Texas Approves New Social Studies Texts — With Changes
The State Board of Education voted to adopt a new list of social studies textbooks Friday morning, following a week of intense debate and hundreds of pages of updates and corrections. Full Story
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Bobby Blanchard
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Bobby Blanchard joined The Texas Tribune’s audience team in 2016 and led the team from 2021 to 2023, strategizing to expand the organization’s reach and engagement across all platforms. A graduate of UT-Austin, Bobby spent his first year out of college at The Dallas Morning News as a reporting fellow, covering Texas politics and breaking news. He got his start in journalism in the poorly lit basement of The Daily Texan, followed by internships at the Houston Chronicle, KUT News and the Tribune. Born and raised in the Houston area, Bobby is a native Texan.
Past Contributions
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![State Board of Education Vice Chair Thomas Ratliff leafs through binders at the meeting listing proposed changes to Texas textbooks in a SBOE meeting in Austin on Monday, October 20, 2014 .Textbook publishers were invited to meeting where public concerns regarding their textbooks were discussed.]()
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Publisher Pulls Textbook From SBOE Consideration
A major publisher has decided to withdraw a social studies textbook under consideration for approval in Texas amid ongoing controversy over last-minute content changes. Full Story
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![The new U.S. history framework is the first of what will be updates to all 34 AP subjects offered as a result of a redesign effort launched by the College Board in 2006.]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Filing Ends for Special Election in Senate District 18
Three Republicans and two Democrats have filed with the Secretary of State’s office to run in a special election for Senate District 18, the seat from which Comptroller-elect Glenn Hegar resigned last week. Full Story
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The Q&A: Ken Kramer
In this week’s Q&A, we interview Ken Kramer, former director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. Full Story
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Conservative PAC Endorses Kolkhorst's SD-18 Bid
The Conservative Republicans of Texas PAC announced Wednesday that it is endorsing state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, in the race for Senate District 18 — an election that technically does not exist yet. Full Story
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Bill Restricting Regents' Authority Re-emerges
The ongoing tension between Texas legislators and the University of Texas System Board of Regents looks likely to bleed into the 2015 legislative session. Full Story
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State's New Site to Help Low-Income Women Learn About Health Services
Saying Wednesday that low-income Texas women will no longer wonder how to find out about state-provided health services, Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Kyle Janek unveiled a new information website. Full Story
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![Texas Health and Human Services Commission chief Kyle Janek at a Texas Tribune event.]()
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On First Day Allowed for Filing, Legislators Submit More Than 350 Bills
Two months ahead of the first day of the 84th legislative session, eager lawmakers on Monday filed bills addressing issues including guns, texting while driving, health, transportation and much more. Full Story
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Bexar County Voting Machine Omits Abbott
A voting machine glitch in Bexar County offered about a dozen people one last chance to vote for outgoing Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst instead of Greg Abbott. Full Story
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![Early voting at the Acres Home Multiservice Center in Houston on Oct. 26, 2014.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Fresh Faces of the Texas Legislature
Twenty-nine Texans who weren't in the state Legislature last session will take their seats as new members of the Texas House and Senate in January. All but three of them are Republicans. Explore our list of fresh faces. Full Story
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Credit: Cooper Neill / Bob Daemmrich / Ivan Pierre Aguirre
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