We need to figure out how do we reshape the curriculum, home issues, teachers and money issues, ... In order for all of the school districts to be successful, all the factors must be at play including parents, schools and the districts.

Really what this is about is working with teachers to talk about issues of consistency within the curriculum and more power to engage kids.

The cafeteria ladies teach the teachers the curriculum and work to prepare nutritious food.

Most teachers have little control over school policy or curriculum or choice of texts or special placement of students, but most have a great deal of autonomy inside the classroom. To a degree shared by only a few other occupations, such as police work, public education rests precariously on the skill and virtue of the people at the bottom of the institutional pyramid.

Teachers in Austin put 15 percent of their take-home pay into pension. If you're at year 30 (with the district), that's great. But 40 percent of our teachers have five years of experience. They're wondering, 'Can I ever afford a mortgage?' It's time to address the increasing cost of living in Austin.

It fits in with art curriculum under art careers because they need to know that there really is money in the art field, in fine arts. They see a direct, real world correlation between doing art and marketing art. I think that's important for the art field.