The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
Talk of lifting the state's student-teacher class-size ratio has returned after a bill on the matter died in May. As Mose Buchele of KUT News reports, though some say debate on the issue has downplayed the potential harm for students, others call the worries overblown. Full Story
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Teachers and parents gathered today at the state Capitol to protest budget cuts to education funding. Full Story
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State Sen. Wendy Davis' controversial decision to torpedo the 82nd Legislative session with a filibuster has catapulted the Fort Worth Democrat into the spotlight, which she has seized to try to mobilize the state’s downtrodden and outnumbered Democrats. Full Story
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Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story
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After last ditch efforts from Democrats to increase funding for schools through closing tax loopholes and tapping the Rainy Day Fund failed, two budget bills quickly cleared the Senate Friday night. Full Story
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Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
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School finance likely hits the Senate floor this afternoon. Will anything change? Full Story
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The Trib's multimedia team highlights some of the most memorable — and surprising — moments from the 82nd Legislative Session. Our lawmakers sure do love to make a statement, complete with finger pointing, yelling and props. (Some video courtesy the Texas House, the Texas Senate and legetv.org.) Full Story
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In the end, a late-night filibuster in the Senate killed school finance for the regular session. But SB 1581’s earlier crash-and-burn in the House is an odyssey worth revisiting as lawmakers take up the issue in their special session. Full Story
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Rep. Rob Eissler has filed his mandate relief bill, and while it doesn't lift the class-size ratio, it virtually ensures a school district would recieve a waiver from the requirement upon request — as long as that wouldn't result in more than 25 students in a classroom, a district-wide average of more than 22 students per class, or "negatively affect the education of students." Full Story
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Both the House and Senate have adjourned sine die. But without a school finance deal in the Senate, Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call a special session for 8 a.m. Tuesday. Full Story
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Texas Democrats, unhappy with the GOP budget, discussed possible strategies today for the coming special session. Full Story
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Republican skepticism about public education spending joined with the governor’s determination to hold the line on spending, including on public education, is likely to carry the day — whether it takes a few hours or 30 more days. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry talked this morning about the late-night filibuster by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, that kept the upper chamber from voting on SB 1811, a critical piece of the budget puzzle. Full Story
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The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting. Full Story
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A school finance plan has at last emerged from talks between budget and education chiefs in the House and Senate. Here's what may be the final update to our searchable database. Full Story
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Root profiles conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan, Aaronson on the Senate's flare-up over an airport groping ban, Grissom on some twisted logic in the state's same-sex marriage laws, Murphy and Macrander expand and refresh our public employee salary database, yours truly with the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll results on politics, issues, the state's finances, and race, Ramshaw's report on how some of the governor's former aides now represent clients who want more money in the state budget, M. Smith on last-minute efforts to save education legislation that didn't make it through the process, Tan reports on efforts to finish the state budget before the session ends on Monday, and Dehn with the video week in review: The best of our best from May 9 to 13, 2011. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said leaders in the House and Senate had agreed on a school finance plan as he left a meeting with education and budget chiefs from both chambers. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, downplayed the potential negative political consequences of cutting public education. Full Story
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