How You Can Help Texas Education

All too often, even the most well-intentioned education reforms turn into an alphabet soup of requirements that don’t translate into real improvements.

Here at the Rather Prize, we think education would be better if we listened to educators and students instead of politicians. After all, those who spend their days in the classroom have a better view of which ideas will actually work.
And when it come to education, Texas has plenty of room for improvement. The 2016 education rankings from Education Week place Texas 42nd in the country. We’re 43rd in terms of SAT scores.
This year marks the second year of the Rather Prize, founded by journalist Dan Rather and his grandson Martin. Submission is open to students, teachers, and administrators — anyone who learns or works in a Texas educational institution. The best idea will receive a $10,000 prize and $10,000 in implementation support from Rice University's Center for Civic Leadership.

“It’s important we do not lose focus on the real heroes — the educators who have taught each and every one of us. Through the Rather Prize, we hope to honor these local-level innovators and their great ideas," Dan Rather said as part of last year’s SXSWedu conference.
With last year’s national “Teacher of the Year” hailing from Amarillo, and a statewide graduation rate of 88% for 2014, Texas has plenty of untapped potential. Imagine if educators and students came forward with their best ideas, and we put them into motion.
Perhaps a teacher has a new way of integrating technology into their classroom. Maybe a student has designed a better way to reach out into the business community. Let’s hear those ideas. Let’s implement them.
The Rather Prize and its partners at Rice University seek a non-partisan solution to empower education from the bottom up. We want to see an influx of local ideas, from big cities and small town schools alike, rather than think tanks and lobbying firms.
We are accepting submissions through December 31, 2016. We want ideas of substance, and we welcome videos, testimonials, and written proposals alike. Volunteers from Rice University will look at every submission before declaring our ten finalists in January. We will then go to a public voting process, in which 15,000 people participated last year. Our winner will be announced at the SXSWedu festival in March 2017.
We’re excited to see your best idea. Submit at www.ratherprize.org.