The latest Texas Education Agency news from The Texas Tribune.
Inadequate supervision from the state has led to "grossly deficient" English language instruction for Texas public school students, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. Full Story
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A new state policy that ties teacher evaluations to student performance on standardized tests is drawing criticism from a range of sources. It is likely to be a topic of discussion Wednesday at a Texas House Public Education Committee hearing. Full Story
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Seven teachers, backed by the Houston branch of the American Federation of Teachers, are suing the Houston school district over a new approach tying standardized test results to pay and employment decisions. Full Story
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House Bill 5, which reduced standardized testing in public high schools, also included a provision aimed at easing the pressure of high-stakes exams for students in lower grades. But it may not be having the intended effect. Full Story
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Starting in the 2014-15 school year, eighth-graders in Texas public schools will be required to have graphing calculators or tablets for STAAR assessments. Some poorer school districts are concerned that the mandate ignores fiscal challenges they're already facing. Full Story
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UPDATED: Instead of making Mexican-American studies an official high school course, the Texas State Board of Education settled on a tentative compromise that would leave the decision whether to offer it to school districts. Full Story
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After questions were raised about language in a policy proposal that appears to call for the biannual testing of pre-kindergarten students, Greg Abbott’s campaign is clarifying his early education plan, saying he is not calling for such tests. Full Story
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A proposal under consideration by the Texas State Board of Education would allow private foundations to pay for elected officials on the 15-member board to visit out-of-state charter schools whose applications they approve. Full Story
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Surpassing the 5 million mark, student enrollment in Texas public schools has hit a new record, according to the Texas Education Agency. And Hispanic enrollment continues to mark the majority. Full Story
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Federal and state officials are in talks to work out a conflict in testing requirements under the state’s new high school graduation standards and federal education law that could mean "double-testing" eighth-graders. Full Story
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As six charter schools face automatic closure under a new Texas law, the state is facing questions over the guidelines used to decide which schools to close. Full Story
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Citing new federal guidelines and recent violent incidents, a coalition of interest groups has asked the Texas Education Agency to prohibit the use of “less lethal” weapons, like Tasers and pepper spray, in public schools. Full Story
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Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis is calling on her likely Republican opponent in the governor's race, Attorney General Greg Abbott, to quit defending the state's school finance system and reach a settlement instead. Abbott said Davis was focused on the past. Full Story
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The State Board of Education voted Friday to drop an existing requirement that all students at Texas public schools take algebra II to graduate. It also approved two high-level math courses that students can take as an alternative. Full Story
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A new direction for standardized testing, expansion for charter schools, No Child Left Behind jettisoned and the aftermath of a cheating scandal: 2013 was a significant year for Texas public education policy. Full Story
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Texas will shut down campuses at six charter schools under a new law that includes heightened financial and academic performance rules. Full Story
When schools turn to private entities for management, the arrangement can raise questions about how best to ensure financial accountability. Full Story
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Texas public school students continue to lag behind the national average in reading scores, according to the National Assessment of Education Progress scores released Thursday. Full Story
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In a new web ad, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Pauken criticizes what he calls "an elitist educational system pushing everybody to go to a four-year university." Full Story
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As No Child Left Behind awaits congressional reauthorization, the tutoring industry is energetically pushing federal policymakers to preserve public funding for tutoring. This is the fourth story in a series on the program. Full Story
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