The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
In the end, a late-night filibuster in the Senate killed school finance for the regular session. But SB 1581’s earlier crash-and-burn in the House is an odyssey worth revisiting as lawmakers take up the issue in their special session. Full Story
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Rep. Rob Eissler has filed his mandate relief bill, and while it doesn't lift the class-size ratio, it virtually ensures a school district would recieve a waiver from the requirement upon request — as long as that wouldn't result in more than 25 students in a classroom, a district-wide average of more than 22 students per class, or "negatively affect the education of students." Full Story
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Both the House and Senate have adjourned sine die. But without a school finance deal in the Senate, Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call a special session for 8 a.m. Tuesday. Full Story
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Texas Democrats, unhappy with the GOP budget, discussed possible strategies today for the coming special session. Full Story
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Republican skepticism about public education spending joined with the governor’s determination to hold the line on spending, including on public education, is likely to carry the day — whether it takes a few hours or 30 more days. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry talked this morning about the late-night filibuster by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, that kept the upper chamber from voting on SB 1811, a critical piece of the budget puzzle. Full Story
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The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting. Full Story
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A school finance plan has at last emerged from talks between budget and education chiefs in the House and Senate. Here's what may be the final update to our searchable database. Full Story
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Root profiles conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan, Aaronson on the Senate's flare-up over an airport groping ban, Grissom on some twisted logic in the state's same-sex marriage laws, Murphy and Macrander expand and refresh our public employee salary database, yours truly with the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll results on politics, issues, the state's finances, and race, Ramshaw's report on how some of the governor's former aides now represent clients who want more money in the state budget, M. Smith on last-minute efforts to save education legislation that didn't make it through the process, Tan reports on efforts to finish the state budget before the session ends on Monday, and Dehn with the video week in review: The best of our best from May 9 to 13, 2011. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said leaders in the House and Senate had agreed on a school finance plan as he left a meeting with education and budget chiefs from both chambers. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their GOP colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, downplayed the potential negative political consequences of cutting public education. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their Republican colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their Republican colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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As the Texas House and Senate haggle behind closed doors over a school finance plan we've updated our searchable database to include the latest proposals distributing the $4 billion in state funding cuts. Full Story
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, expressed confidence that the House and Senate will agree to a school finance deal before the end of the regular session. Full Story
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Lawmakers made progress today on solving the current budget deficit but still haven't solved the major problem in the 2012-13 budget: school finance. Full Story
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Legislation on textbook funding approved by the Senate today breathed new life into left-behind education bills, including three languishing charter school measures. Full Story
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One day after the education fiscal bill, SB 1581, died on the floor of the House, lawmakers are scrambling to reach a deal and keep the budget bill, HB 1, on track for approval by both chambers before the weekend deadline. The governor is among the optimists who think they'll finish their work without going into overtime. Full Story
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The death of a key education fiscal matters bill on the House floor tonight ensures that any changes to school finance formulas will happen in a conference committee — and adds fuel to speculation of a special session this summer. Full Story
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