Texas has issued A-F grades for its school districts. Here's a look at what stands out.
As school communities and state officials discuss their school districts' official state ratings, many disagree on what the results actually mean. Full Story
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Republican set to replace ex-state Rep. Larry Phillips after drawing no special election opponents
Republican Reggie Smith is poised to replace former state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, after Smith drew no opponents Thursday in the special election for the seat. Full Story
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![Republican Reggie Smith will replace former state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, in state House District 62.]()
Credit: Facebook campaign page -
Abbott taps Nebraska official to lead Health and Human Services Commission
Courtney Phillips currently leads the Department of Health and Human Services in Nebraska. Full Story
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![Courtney Phillips, Gov. Greg Abbott's newly named pick to head the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick agrees to a debate — with Geraldo Rivera
Patrick has refused to debate his November election opponent, Democrat Mike Collier. Full Story
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![Left to right: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Geraldo Rivera and Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Mike Collier.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Patrick/ LK/WENN REUTERS: Rivera/Bob Daemmrich: Collier -
Beto O’Rourke’s NFL comments have gone viral. Here’s how it can impact his Texas race.
A video of Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, expressing support for NFL players kneeling during the national anthem has gone viral, earning national attention. But how does it play among Texas voters? Full Story
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![Top to bottom: U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso; some Jacksonville Jaguars football players take a knee during the 2017 season; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson: O'Rourke/Bob Daemmrich: Cruz -
Betsy DeVos is considering allowing federal funds to arm teachers. Texas may have given her the idea.
A Trump administration official told Education Week that Texas first raised the possibility of using federal grants for that purpose. Full Story
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![An educator partakes in a simulated shooting as part of a training for school marshals. School marshals are school staff trained and armed to take out a threat to their campus.]()
Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s how much Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke have raised in their midterm Senate race
A Texas Tribune analysis of fundraising by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, show O'Rourke has raised $8 million more than Cruz since 2017. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), is challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: O'Rourke/Bob Daemmrich: Cruz -
Down-ballot Texas Democrats are in Beto O’Rourke’s shadow. Will his campaign still help their chances?
Whether they’re closer to the top of the ballot or the bottom, many Texas Democrats running for office are finding it hard to compete for voters’ attention against “Betomania.” Full Story
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Nearly 10 percent of Texans displaced by Harvey still haven't gone home, survey says
Meanwhile, 15 percent of homes damaged or destroyed by the storm are still unlivable. Yet FEMA and Texas officials aren't keeping track of how many people remain displaced one year later. Full Story
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![A military helicopter flies over a destroyed house after Hurricane Harvey struck in Rockport, Texas, August 26, 2017.]()
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On Harvey's anniversary, Houstonians set to decide on historic flood control bond
Harris County voters will head to the polls on Saturday — the first anniversary of Hurricane Harvey — to decide on a $2.5 billion bond measure that would finance hundreds of flood control projects. Flood experts say it would be a good start, but that it won't come close to solving the region's chronic flooding problems. Full Story
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![The neighborhood along Buffalo Bayou just below Barker Reservoir dam in Houston on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017.]()
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As bad news mounts, Texas Republicans fret about 2018 elections
Comparisons to the 2006 midterms are emerging after two guilty verdicts involving people close to President Donald Trump this week. Full Story
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TribCast: A new name in the speaker's race, an ouster at Texas Tech
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Dave about Travis Clardy's addition to the House Speaker's race, the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey, Chancellor Robert Duncan's surprise ouster from the Texas Tech University System and the Tribune's latest coverage of families divided at the border. Full Story
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![Robert duncan, former chancellor of the Texas Tech University System]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz leads Beto O’Rourke by 4 points, according to NBC/Marist Poll
A new poll showed the U.S. Senate race between U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke is tight, just as the fall campaign is about to begin. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (left), D-El Paso, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.]()
Credit: Doug Young: O'Rourke/Michael Stravato: Cruz -
After Harvey, questions remain about whether registry helped people with disabilities
Texas has a system in place to identify people with disabilities who will need extra help during a natural disaster. But it's unclear how many people actually received help through the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, or STEAR, during Hurricane Harvey. Full Story
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![An evacuee from Meyerland — a neighborhood in southwest Houston hit hard by Harvey — arrives at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Just a shot away? Ciudad Juárez residents fear new cartel war may be coming
For residents of this gritty border city who survived the drug cartel war that raged here just seven years ago, headlines about an upswing in violence are getting harder to ignore. Full Story
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![A municipal police officer at a crime scene in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The municipal police force was recently "purged" under the new chief of police Julien Leyzaola.]()
Credit: Katie Orlinsky for the New York Times -
Analysis: So far, there’s not much to handicap in the race for Texas House speaker
State Rep. Travis Clardy has this in common with every other candidate for speaker of the Texas House at this point: His is the only sure vote he's got for that contest. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 9, 2017]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Vague state law aside, a convicted felon will be on the ballot in Austin
After his candidacy was challenged, convicted felon Lewis Conway Jr. was cleared by the Austin city clerk on Tuesday. Full Story
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![Lewis Conway Jr., a candidate running in East Austin's District 1 race, is the first formerly incarcerated person in Texas to run for public office. Conway is using his race to challenge how the criminal justice system suppresses people with criminal records.]()
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Gallery: This Guatemalan family hasn't seen their 8-year-old in months
A collection of photos by Carlos Sebastián for Nómada and Michael Stravato for the Tribune shows David Xol and Florinda Bol in Guatemala and the Texas facility where their son has been held since late May. Full Story
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![Florinda Bol holds a picture of her son Byron. Byron is in a shelter in Baytown, a thousand miles away, where he’s been for months.]()
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Trump unveils major rollback of Obama's Clean Power Plan
Texas' Republican leadership cheered the announcement of the so-called Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule, which will give states broad authority in determining how to regulate pollution from coal-fired power plants. Along with coal-friendly West Virginia, Texas led a coalition of about two dozen states that sued over the rule's predecessor, calling it federal overreach. Full Story
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![The Big Brown power plant in Fairfield, Texas]()
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UT System pick for chancellor is new to Texas, but not to the challenges he'll face here
James Milliken has dealt with declining state support, political skirmishes and the challenges of educating low-income students in his prior jobs in higher education. Full Story
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![James B. Milliken, newly-named sole finalist for chancellor of the University of Texas System, at City College of New York's commencement ceremony with then-First Lady Michelle Obama and Salutatorian Orubba Almansouri, on June 3, 2016. Milliken was chancellor of CUNY at the time.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar