The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
Gov. Rick Perry's brief remarks at the State Board of Education on Friday echoed his State of the State address, where he called for the creation of more charter schools and the expansion of career and technical courses for high school students. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e0925f3a45a4059a6a44269c6b356e02/BD%20INC%20Perry%20Opening%202013)
Goodwill Industries hopes to open a charter school in Central Texas to help adults who lack a high school education. But there is an obstacle: The state only provides funding for students under age 26. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/GoodWill.jpg)
At Thursday's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about how the school finance litigation affects the debate over public education funding. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/TribLiveWill087TT.jpg)
Ongoing school finance litigation will likely prevent the Legislature from discussing education funding issues this session, two Republican budget leaders said at a TribLive event Thursday. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c5c411ba8ed65ca27885b282b889b505/TT%20Event%20Will%2098%202013)
Educators and conservative activists will air their complaints about CSCOPE, the state's curriculum delivery system, at a Senate Education Committee hearing on Thursday led by state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Patrick-Books.jpg)
Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams on Tuesday called on educators to hold the line on the state's accountability system amid a "ranging conversation" at the Legislature about how to address concerns about the role of high-stakes testing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3ff5d2e1bdfcb34fcd3f4de303aad880/BD%20INC%20Williams%20Michael%20887%202013)
In his seventh State of the State address, Gov. Rick Perry ignored controversial issues and urged state lawmakers to do the nitty gritty work of government: fund water projects, build more roads and improve education. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f3f7e918cdeea00e8a4425a730549ab2/BD%20INC%20State%20of%20the%20State%20Perry%202013)
The challenge for Texas leaders is: How do we ensure that our children can compete and thrive in this ever-changing economy? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/RossColumn.jpg)
Police and educators were among those who testified before senators on Monday about how to ensure school safety and whether school employees should carry concealed handguns on campus. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/_01F9587.jpg)
At last Friday's Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas at Arlington, state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, and state Rep. Diane Patrick, R-Arlington, talked about public education, health care, the state budget and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/image_5.jpeg)
At this morning's TribLive conversation, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talked about whether public education funding in Texas is sufficient and where additional money might come from. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/TribZLiveDewhurst163CMS.jpg)
In a hearing on Wednesday, senators probed Michael Williams, the new head of the Texas Education Agency, on student assessments and funding for remedial tutoring. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Williams-Conference.jpg)
Amid concerns over the safety of Texas' public schools in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, at least a dozen of the state's districts are considering policies that would permit employees to carry concealed handguns. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/GunsInsSchools-1.jpg)
State Sen. Kel Seliger, the Amarillo Republican who leads the Senate's Higher Education Committee, filed a bill Tuesday offering broad changes to student assessment and high school graduation requirements in the state. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b6505533dad79c54d06c9c5a7114df9d/TT%20EVENT%20Seliger%202012)
A new national report puts Texas high school graduation rates at slightly above average, contrasting with a federal study released late last year that ranked the state among the best at graduating students within four years. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasEducation.jpg)
At least 20 bills have been filed or proposed by Texas lawmakers on the subject of guns, with most of the legislation aiming to widen access to guns. Here's a roundup of the proposals. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/HandGunRestingOnWhite.jpg)
With a major school finance trial under way, lawmakers are reluctant to take up public education funding before a court ruling on the matter. What they'll do in the meantime remains uncertain. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/SchoolFinance-Class-Capitol.jpg)
In light of the improved economic forecast announced recently by the state comptroller, education advocates are asking for more money to go to Texas' public education system — the state's preschools included. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Education-LawSuit-2.jpg)
Batheja on growing calls for infrastructure spending, Dehn and Rocha report on voters’ legislative wishes, Murphy counts noses in the new Legislature, KUT’s Philpott sniffs out a push for tax relief, M. Smith tracks House Speaker Joe Straus after his re-election, Kalifa’s lovely time-lapse look at the Legislature’s first day, Aaronson on the Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on hopes for immigration reform, Grissom on the tribulations of Kerry Max Cook, Hamilton looks into a college curriculum battle, and E. Smith’s TribLive interview with Michael Williams: The best of our best for the week of Jan. 7, 2013. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/01072012-Tribweek.jpg)
In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called Friday for the state to consider funding specialized firearms training for school employees. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Dewhurst-1.jpg)