Texas Republicans want more property tax cuts. Here’s how they may do it.
Gov. Greg Abbott said cutting taxes is a top priority, however, state lawmakers don’t have as much money to plug into tax cuts as they did two years ago. Full Story
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![A residential neighborhood seen Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Midland.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
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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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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Reading, writing and religion? A Texas curriculum advisory board’s link to faith-based advocacy
The composition of the state’s hand-picked curriculum advisory board raises questions about whether panelists were inclined to green-light Bible-infused coursework. Full Story
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![Holy Bibles rest on chairs at Stonewall Church in Douglass on Feb. 26, 2024. Douglass is about 14 miles west of Nacogdoches on Texas Highway 21.]()
Credit: Joel Andrews for The Texas Tribune -
Houston ISD superintendent didn’t illegally funnel state money to out-of-state schools, TEA says
The Texas Education Agency found that checks mailed to Miles’ charter school network in Colorado were eventually deposited into the network’s Texas account. Full Story
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![Mike Miles, the state-appointed superintendent of Houston ISD, discusses public education in Texas' largest city with Jacob Carpenter, team leader of the Houston Landing, at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Latest effort to block school ratings cracks Texas districts’ once-united front
Dozens of districts sued Texas saying the ratings painted an unfair picture of their schools. Others voluntarily have released their own. Full Story
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![Students leave the classroom to work in the computer lab at Mata Intermediate School.]()
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Texas education commissioner calls for student cellphone ban in schools
Mike Morath made the recommendation as concerns rise that phones are harmful to students’ mental health and distract them from learning. Full Story
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![High school students walk to their next class after the bell rings at Elsik Ninth Grade Center in Houston on March 28, 2018.]()
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Dozens of Texas school districts press state to suspend new student data reporting system
The superintendents said they haven’t received enough support from the state or time to fix errors the system generated. Full Story
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![TEA Commissioner Mike Morath addresses the State Board of Education on June 26, 2024, at the William B. Travis Building in Austin.]()
Credit: Olivia Anderson/The Texas Tribune -
Texas school districts say upgrades to the state’s student data reporting system could hurt their funding
The Texas Education Agency says there’s time to fix problems before officially reported data is used to determine how much money districts get. Full Story
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![A school bus drives past the Texas Capitol Complex as State Board of Education members hold a meeting in the William B. Travis building on Nov. 17, 2023, in Austin.]()
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After six years of low scores for students learning English, Texas educators say it’s the test’s fault
Students’ scores in a test that gauges their English skills have been low since a redesign introduced computer scoring. Full Story
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![The library at West Avenue Elementary in Waco on April 5, 2024.]()
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Judge blocks Texas from releasing this year’s school accountability ratings
The ruling marks the fifth consecutive year Texas families have not received a full picture of their schools’ ratings, which are used to determine how they are performing. 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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Texas’ Christian-influenced curriculum spurs worries about bullying, church-state separation
Some secular groups and members of other faiths say the curriculum could give schools too much control over how children are taught religion. Full Story
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![A monument to the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Capitol in Austin on June 24, 2024.]()
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Some Texas school officials are skeptical that a K-12 curriculum with Christian influences is the lifeline state leaders promise
Proposed lesson plans could improve student performance and help teachers, Texas education officials say. Not all district leaders and education advocates are convinced. Full Story
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![Cactus Elementary School in Cactus on Jan. 28, 2020.]()
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Texas education leaders unveil Bible-infused elementary school curriculum
The proposed curriculum overhaul was released a week after the Texas GOP proposed requiring the Bible to be taught in public schools. School districts that opt to use them will get more funding. Full Story
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![Mrs. Eden's fourth grade class practice reading tables during a lesson on April 24, 2024 at Jack Frost Elementary School in Georgetown.]()
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Texas schools illegally suspended thousands of homeless students
A 2019 law banned schools from suspending homeless students from school grounds but didn’t include money for enforcement. Full Story
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![Danielle Stephen, 20, participates in a Christian service May 8 in Houston's Montrose neighborhood. Stephen, who was kicked off campus and into the streets as a high school student, attended the outdoor service to support people struggling with homelessness.]()
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Houston ISD superintendent accused of funneling tax dollars out of state
A state lawmaker and Houston residents urge the Texas Education Agency to investigate whether the state-appointed superintendent improperly sent public funds to out-of-state charter schools. Full Story
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![Mike Miles, the state-appointed superintendent of Houston ISD, discusses public education in Texas' largest city with Jacob Carpenter, team leader of the Houston Landing, at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Some South Texas school employees could be barred from holding elected office after fraud investigation
A state-appointed board of managers overseeing the La Joya Independent School District is set to consider the policy this week. Full Story
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![The Texas Education Agency has replaced the entire school board of La Joya Independent School District.]()
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Texas will use computers to grade written answers on this year’s STAAR tests
The state will save more than $15 million by using technology similar to ChatGPT to give initial scores, reducing the number of human graders needed. The decision caught some educators by surprise. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School 7th grade teacher Pricilla Martinez leads her class in an activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa. Martinez said that due to the increased amount of families moving to the Permian Basin, they sometimes teach 38 to 40 kids per class. “It’s been six weeks and I still don’t know all of their names… Its embarrassing to me,” Martinez said.]()
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Texas places state’s largest charter school network under conservatorship
The state had been investigating IDEA Public Schools since 2021 and raised questions on its spending on things like a luxury driver and private jet. Full Story
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![The San Juan Idea Public Schools on Nov. 23, 2010, in San Juan.]()
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After 7 years of state oversight, Texas’ takeover of Marlin ISD starts winding down
The transition at the Waco-area school district will shed light on how a democratically elected school board resumes control after a takeover. Full Story
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![Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, far right, answers questions from State Board of Education members during a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023 at the William B Travis Building in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune