Gov. Rick Perry and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn once again fired rhetorical shots at each other this afternoon. Perry, at a speech to the Texas Business and Education Coalition, accused Strayhorn of trashing the accomplishment of Texas teachers and parents for political gain. Strayhorn accused Perry of failing Texas teachers and students and challenged him to a debate on education policy.

“Our record in education is one that all Texans can be proud of, and much of the credit goes to those members of the reform movement who spent years – decades, in some cases – faithfully fighting for higher standards, stronger accountability, and a renewed focus on the fundamentals of learning,” Perry said. He cited improved passing rates on the state’s exam, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, as evidence. "The next time someone criticizes the state of schools in Texas in order to advance their political agenda, feel free to debate them that our children have come as far as children in any state and further than most, despite tougher challenges."

Strayhorn, however, argued the system is under-funded and reiterated her call for higher pay for teachers. “This state’s governor has failed our children and failed our teachers,” Strayhorn said. She cited the state’s low scores on college entrance examinations as evidence that the schools are not performing up to expectations.

Perry and Strayhorn did get into a specific debate over whether the state is spending more or less per student on K-12 education from the 2004 fiscal year to the 2005 fiscal year. Strayhorn used National Education Association statistics to argue per-student spending went down. But Robert Scott, chief deputy commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, told reporters the statistic is wrong. Scott said that the state deferred one month of Foundation School Program payments as a part of the budget adopted in 2003. He said, after this delayed payment is accounted for, per-student spending went up, not down. When asked about this, Strayhorn challenged Perry to a debate on education statistics and policy.

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