New No Child Left Behind.

http://texastalk-julie.blogspot.com/ writes about the addition of a bill diverting the focus of TAKS and sending it to more high school focus. I agree with the writer Julie that this bill can finally help out students ready themselves for college and not just focused on a test. This test started when my sister was in high school, and caused a lot of her peers to not graduate the following May. Hopefully this bill will work out all problems in No Child Left Behind, as  well as help a raise the graduation rate in Texas, and admit more students into college.

Giving Children and Parents a Chance.

Texas children has been the number one state for number of uninsured children in the nation. The article stated by www.statesman.com talks about how Texas has a new bill coming along to insure children with CHIP and how Texas is dealing with the situation. Changing the salary requirements and period in which they will prove eligibility will change everything for the CHIP program in Texas. Though this plan may cost a lot more than it looks for insuring children, it maybe easier to see a doctor for safety precautions, than ending up in the E.R. costing thousands more. Insuring children in Texas will be a lot easier with the aid of Medicaid money from President Obama's stimulus plan. I believe this plan is great way to start insuring many children who need Medicaid. The way changing the legibility from six months to twelve months will really improve the moral of parents of enrolling their kids in the CHIP program. It is a pain for parents to have to pay for out of pocket expenses, and I hope legislation overrides some of the rules. Another big factor given in the article says,

"Two bills would allow working parents to buy into the Children's Health Insurance Program if they earn more than allowed. To be eligible for CHIP a family of four can earn up to $44,100. That would be extended to about $66,150 for a family of four if the bipartisan measure passes. But those families would have to pay premiums ranging from $88 to $120 a month."

Many families making a little more than the margin now can have a better chance to afford for medical assistance for their family.This will greatly give families a bigger chance to insure more kids under this program. I hope that stimulus plan will utilize this proposal.

This is reporter Kevin Phan, signing out.

Texas Talk cooperation

Texas Talk a blog by my classmate, talks about the article of a wrongly accused U.S Citizen being deported to Mexico by www.statesman.com. I agree with the comment and feelings in which my classmate has. The American government though may be feeding us through the media, people need to be more open on whats around their surroundings. The cases of wrong deportation is completely messed up and should never be a case of racism. This person Pedro Guzman should have been tried a different way before just being sent back to Mexico. It's only a matter of time till this is used against the masses, or atleast twisted.

Texas Gamblers

Though Texas has been a big talk about gambling there has not been a real conclusion on the issue. The Texas www.Statesmen.com editorial board talks about the issue of how Texas should assist casinos in Texas. The topic of how much money in revenue and how they should do it with the plans are introduced in this article. If casinos are opened in Texas by the legislature they have certain questions to be answered too.
I agree with the point in casinos should be opened in Texas, due to the increase in tax revenues. Many Texans are already driving cross state borders to gamble in the first place. The money of Texans are going out to Oklahoma and many other bordering states allowing gambling. The money from Texans purse are going straight to the other states pockets and should not be. With the building of casinos the question stated in the article "It's an interesting number but subject to a lot of questions. Among them: How rigorous would the vetting process be before Texas issues licenses?...", and many other questions asked should definietly be address before inquiring the voting process. The questions should be addressed, and tax money paid programs should be set in place if this plan is to be set in place.
Texas legislatures should wait for the right time to impliment this plan and when to vote for it. The article talks about the sooner the decision the better, the longer they wait the article says "The committee is working on a substitute bill that might actually advance to the Calendars Committee, which controls the flow of legislation. It's almost a sure bet that the gambling proposal — assuming there is one — will have to have 100 votes or it will be left in Calendars to die." I agree with this bill should be in place to have the right of Texans to finally gamble in Texas, so that way the tax money can also be ours.

Science Free is not the way to be.

The existence of global warming is apparent, but whether we should teach it in our school system is not. The bigger fight though is the censorship of what should be taught. Jim Marston writes to the www.statesman.com starts the story with "The State Board of Education's decision to require the teaching of arguments against the existence of global warming...". Starting the article strong with his point that the education system is not allowing a lot of the reality of science to be placed in public school education, because it offends the bible and church. The article talks about the clash of science and religion beliefs towards the teaching on our public education in the past. Though this problem with church and science has been persistent. Mister Jim Marston debates against the Texas being the next science-free zone. Marston is director of Environmental Defense Fund's Texas office and national director of the group's State Climate Initiatives program. I agree with the points of our author that science shouldn’t be censored just for our education. The children of Texas deserve to learn, and should not be held back from learning. The article talks about how not only is this injuring the children’s education, but it may portray that our actions are not having an effect to global warming. I believe that actions and causes of global warming is a big factor in saving the future, and that the closer we are to a science-free that the closer the future generation not to be knowledgeable.

A+ is for Absent

The columnist talks about the lack of enforcement for education. The columnist compares and talks about the education of the United States to that of China, and South Korea. as well as Texas individually. The assessment test, TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills), has allowed schools to permit students with passing grades to allow absent passes for ten designated days of school. The article talks about the absences related to the TAKS testing according to the grades due to a reward system. The ten days are used for remedial days for the kids who did not pass. This test also determines the graduation, promotion of grade, also district ratings. The TAKS test has been an issue for many juniors and seniors, the test has the changed the curriculum of certain subjects and classes. This test now determines whether or not a student has the capability to pass the required grade level with just a single test, though their grades are high enough to do so. The opinion given by the columnist is for the government against the Texas policy and waivers provoking students to skip. The view in which this writer takes is the view of against the law maker decision on what has been made and against TAKS testing. The writer quotes in their words, “Instead of saying, Congratulations, you're ready to advance, the school says, Stop right there — that's enough learning for one year. Go home and start vacation — or weekends — early." I disagree with the writer. The thing is that seniors have taken the TAKS and during the time given for remedial why should seniors sit through nothing? The subject should seniors get a leeway on absences for passing TAKS is like should they also at the end of semesters for examinations. When exams are given to students which they have passed, they are allowed to skip the ones they are exempt or have taken. Like an examinations why should seniors not given this opportunity for the TAKS. If this test determines whether or not we graduate or excel in our education, what more do we have to learn. If this is given the test should not be given in assessment, rather just the classes we take during the year should give examinations.

Top Ten Percent

The Senate Higher Education Committee approved on Wednesday with a four to one vote for a revision on the Top Ten Percent law. The Dallas Morning News article, "Legislation proposes revamping Texas top 10 percent law for college admissions," describes how the automatic admission of the top 10% of the class will be altered better suited for diverse teenagers. The revision has been used to show teenagers with leadership skills, individuality, and talents that they have a chance at their dreams in a public Texas university. Many freshmen hoping for admission in public Texas universities, will have to compete for space and no longer have to fight with the automatic admissions of the top ten percentile.

With the revision of this law it allows teenagers with talent but low academics a spot in Texas public universities without contention of space to be automatically accepted by the top ten percent rule. For many people applying to colleges now, they will have to consider things outside the academics to show how well rounded they are. This subject applies to incoming freshmen which are considering admissions into a public university, to now include extracurricular activities in their schedules. People who are in public universities now will not be affected. However if this rule was revised before, many colleges would have had spots for many students with diverse backgrounds.