Every year, the month of May marks a series of new beginnings for Texas young people. Proudly reciting their ABCs, kindergarteners ascend to grade school. Eighth-graders leave the small pond for high school, while high school seniors officially become adults. College undergraduates enter the working world, and others go on to complete distinguished higher education degrees. While much of the focus is rightly on the young people who have earned these exciting rights of passage, we would be remiss to celebrate these academic benchmarks without first paying tribute to the men and women who made them possible – Texas teachers.

      Teacher Appreciation Week falls each year during the first week of May; which also includes Teacher Appreciation Day. This week is dedicated to thanking our children’s teachers for their dedication, patience, and the many positive ways they contribute to our children’s lives throughout the school year. Setting one week aside to pay our thanks to Texas teachers is a worthy effort. But for every Texan who has benefitted from a quality education or those whose children are doing so now, we should be showing our appreciation for Texas educators every day of the year.

       Teaching is a full-time job that goes far beyond the boundaries of the classroom or the fine print of its job description. This invaluable field requires a special group of bright, selfless, and inspiring individuals. Teachers are more than just daily lecturers—next to our parents, they are our role models, our disciplinarians and many times, our problem-solvers.

      I recently had the pleasure of meeting the recipient of the prestigious 2009 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year award, Christine Gleason. Facilitated by the Texas Education Agency, each year the Texas Teacher of the Year Program recognizes teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching. It is the highest honor that the State of Texas can award a teacher. Dora Newell, who teaches at Thigpen-Zavala Elementary School in the McAllen Independent School District, was chosen as the 2009 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Gleason, a resident of Fabens—just west of El Paso—is an English teacher at Fabens High School. She teaches English IV, AP English IV, and Dual Credit English. She earned degrees in English and creative writing, as well as a Master’s in English and American literature from the University of Texas at El Paso. Originally intending to become a novelist, Gleason soon discovered that a career in teaching was “life-changing” and “unreservedly rewarding.”

      Gleason says it bring her joy when former students return to Fabens High to let her know about their achievements and successes. At graduation ceremonies, students call out, “I love you Mama G!” Gleason says “there is no place on earth that I would rather be. That is my greatest reward.” Gleason represented Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program in Washington, D.C. Candidates were honored in a White House ceremony on April 28, 2009.  I wish her and Dora Newell all the best as they continue to make a positive difference in the lives of their students.

      As I travel throughout Texas, I am always humbled and inspired to meet teachers from every corner and region of the state. These men and women are directly responsible for helping our young people learn, develop and become the next generation of leaders. I’m committed to enacting reforms in Congress that give more freedom, flexibility, and decision-making to teachers, administrators, and parents on the local level without sacrificing transparency and accountability. In recent years, the federal government has expanded its role in public education with mandates and regulations that can interfere with local control of our public education system.  It is important that we return decision-making to the local teachers and administrators who know best what works—and what doesn’t—in their individual schools and districts.  For this reason, I have long supported the Academic Partnerships Lead us to Success (A-PLUS) Act, a bill that gives states the flexibility to tailor achievement goals and accountability measures to meet the needs of their students.  The bill, which I plan to re-introduce later this month, would also cut through much of the red tape that burdens teachers each year – freeing them to focus more on teaching and less on filling out paperwork.

      I commend all educators who are passionate about their profession and are relentless in their quest to see their students succeed. In my experience, my teachers played a critical role in shaping who I am today. I will be forever grateful for my high school English teachers, who inspired in me a love for reading and writing that I carry with me today. I hope each of us can demonstrate our appreciation to the teachers in our lives and encourage them to continue to challenge and inspire the next generation of Texans.

    Sen. Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee's Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.