State Sen. Brandon Creighton made a stop in Port Arthur as one of the keynote speakers for the Port Arthur Education Foundation State of Education Luncheon on Tuesday.

Creighton, R-Conroe, along with fellow speakers Port Arthur Independent School District Superintendent Mark Porterie and Lamar State College Port Arthur President Betty Reynard met with local leaders at the Performing Arts Center on the LSCPA campus for a pre-luncheon get-together. The main event was held at the Carl Parker Multipurpose Center.

Creighton said he felt privileged to be in the city to support the education foundation and was here to give some updates on the state of education in Texas, what was accomplished in the last legislative session, what law makers are working on in hearings and beyond.

“It’s just wonderful to be here among education leaders and industry, students and administrators, faculty and so many that support the education foundation here,” Creighton said.

“This past session we had probably the third greatest overhaul of public education financing in 84 years and with the overhaul, $11.5 million new dollars was added to public education.”

But there’s more, he said, adding there were significant changes in policy in the way Texas educates children as well as making sure the dollars actually get to the classroom and that the initiatives and the reform that have been successful around the country are being adopted and implemented in the state.

“We want to make sure we’re at the front on performance, that our workforce is prepared, that our students are ready to accept and are prepared to carry out these good jobs in high demand,” he said. “It’s great to be a part of it on the front lines for education in Texas and to be here with everyone that’s doing the same.”