TribBlog: Imagine the Controversy
A for-profit company hopes to get approval to start two charter schools in Texas. Thursday's SBOE meeting will set the precedent for dealing with this murkier side of the charter school system. Full Story
Abby Rapoport was a reporter at the Tribune in 2009-10. She served as a writing fellow at the Economic Policy Institute, in Washington, D.C. before coming to Austin. She covered the 2009 legislative session for Texas Monthly under the tutelage of Paul Burka, the magazine’s senior executive. Previously, she blogged for Glamour Magazine and interned at Lapham’s Quarterly. A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, she has a degree in history from Grinnell College.
A for-profit company hopes to get approval to start two charter schools in Texas. Thursday's SBOE meeting will set the precedent for dealing with this murkier side of the charter school system. Full Story
Amid handwringing over child obesity, SBOE likely will eliminate health and physical education requirements at this week's meeting. Full Story
Kay Bailey Hutchison won't resign from the Senate to run for governor. Hutchison and her aides began calling other Republicans Friday afternoon to tell them to make other plans. Full Story
Districts prepare to go to court with the TEA over minimum grades policies, prompting the question: How much should schools emulate the real world? And how many second chances should students get? Full Story
The federal government is giving away $4.35 billion to state education systems through Race to the Top. But is Texas already out? Full Story
State schools chief Robert Scott recently failed to get the Legislature to increase the cap on charter schools — then found a legal way to do it anyway, much to the dismay of state Democrats and teachers unions. Full Story
The SBOE's Don McLeroy might miss Rick Agosto more than he thought. Full Story
Federal officials say Texas' testing standards in reading are below the “basic” proficiency standards — and that low bar means those passing the TAKS may not be as proficient as advertised. Full Story
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is playing a high stakes game of will-she-won't-she. So should she or shouldn't she? Full Story
So what if he's no longer the chair of the State Board of Education? Self-described "religious fanatic" Don McLeroy has big plans for Texas education — and science is just the beginning. Full Story