A Teacher’s Resolve: Texas Rep. Diane Patrick

Many states confronting fiscal deficits have put pre-K expansion on hold or cut services. Texas, with its energy-rich economic base, was almost an exception. Last year, the Texas Legislature approved HB 130, a bill providing $300 million to expand full-day pre-K to 7,000 more kids and improve quality by reducing child-adult classroom ratios and phasing in higher teacher qualifications. In a move that surprised many, Governor Rick Perry vetoed the bill even though it enjoyed the broadest bipartisan support of any bill in the Legislature and was sponsored by fellow Republican Diane Patrick. As a result, pre-K's funding increase was cut to $25 million. Preschool Matters asked Representative Patrick, a former teacher, what she thinks about preschool education in Texas and the chances of revisiting her bill.

Q: How did you come to be interested in preschool education?
A: I have had a lifelong interest in public education, having graduated from college and started teaching elementary school at the age of 20. Later, after 16 years of elected public service on the local and state school boards, I completed my Ph.D. and taught at the University of Texas at Arlington in the College of Education. Over the years, I realized that developing a child's potential starts with high-quality early childhood education.

Q: What were the critical elements, as far as pre-K is concerned, in HB 130?
A: It provided optional, fully funded, full-day pre-K for currently eligible students, which includes economically disadvantaged kids, English Language Learners, children of the homeless, and children from military families. It called for pupil-to-teacher ratios of 22 to 1, pupil-to-staff ratios of 11 to 1, and certified teachers. There were curriculum and assessment components as well.

Q: How is it that you decided to sponsor it?
A: Several people who knew of my background in education and my interest in high-quality prekindergarten asked me to be the House sponsor, and I was excited to be a part of creating such a significant piece of legislation. About a year in advance of the session we began working on the bill with many stakeholders: educators, private providers, the business community, the state department of education, and others.

Q: How did you manage to secure 100 co-authors on this bill?
A: In securing 100 co-authors (out of 150 House Members), we had bi-partisan support, which was accomplished by educating my colleagues and their staffs on the importance of the investment in high-quality pre-K in a well-educated workforce as a future economic driver for the state.

Q: The governor's veto surprised many. Did it surprise you and if so, why?
A: Yes, the governor's veto completely surprised me because throughout the session we had worked closely with the governor's office to address their concerns about this bill.

Q: What were the governor's chief complaints with HB 130?
A: I cannot speak for the governor, but his veto message and press releases indicated that the $25 million appropriated for HB 130 could be better spent serving a larger number (27,000 students) in the current pre-K grant program, rather than the 7,000 students proposed in HB 130. What he didn't address, however, was the fact that the current grant program only funds a small portion of the costs, leaving local school districts to fund the difference from the local taxpayers' pocketbook. In these tough economic times, this clearly is not the best option! HB 130 was about the state providing high-quality, full-day pre-K for our state's most at-risk young students, an approach shown through research to yield a significant return on each dollar spent.

Q: Obviously, that was an opportunity lost. How long do you think it will be before another opportunity will arise to address Texas state pre-K on the scale that HB 130 did?
A: Next session in 2011!