Education

The best thing the federal government can do to make public education a top priority is get out of the way and stop trying to use one-size-fits-all policies to educate our children.
In the Texas Legislature, Rep. Gooden increased the level of funding for public and higher education while eliminating 2/3 of the standardized tests required under state law in order to give local control of schools back to parents and teachers. He also helped pass legislation that prohibited Obama’s liberal national school curriculum, the Common Core Standards Initiative, from being forced on Texas school children.

In addition, Rep. Gooden has been fighting for our dedicated teachers. In 2017, he allocated $350 million in the state budget to increasing the contribution rate and shortfall in TRS-Care, the health care program for retired teachers. $212 million additional dollars were added to further buy down premiums in this past summer’s special session of the legislature. Had that funding not been added, retired teachers would have seen their premiums and deductibles go up substantially.

Rep. Gooden has consistently been endorsed by teacher and retired teacher groups across the state of Texas. As the son of lifelong educators, his love and appreciation for public schools and the teachers that make them great is unmatched.