The Texas State Board of Education is fielding proposals to update the state’s public school social studies curriculum this summer.
Brian Lopez
Brian Lopez was The Texas Tribune's public education reporter from 2021 until 2024. He covered how policy and politics affect Texas’ K-12 public education system and the nearly 5.5 million kids enrolled in public schools. Previously, he was the Tarrant County reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Brian is a New York native but moved to Texas after high school. He graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
More Texas schools are investing in online student surveillance. But does it work?
Uvalde’s school district is one of several statewide using online monitoring of student writing and messaging. But it’s not a perfect solution.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Butt family, H-E-B donate $10 million to replace Robb Elementary School in Uvalde after mass shooting
The timeline is still unclear for demolishing the school building. The district has plans to replace it with a memorial park.
Posted in
Politics
Supreme Court sides with school coach who prayed at a game, offering more protection to public displays of religion
The court ruled a Washington state coach was praying as a private citizen when he knelt after a game on the field, not as an employee of the district.
Posted in
Texas Abortion Restrictions
“We’re rejoicing”: Texas abortion foes celebrate Supreme Court ruling and say their work isn’t done
Friday was joyful for activists who have spent decades fighting to end abortion, and now they want to see abortion restrictions spread nationwide.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Locks on 340,000 exterior school doors across Texas will be checked as part of Uvalde shooting response
Texas has more than 1,200 school districts, but the education commissioner promised plans for the review will be completed this summer.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas rejects more rigorous teacher certification exam
The Educative Teacher Performance Assessment was designed to better prepare new teachers, but faced pushback from people who thought it would create barriers for people of color to enter the profession.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas State Board of Education rejects conservative-backed Heritage Classical Academy charter school for third time
Two Republicans joined Democrats to veto the charter school application, including a Republican board member who lost reelection to a candidate endorsed by a PAC with financial ties to Heritage’s board chair.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas high school students slightly improve on some standardized tests — but haven’t fully regained ground since the pandemic
Students saw improvement in the STAAR tests for Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas will resume inmate transportation after completing review of convicted murderer’s escape
The review came after Gonzalo Lopez escaped on May 12 and eventually killed five people.