The Brief: Dec. 12, 2014
The price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed Thursday below $60, "a level of great psychological significance," according to the Washington Post, and a price not seen in five years. Full Story
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John Reynolds was the newsletters editor for the Tribune from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a reporter for Quorum Report, a non-partisan online political newsletter focusing on the ins and outs under the Dome, for more than seven years – covering the waterfront from health and human services and redistricting to pensions and elections. A native of Atlanta, Ga., he started his journalistic career one day after the attacks of Sept. 11 in Lubbock, Texas, where he rotated through a slew of beats at The Avalanche-Journal. He received his undergraduate degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and studied at the University of Georgia's graduate school in journalism. When not at work, he actively attempts to convince himself he is adept at tennis with varying levels of success. And he has adopted the Austin custom of appreciating smoked meats and listening to music in grassy/muddy fields.
The price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed Thursday below $60, "a level of great psychological significance," according to the Washington Post, and a price not seen in five years. Full Story
Greg Abbott is not the only newly elected statewide official to release a long list of staffing hires this week. Full Story
And with a busy December, Rick Perry makes clear that he plans a different kind of campaign for the White House the second time around. Full Story
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: a unique study concludes that strategic education investments could yield a return in the trillions, Texas loses a big source of pre-K funding and an interview with Janice Magness of the Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research. Full Story
A couple of popular government programs for children — one helping with early education and the other providing health care — are facing funding questions. Full Story
Clinical psychologist Donna Housman uses empirical data to illustrate three elements of early childhood learning that could be incorporated into a policy plan to expand pre-K initiatives. Full Story
In a unique study, a panel of education experts identified five policy areas most likely to vault the U.S. into a top-five global ranking as measured by high school graduation, college entry, four-year college completion and math scores. Full Story
In this week's Bookshelf, our content partner Kirkus Reviews highlights More Than A Score. Full Story
With the 2015 legislative session approaching, Texas lawmakers are expected to take action on the issue of school choice and access to scholarship-like vouchers. Full Story
Elite public schools have long been regulating admissions based on selective screening that often includes, and can be solely based on, standardized testing. Full Story