A coalition of nonprofit foundations and the Houston-based advocacy organization Children at Risk have released the initial findings of their comprehensive report on how the 2011 budget cuts have affected public schools.

For this week's nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about some of the runoffs: U.S. Senate, Railroad Commission, Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Senate. 

Endorsements stack up, so we've prepared a big spreadsheet to show you who is getting the political support of some prominent interest groups, trade groups and political action committees. 

Defense lawyers argue that judges in Harris County — ordered to review a psychologist's work in two death penalty cases — are simply rubber-stamping the conclusions of the psychologist, who was reprimanded last year.

Domingo Garcia's campaign for Congress may boost Hispanic turnout enough to unseat state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who is facing his first primary challenge in 16 years.

There's little research that indicates closing districts will improve outcomes for students, but letting chronically low-performing and financially mismanaged schools stay open doesn't work either.

Gov. Rick Perry told us on Tuesday that he may run for re-election. Voters aren't sold, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.

The Dallas-based breast cancer prevention group Susan G. Komen for the Cure has halted its financial support of Planned Parenthood, yet another blow to the family planning organization that provides abortions in some of its clinics. 

The Texas Tribune has updated Children at Risk's rankings of more than 5,800 public school campuses with 2011 figures. Explore them for yourself here.