With the filing deadline fast approaching, are Democrats beginning to feel some holiday cheer?
state agencies
Posted in
Health care
Rising Removals
Removals of Texas children from abusive homes have reached their highest point since the 2008 polygamist sect raid, when hundreds were taken into custody in a single day.
Posted in
Economy
Beyond Textbooks and Tests
Hoping to push a wide array of digital content and teaching tools to public schools, the Texas Education Agency has cut a deal with a division of The New York Times for an electronic curriculum portal and searchable access to the newspaper’s content since 1851.
Posted in
Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey and others on Bill White and the changing state of the race for governor; Thevenot’s two-parter on what Dallas churches are doing to combat social ills and racial division; Ramshaw on the use of force by school district police departments (and why parents don’t know about it); Grissom’s two-parter, abetted by Stiles, on unregulated payday lenders; Aguilar on Mexican immigrants who play against type; and Rapoport on those missing extra checks for retired public employees. The best of the best from November 21 to 25, 2009.
Posted in
State Government
The Checks Aren’t in the Mail
Sorry, retired teachers and other public employees: You’ll have to do without that extra $500 you were expecting. And you shouldn’t count on any additional benefits next year — not if the state pension fund continues to be, in the words on one state senator, “actuarially unsound.”
Posted in
Public Education
Hidden Force
School district police departments use tasers, pepper spray, dogs and drawn handguns to control crime on campus. But most don’t keep data on the incidents, leaving parents no way to track them. Many even refuse to turn over their “use of force” guidelines, saying parting with their policies could create a security threat.
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: Texas Sidelined in Race for the Top?
Texas will not adopt national school curriculum standards, risking its ability to get a $700 million federal grant.
Posted in
Economy
TribBlog: The (Very) Skinny
Comptroller Susan Combs says the state will have $77.7 billion in general revenue for the current budget, which calls for $77.6 billion in general revenue.
Posted in
State Government
The $4.2 Million Question
How much of Bill White’s federal war chest could be used in a race for governor? Most of it.
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: State Board of Education and the ABCs
Two legislative ABCs — Anybody But Craddicks — back the Republican moderate challenging Christian conservative member Don McLeroy.
