Agenda Texas: Revisiting the Texas Miracle
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: President Obama's visit to Austin on Thursday as part of a new jobs tour has again put the state's economy in the spotlight. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Judge: High School Cheerleaders Can Display Religious Messages
A state district judge ruled Wednesday in favor of cheerleaders at an East Texas high school in their national headline-grabbing lawsuit to display religious messages during athletic events. Full Story
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![As two Kountze football players prepare to play a game on Oct. 5, 2012, one holds a banner with a Bible verse. A Hardin County judge recently ruled that the high school's cheerleaders can continue to display signs with religious messages at football games.]()
Credit: Eric Kayne -
With Bill Pending, School Choice Supporters Rally
As major charter school legislation awaits consideration in the House, school choice supporters gathered at a Capitol rally to hear from several lawmakers, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston. Full Story
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Agenda Texas: What's Left to Do?
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Water, transportation and education were priorities at the beginning of this year's legislative session, but how much progress has been made on each? Full Story
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Senate's High School Graduation Measure Differs From House Plan
The Senate version of House Bill 5, which it approved Monday, still allows students to complete diplomas in specialized areas, or "endorsements." But it changes the courses required to graduate under those endorsements. Full Story
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![Sen. Dan Patrick R-Houston, speaks during budget bill SB1 discussion on March 20th, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Money, Explosions and Deadlines
In the latest Newsreel: The House fights over whether and how to tap the Rainy Day Fund, lawmakers hold hearings on the explosion in West and Gov. Rick Perry says there is plenty of time left in this session to get things done. Full Story
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Efforts to Reform Teacher Evaluations Hit Snag
Some critics of Texas' largely subjective state teacher evaluations want them to include more emphasis on measures of student performance like standardized exams. But with support among lawmakers to scale back testing, those efforts have hit a roadblock. Full Story
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STAAR Results May Hold Back 80,000 Fifth-Graders
More than 80,000 fifth-graders and 60,000 eighth-graders in the state are at risk of being held back this year because of poor performance on state standardized tests under a Texas law banning social promotion. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Guest Column: Let Voters Decide on Rainy Day Spending
The best way to finance Texas' pressing water and transportation needs — and to supplement spending on public education — is to let voters decide whether to use the state's Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: What's Next for Water Infrastructure Funding
The day after the leading measure to fund state water projects stumbled in the House, legislators shifted their focus to a bill that some members hope will also include money for education. Full Story
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House Votes to Reduce State Exams in Lower Grades
UPDATED: A measure taking aim at the firm that develops the state's standardized tests briefly stalled legislation reducing high-stakes exams for elementary and middle school students before it finally passed the Texas House on Tuesday. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Charter Bill Brings New Faces to Education Debate
As lawmakers work on charter school legislation, lobbyists better known for their work in other areas have been showing up regularly at education committee hearings. Full Story
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![Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen listens to HB5 debate in House on March 26th, 2013. There are currently 165 amendments to the bill and debate is expected to go well into the night]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
AG: Domestic Partner Benefits Violate Texas Constitution
The Texas Constitution prohibits government entities from recognizing domestic partnerships and offering those couples insurance benefits, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote in an opinion on Monday. Full Story
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![Sen. Dan Patrick R-Houston, listens to Attorney General Greg Abbott during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Feb. 5, 2013. What will the balance of power look like between the incoming lieutenant governor and governor?]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lawmakers Attempt to Change Truancy Laws
Some parents and advocacy organizations say the state’s truancy laws are too harsh. The Senate passed a bill last week to change these laws, compromising with judges and district officials who said the reforms were too broad. Full Story
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![Rachel Hebert, 17, and her mother, Elizabeth, were issued court summons after Rachel missed numerous days of school because of medical problems relating to her cerebral palsy.]()
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The Political Hazards of Changing High School Standards
Voters asked lawmakers to cut down on the high-stakes standardized tests in schools and to replace some of the budget cuts made in 2011. Will they soon be asking why lawmakers made it easier to get a high school diploma? Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Hot Seat: A Conversation With Farney and Schwertner
At our 4/26 Hot Seat conversation at Southwestern University in Georgetown, state Rep. Marsha Farney, R-Georgetown, and state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, talked about public education, water, the budget and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
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A Push to Ensure Free Breakfast for the State's Poorest Students
A bill by state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, could result in as many as 731,000 additional low-income children in Texas receiving free breakfasts through their schools. Full Story
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![School children at Arnoldo Cantu Sr. Elementary School in San Juan, Texas, enjoy their free breakfast, April 24, 2013.]()
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House Approves Continuation of Lottery Commission
Despite voting a second time in favor of continuing the Texas Lottery Commission on Wednesday, the majority of House members made clear that they would like to study how to wind down the agency. Full Story
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After West, First Responders Scholarship Fund Announced
Inspired by the efforts of first responders during the recent bombing in Boston and the fertilizer plant explosion in West, the College Board on Wednesday announced the creation of a First Responders Scholarship Fund. Full Story
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![A vehicle near the remains of a fertilizer plant burning after an explosion in West, Texas, near Waco.]()
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TribLive: A Conversation About School Finance
On April 19, I talked with former House Public Education Committee chairmen Rob Eissler and Kent Grusendorf, former vice chairman Scott Hochberg and attorney David Thompson about the perennially unresolved question of how the state should fund public education. Full Story
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