With vouchers fast-tracked, other Texas public education issues to watch this session
From teacher pay and preparation to special education and DEI, here are issues Texas lawmakers are prioritizing this legislative session. Full Story
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Jaden Edison is the public education reporter for The Texas Tribune, where he previously worked as a reporting fellow in summer 2022. Before returning to the Tribune full time, he served as the justice reporter for The Connecticut Mirror, another nonprofit newsroom covering government, politics and public policy. He also interned at Poynter, a nonprofit media institute. Jaden has a master's degree from the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University, where he was editor-in-chief of the The University Star, the campus' student-run newspaper.
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![Matilda Shaefer gets a goodbye kiss from her mom Allyson as she heads to class at Timber Lakes Elementary School in Splendora on Aug. 29, 2024.]()
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Texas bill that lets families use tax dollars for private schools swiftly sails through Senate
Senate Bill 2 now heads to the House, where top officials say they have the support to create education savings accounts. Full Story
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![Members of the Texas Senate take up Senate Bill 2, regarding school vouchers, during the 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature in Austin on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.]()
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Legal rights groups urge school leaders not to adopt Texas’ Bible-infused curriculum
The coalition of legal organizations told Texas school district leaders that it would “take any action” necessary to protect the rights of students and their families. Full Story
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![A woman reads her bible before the Exalt Showcase of gospel and Christian music at Central Presbyterian Church at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Film Interactive Festival 2017 in Austin on March 14, 2017.]()
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National test scores show Texas students still lag in math and reading
Texas students' overall math scores dropped from 2022. But English learners and fourth-grade Black students did better than their peers elsewhere. Full Story
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![FILE: A student in Austin raises a hand in class in April 2013.]()
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Texas senators fast-track school voucher bill for full vote
The Senate could vote on the proposal as soon as next week. Democrats on Tuesday criticized the bill saying it fails to prioritize the state’s neediest children. Full Story
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![State Sen. Brandon Creighton, chair of the Senate Committee on Education K-16, lays out the SB2 plan for an education savings account program at a hearing at the Capitol in Austin on Jan. 28, 2025.]()
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Texas Senate’s voucher proposal would give families $10,000 to fund students’ private school
Senate Bill 2 starts a new debate on a school voucher program in Texas. A funding proposal would allow up to 100,000 K-12 students who want to enroll to a private school to participate. Full Story
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![Students in Mrs. Hogan's kindergarten class on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary. Sept. 8, 2020 in Highland Village.]()
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State lawmakers ask education agency for guidance on how Texas schools can respond to Trump’s immigration plans
More than two dozen Texas Democrats expressed concern about the elimination of a federal policy preventing immigration arrests at schools. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School students gather in the hallway outside of a classroom as they wait for a teacher between periods Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
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School choice, vouchers and the future of Texas education
Vouchers would let parents use public funds to pay for their kids’ private education. Learn about how they could work and the political battle around them. Full Story
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![Lorenzo G Alarcon Elementary School received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to create a calming and quiet room with the school counselor in San Elizario, Texas on July 23, 2024.]()
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Many Texas schools take “wait and see” approach to Trump’s mass deportation plans
Schools near the border say it’s hard to prepare for the unknown. Immigration advocates say they should help communities understand students’ rights. Full Story
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![A student draws in an art classroom in Texas.]()
Credit: Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to extend Texas’ DEI ban to K-12 schools
In 2023, Texas passed a DEI ban at the state’s public universities. Now Abbott wants the state to stop funding diversity programs in K-12 schools. Full Story
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![High school students between classes in the hallway at the high school in Buffalo on March 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune