Despite just-released ratings that show huge improvements, a Texas Tribune analysis finds that the performance of the state’s public schools — when decoupled from the controversial Texas Projection Measure — is little changed from 2008, the year before the accountability formula took effect.
Austin
Posted in
Health care
An Itchy Situation
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently said that children should not be kept out of school if they get head lice — the opposite of what Texas law requires. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune has this report.
Posted in
Economy
2010: White: Perry Cut Corners to Help Friend
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White is calling for an independent audit of Texas Enterprise Fund grants after documents showed the governor’s office offered $2.5 million in state subsidies to Sino Swearingen, a company founded by Doug Jaffe. Jaffe is one of two partners involved in a controversial land deal that netted Perry a $500,000 profit.
Posted inState Government
White: Land Deals Influenced Grant
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White accuses Gov. Rick Perry of giving special consideration to a grant request from a company whose founder was involved with a controversial land deal. The deal netted the governor a $500,000 profit. The governor’s spokeswoman says the transaction was “thoroughly vetted.”
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Texas Schools Fixed!
In new public school ratings released this afternoon, three-fourths of the state’s public schools — graded under a controversial formula called the Texas Projection Measure — now rank “exemplary” or “recognized,” the highest two of four categories of performance. Less than two percent of schools are ranked “unacceptable.”
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribBlog: Keller Appeals
Judge Sharon Keller says that in sanctioning her, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct “acted in a lawless, unconstitutional manner.”
Posted in
Health care
TribBlog: How Much Do Kids Count?
Texas ranks 34th nationally in childhood well-being, has the third highest teen birth rate and is experiencing a rapid increase in child poverty, according to new numbers released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS Count data center.
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: Testing the Texas Projection Measure
The Texas Education agency plans to release school accountability ratings for every campus in the state on Friday. For the second year, the rankings will be filtered through the controversial Texas Projection Measure, which critics fault for inflating the school scores.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
A Conversation with Harriet O’Neill
After nearly two decades on the bench, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O’Neill stepped down earlier this year. She talks with the TT’s Morgan Smith about her legacy and what’s next.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Harriet O’Neill: The TT Interview
The former Texas Supreme Court justice on her 18 years in the judiciary, women on the court, the all-Republican bench and what she really thinks about judicial elections.
