Past Contributions

• Texplainer: What if Texas Schools Don’t Meet Federal Benchmarks?

  by Zoë Gioja Aug. 21, 2012

  Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Texas public schools are supposed to have 100 percent passing rates in reading and math by 2014. The chances of meeting that benchmark are slim. So what happens next? Full Story 

• Chris Connealy: The TT Interview

  by Zoë Gioja Aug. 16, 2012

  The state fire marshal on how he’ll implement the changes in a Texas Forensic Science Commission report, ideas for educating fire investigators and ways to bring more experts to the scene when arson occurs. Full Story 

• Advocacy Groups Don't Want GEO to Run State Hospital

  by Zoë Gioja Aug. 10, 2012

  A coalition of influential Texas organizations is pushing back against the proposed privatization of a state psychiatric hospital by GEO Care, a subsidiary of a prison operations group that has a troubled history in Texas. Full Story 

• San Antonio City Council OKs Castro's Pre-K Proposal

  by Zoë Gioja Aug. 9, 2012

  An initiative from San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro that would direct a portion of sales tax revenue to fund full-day pre-kindergarten unanimously passed the City Council, leaving it for voters to approve in November. Full Story 

• Michael Brick: The TT Interview

  by Zoë Gioja Aug. 7, 2012

  The author of a new book that investigates what communities lose when schools are shuttered talks about standardized testing and how students, teachers and parents cope with testing pressures. Full Story 

• Castro to Deliver Keynote at Democratic National Convention

  by Julián Aguilar and Zoë Gioja July 31, 2012

  San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in September, following in the long-ago footsteps of Ann Richards and Barbara Jordan. Full Story 

• Local Court Race Tests Judicial Campaign Law

  by Morgan Smith and Zoë Gioja July 26, 2012

  A runoff for the state district court in Marshall, just east of Longview near the Louisiana border, has two Republicans slinging lawsuits and ethics complaints over provisions of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. Full Story 

• Texas Governor's Mansion: A Timeline

  by Todd Wiseman and Zoë Gioja July 18, 2012

  As Gov. Rick Perry and his wife prepare to move back into the restored Governor's Mansion, we take a look back at some of the highlights of the building's history. Full Story 

• Texas Scientists Regret Loss of Higgs Boson Quest

  by Zoë Gioja and Hollie O'Connor July 4, 2012

  As European scientists reveal groundbreaking discoveries about the Higgs boson particle, Texas scientists reflect with regret about a machine that got partly built near Dallas. They say it would've accomplished the mission a decade earlier. Full Story 

• Business Leaders Draw a Line on Education Funding

  by Morgan Smith and Zoë Gioja June 27, 2012

  In a news conference on Wednesday, leaders in the business community said that they would not stand for increased funding for education if it came with any rollback of accountability standards in Texas public schools. Full Story 

• Mike Miles: The TT Interview

  by Zoë Gioja June 22, 2012

  The incoming Dallas ISD superintendent on the transition from Colorado Springs to Dallas, the short-term and long-term challenges for Dallas ISD and the recent debate over salaries. Full Story 

• Atheist Group Takes on the States

  by Zoë Gioja June 14, 2012

  UPDATED: An atheist group — the Secular Coalition for America — is opening a Texas office in January to lobby for "a strong separation of church and state," saying they find more "egregious" laws and legislation at the state level than in Washington, D.C. Full Story