Commissioner Reflects on His Tenure
The end of 2015 marks the end of my tenure as Commissioner of Education. Since announcing my decision that I would be stepping down, I’ve been asked numerous times to reflect on my time as Commissioner. In three words, my experience here has been enjoyable, enlightening and rewarding.
The past three years have included many accomplishments, including my partnership with Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes and Texas Workforce Commission Chair Andres Alcantar to develop recommendations that strengthen the student pipeline from public education through higher education and the workforce. Such collaboration between the Commissioner of Education, Commissioner of Higher Education and Texas Workforce Commission Chair had rarely taken place.
During the course of the past three years, we’ve had the successful implementation of a new statewide accountability system for our districts, campuses and charters. It’s a system that places an emphasis on the work our districts are doing to close the achievement gap among students. Closing the achievement gap remains the biggest challenge for public education in the years ahead – not just in Texas but across the country. It’s encouraging to know that some of the best practices now being replicated in classrooms nationally have their origins in Texas.
Working with the staff at the Texas Education Agency, we continue moving to new teacher and principal evaluation systems that will provide meaningful feedback to educators that will strengthen classroom instruction for our students. We’ve designated a wave of new Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) academies, as well as early college high schools. Finally, we have initiated training in Restorative Discipline, an alternative to "zero tolerance" methods, for school districts across the state
As Commissioner, my greatest pleasure has been to visit schools to witness firsthand the outstanding work taking place in our rural districts, our largest cities, along the border and in all regions of Texas. There is a commitment to public education across our state that is benefitting students today while strengthening the Texas of tomorrow.
I want to thank Gov. Rick Perry for appointing me to this position in 2012 and to Gov. Greg Abbott for allowing me to support him through his inaugural legislative session. Gov. Abbott’s leadership and commitment to strong public education continues to serve our state well.
I thank the staff at the Texas Education Agency in providing the information, advice and support necessary to make the many decisions required of the Commissioner. I have already advised incoming Commissioner Mike Morath that he is inheriting staff at a state agency that believes in working hard and doing what’s right for the students, parents, educators and taxpayers of Texas.
I wish Commissioner Morath my best and am happy to provide any support I can during his tenure. It has been a pleasure to serve as Commissioner of Education. May God bless everyone who works in public education…and may God always bless the great State of Texas.
Commissioner of Education Michael Williams
Dec. 30, 2015
The past three years have included many accomplishments, including my partnership with Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes and Texas Workforce Commission Chair Andres Alcantar to develop recommendations that strengthen the student pipeline from public education through higher education and the workforce. Such collaboration between the Commissioner of Education, Commissioner of Higher Education and Texas Workforce Commission Chair had rarely taken place.
During the course of the past three years, we’ve had the successful implementation of a new statewide accountability system for our districts, campuses and charters. It’s a system that places an emphasis on the work our districts are doing to close the achievement gap among students. Closing the achievement gap remains the biggest challenge for public education in the years ahead – not just in Texas but across the country. It’s encouraging to know that some of the best practices now being replicated in classrooms nationally have their origins in Texas.
Working with the staff at the Texas Education Agency, we continue moving to new teacher and principal evaluation systems that will provide meaningful feedback to educators that will strengthen classroom instruction for our students. We’ve designated a wave of new Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) academies, as well as early college high schools. Finally, we have initiated training in Restorative Discipline, an alternative to "zero tolerance" methods, for school districts across the state
As Commissioner, my greatest pleasure has been to visit schools to witness firsthand the outstanding work taking place in our rural districts, our largest cities, along the border and in all regions of Texas. There is a commitment to public education across our state that is benefitting students today while strengthening the Texas of tomorrow.
I want to thank Gov. Rick Perry for appointing me to this position in 2012 and to Gov. Greg Abbott for allowing me to support him through his inaugural legislative session. Gov. Abbott’s leadership and commitment to strong public education continues to serve our state well.
I thank the staff at the Texas Education Agency in providing the information, advice and support necessary to make the many decisions required of the Commissioner. I have already advised incoming Commissioner Mike Morath that he is inheriting staff at a state agency that believes in working hard and doing what’s right for the students, parents, educators and taxpayers of Texas.
I wish Commissioner Morath my best and am happy to provide any support I can during his tenure. It has been a pleasure to serve as Commissioner of Education. May God bless everyone who works in public education…and may God always bless the great State of Texas.
Commissioner of Education Michael Williams
Dec. 30, 2015