Representatives from the Texas Senate and House discussed challenges in K–12 and higher education, highlighting issues such as required testing and accountability, fiscal pressures, and technology, at SXSWedu's panel March 3.

"We have a lot of work to do in education and we need to get real about it," said State Rep. Alma Allen, D–Houston.

Allen said one of her primary concerns is the number of mandatory tests students must take each year. Currently, the state requires students K–12 to take 15 exams per year, which Allen said is too strenuous.

The 83rd Texas Legislature is undergoing a discussion of the House Bill 5, which, if passed, would reduce the number of tests per year. It is not known yet how many tests the bill would eliminate, she said.

Another concern for the Legislature is funding.

"We have just come through a great recession, so even private universities had major hits to their endowment," said State Rep. Dan Branch, R–Dallas. "So we have this notion of fiscal restraint and therefore higher education is somehow having to do more with less [funding], or do as much with less."

Branch said because of fiscal challenges and limited resources, there has been a lot of innovation in improving education and that the 83rd Texas Legislature is always looking for ideas on how to improve the efficacy. Part of efficacy in education may include the further integration of technology into schools, said Allen.

"If we rearrange the way we are spending our money, we could put more technology in our schools," she said. For example, instead of having students carry textbooks, put all content onto discs, she said.

Sen. Kel Seliger, R–Amarillo, chairman of the state Senate Higher Education Committee, said technology will reshape learning and education in a positive way.

"Technology is redefining education—as it should," Seliger said.

Another fiscal concern for the Legislature is salaries for educators. Allen said the education system will not be able to attract the best and brightest teachers without being able to sufficiently pay them; Seliger agreed.

"Why do we not have our very best teachers rewarded for being the very best? Teachers and people who build campus efforts—why aren't some teachers making $70,000–$80,000? Things like that we need to change and think about in a different fashion," Seliger said.