization focused on three strategies: Foster Engagement with Public Schools; Promote Effective School Board Governance; and Enhance Relationships with Policymakers.  In the six month period since MEaP announced formation as a non-profit, building on a five year grassroots legacy, we have made significant strides in building relationships with other advocacy groups as well as trustees and business partners across the state. 

The challenges that lie ahead of us will be great but I believe that there is a groundswell of support for public education that is starting to build across the state.  I am excited to serve an organization that is committed to being a part of the “new wave” of advocacy and proud of the work we have done to date.

Our bellwether program will be this fall’s School Priority Month program, an opportunity for districts across the state to invite elected officials onto their campuses to show the great return on the investment being made in public education.  Many of the districts who will be participating are already working diligently to build relationships with those elected officials that represent them.  On behalf of Make Education a Priority, we are grateful for their leadership and for sharing with us the ways in which they reach out to achieve individual district goals.

As I look ahead, I see the promise of a better opportunity for the more than 5.2 million Texas public education students, an opportunity grounded in the efforts of many advocacy groups, parents, community members and businesses.  I look forward to continuing to be a part of the growing movement to Make Education a Priority.