About 1,000 public school employees gathered at the Capitol Monday. Some lectured from the south steps about ways state leaders can improve education.

They say getting rid of the high stakes TAKS test should be first on the list.

"I think we're judging schools on one test," said teacher Wendy Rose

Many were from Austin with signs against the school closure of low performing schools like possibly Reagan High School. School advocates say children suffer the most when they aren't rewarded for making progress.

"'You don't cut the mark, we fail you' – I don't think that message makes for successful students," retired teacher Anne Teich said.

School advocate James Howard agreed.

"That's totally wrong, because there are other issues that cause students not to be successful in the classroom," he said.

Several state lawmakers supported the rally, arguing that schools closing does permanent damage in a community.

"It is a system that institutionalizes failure and has proven one that is hard to break but that we cannot allow to continue," Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Dallas, said.

Other lawmakers said that school closure should remain the ultimate sanction for failing Texas schools.

"To have a threat of closure should be enough to have an administration pay attention to it," Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said.

He also felt the TAKS test shouldn't be the measure to decide failure. New legislation is in the works that could change all that.

"We're going to have an accountability system that's not TAKS- centered," said Eissler.

At this point, the plan is still in committee, but many educators are hopeful that it keeps schools open and opens new doors for future students.

Tuesday a house committee on education will hear testimony on a new school accountability bill. The measure would eliminate the TAKS test completely.