Analysis: No, the Texas Legislature isn’t lowering your property taxes
Texas legislators would love to lower your property taxes, but none of the proposals they're considering in the special session would do that. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/01/APrice-ATX-1.jpg)
-
![Construction in downtown Austin on June 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
House backs bill putting $212 million toward retired teachers' health care program
The Texas House voted Tuesday to use $212 million from the Rainy Day Fund, a savings account largely fed by oil and gas production taxes, to decrease premiums and deductibles for retired teachers in the state-run health insurance program. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/08/01/_BDP7196_Ashby.jpg)
![Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, speaks on House Bill 20 surrounded by colleagues on the House floor August 1, 2017. The bill would put a one-time influx of $212 million into a health plan that serves hundreds of thousands of retired teachers.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Analysis: For lawmakers, like kids, education can be very difficult
The governor put a number of public education proposals on the Legislature's plate for the current special session. Getting more than one or two into law would defy the odds. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/Edu_Rally_CR_TT.jpg)
![A group of educators from Gordon, Texas applaud a speaker at the Texans for Public Education rally on the Capitol steps on Monday, July 17, 2017.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves teacher bonuses, benefits — but not pay raises
The Texas Senate passed a bill that would provide funding for teacher bonuses and retirement benefits, slashing a controversial provision that would require school districts to increase teacher salaries without additional state money. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/25/_95I5797_Nelson_Jane_1.jpg)
![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, are shown during a special session debate on July 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Senate approves bills on "private school choice" and school finance study
The Texas Senate backed bills that would subsidize private school tuition and study the state's school finance system. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/24/_95I9630_Taylor_2__CMS.jpg)
![State Education Chairman Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, is shown on the Senate floor May 24, 2017, after announcing that he would not name conferees to consider House Bill 21, a school finance bill, effectively killing the measure.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate panel approves teacher bonuses, retirement benefits
The Texas Senate Finance Committee approved a bill Saturday that would put one-time influxes of money toward the Teacher Retirement System and teacher bonuses, and require districts to fund $1,000 in teacher pay raises. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/22/_95I5158_Nelson.jpg)
![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, explains the benefits of Senate Bill 19 during a Saturday meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on July 22, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Senate committee passes bills on private school choice and school finance study
The Texas Senate Education Committee passed a bill that would create a "private school choice" program to subsidize private school tuition for kids with special needs, and a bill to study the school finance system. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/21/Sens_Taylor_and_Lucio_TT.jpg)
![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, during a July 21, 2017 Senate Public Education Committee hearing. Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, is seated to his left.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott adds school finance, retired teacher benefits to special session
In what seems to be an overture to the House, Gov. Greg Abbott added two new education-related issues to his special session call Thursday: school finance reform and increased benefits for retired teachers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/18/__BDP4667_Trio_2_.jpg)
![The three leaders of Texas make nice at a short Cash Management Committee meeting in the Betty King Room of the Texas Capitol on July 18, 2017, the first day of the special session.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
New in Trib+Edu: Schools look abroad for teachers
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: Sacramento schools look for teachers in the Philippines, political dysfunction continues to hold up education dollars for Illinois schools and a push for music education in South Dakota. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/04/17/TribPlus-EDU.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Jacob Villanueva -
Texas teachers voice opposition to education-heavy special session
The day before the start of this summer's special legislative session, educator groups rallied at the Texas Capitol, demanding more state resources and fewer unfunded mandates. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/17/Public_Ed_rally_1_CR_TT.jpg)
![The day before the start of the special session — on July 17, 2017 — several teacher and education groups turned out at the state Capitol to rally against GOP leaders' public education agenda.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick rolls out plan to give teachers more money (video)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has a plan to give more money to teachers, as does a prominent Texas businessman. And another Texan is tapped for a position in the Trump administration. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/071417_Roundup_Still.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Patrick proposes millions for teacher bonuses, retirement
Days before the special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick rolled out a specific plan to give retired and long-term teachers up to $1,000 in additional bonuses, using money from the Texas Lottery over the long-term. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/13/7C2A6573.JPG)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick addresses the media at the Texas Capitol on July 13, 2017, days before the start of a special session.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
H-E-B's Butt pledges $50 million more to education efforts
One of Texas’ most prominent philanthropists made another splash Monday, pledging $50 million to a program that will train public school teachers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/10/TT-APrice-RaisingTexasTeachers-9.jpg)
![Student teacher Antonio Salmeron teaches a class as part of the UTeach Program at UT-Austin on July 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
New in Trib+Edu: Science teachers fight the White House
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: Science teachers push back against Department of Education, school showdown in NYC ends and an interview with Katie Krummeck and Rob Rouse of Southern Methodist University. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Jacob Villanueva -
Analysis: The political play behind Gov. Abbott’s call for teacher pay raises
Gov. Greg Abbott's special session agenda will include a call for a $1,000 pay raise for teachers. But he's not offering state money to pay for it — and he's not necessarily talking about giving every public school teacher a $1,000 check, either. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/ClassSize1.jpg)
![Wanke Elementary School in north San Antonio, Friday, March 9, 2012]()
Credit: Jennifer Whitley -
Texas House education leaders won't budge on school finance, private school choice
Rep. Dan Huberty, chair of the House Public Education Committee, said he plans to file a bill during the special session to reform school finance — and to continue to reject "private school choice." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/25/AustinPrice-TASAConference-6.jpg)
![Reps. Dan Huberty, Diego Bernal and Gary VanDeaver discuss the past legislative session and the upcoming special session at a conference of the Texas Association of School Administrators in Austin on June 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
New in Trib+Edu: Helping refugees get an education
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: A community in Michigan works to help refugees receive an education, a new approach to summer school and an interview with Jill Allor, a professor with the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Jacob Villanueva -
UT/TT Poll: Few Texas voters believe education spending is too high
A plurality of Texas voters think the state should be spending more on public and higher education, but those numbers hide differences between conservatives and liberals, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/19/TTUT-lead_edu.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Gov. Abbott signs bill that seeks to end "lunch shaming"
One of the most surprisingly contentious measures of the legislative session — ending "lunch shaming" for Texas public school students — was signed into law Thursday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/05/23/Giddings_shaming_presser_MKC_TT.jpg)
![State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-De Soto, speaks during a press conference regarding the "lunch shaming" bill on May 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Abbott signs bill overhauling A-F school, district ratings
A bill overhauling a future system to grade Texas schools and districts on an A-F scale is now law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/01/11/TT-school-report-card-art001.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Benjamin Hasson