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January 16, 2015
Title: Failing Schools in Texas
Topic: Education
Discussed by Lance Izumi
with Pacific Research Institute (www.PacificResearch.org)
Pacific Research
Institute recently did a study of the Texas public education system and the
results will probably shock you! Lance Izumi, the Senior Director of Education
Studies, says that many parents in middle to upper-middle class neighborhoods
think their schools are just fine, when the opposite is most likely true.
In Texas, for example, PRI discovered that 60%, or 673 non-low-income schools,
had half or more of their students in at least one grade level fail to reach the
“recommended” level of satisfactory academic performance on a 2013 STAAR exam.
In addition to this, schools have been “deflating” grade bench mark results so
that it appears more students are passing each subject, when in reality less
than half of the students are actually passing! How do the school district get
away with this? Listen in as Lance explains the sad reality.
One way to determine if your child needs help is to sit down and read an
age-appropriate book with them. If they cannot read the book without assistance,
then something is wrong – not necessarily with your child, but with the system.
There is nothing wrong with being an involved parent – make monthly
parent/teacher meetings, volunteer once a week in the class, help your child
with their homework. Don’t just simply trust the “results”. After all, they are
government-run tests and we all know how well that usually turns out.
Finally, what about school choice? Should parents be given more choice on where
to send their child to school? Lance Izumi says that when Sweden began offering
nation-wide school choice, the school systems improved dramatically because the
principals now had to fight for their students. Should Texas and America begin
universal school choice to improve competition, grades, and test scores?
Log on to www.PacificResearch.org
for more on this study.
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December 16, 2014
Title: EPA Wants Texas to Follow New York's Example
Topic: EPA Rules and Regulations
Discussed by Dr. Wayne Winegarden
with Pacific Research Institute (www.PacificResearch.org)
Part 1 of 2
The gas tax in New York is just outrageous! Here in Texas we have it good.
Our gas prices keep falling thanks to the lower price of $50 per barrel on oil.
In fact, prices are falling all across the country. But that’s not the case in
New York due to their 50 cent per gallon tax on gasoline.
Dr. Wayne Winegarden has 20 years of business, economic, and policy experience
with an expertise in applying quantitative and macroeconomic analyses to create
greater insights on corporate strategy, public policy, and strategic planning.
Basically, he helps create solutions to make the world go round with the best
possible solution for everyone involved.
Dr. Winegarden also discusses the electric rates in New York compared to the
rest of the country. He says it has nothing to do with geography and everything
to do with policy: “Energy is vital to prosperity. New York should reform its
over-regulated energy market — both to save consumers money and boost economic
growth.”
Listen in as Dr. Winegarden explains how technological advances are actually
hindering economic growth in many cases and how the EPA is overstepping their
authority.
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Title: Part 2 of 2 - EPA Wants Texas to Follow New York's Example
Topic: EPA Rules and Regulations
Discussed by Dr. Wayne Winegarden
with Pacific Research Institute (www.PacificResearch.org)
Dr. Winegarden’s article in the
New York Times, “The Empire State’s Ugly War on Energy”, is just common sense.
The average American realizes that placing higher taxes and more regulations on
cheaper, more reliable fossil fuels is harming the economy. The average American
knows that solar and wind energy are less reliable and high in cost.
The government is not stupid. They know exactly what they are doing when they
place harsh regulations and policies on the backs of hard-working Americans.
They have strategic plans to make them appear better in the long run.
Listen in as Dr. Winegarden explains New York’s strategy and what the state is
losing in jobs and economic growth by not utilizing the fracking technique.
Also, what can Texans do to ensure that similar regulations from the EPA aren’t
implemented in our great state?
You can learn more from Dr. Winegarden and others at
www.PacificResearch.org.
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