Public education

The chambers will need to negotiate how to give teachers pay raises, whether to adjust how students take standardized tests and how to provide long-term property tax relief for Texans.

Full Story 

The pieces are in place. There's a month to go. And the three leaders who bet big on school finance, education and property taxes are in a familiar place, imploring reluctant legislators to take the kinds of high-stakes votes that make and break political careers.

Full Story 

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen did not close the door on passing a sales tax swap with a simple majority instead of the current approach requiring two-thirds support of lawmakers and voter approval.

Full Story 

The Senate Education Committee approved the school finance bill in a hurried meeting Wednesday. The full Senate is now expected to vote on the legislation Friday. Meanwhile, a House panel advanced a proposal to let voters decide whether a sales tax increase should fund property tax relief.

Full Story 

We're livestreaming our conversation in Dallas on developing the next Texas workforce, moderated by Texas Tribune co-founder and CEO Evan Smith.

Full Story 

Lawmakers are in their last month of a regular session, with their priority issues — public education and property taxes — still incomplete. If they can't finish without a special session, they'll run into someone else's deadlines; school districts write budgets and set tax rates in June.

Full Story 

Black students, who are already overrepresented in disciplinary referrals, say their fears come as lawmakers consider a slew of bills to expand the state's school marshal program in response to a deadly shooting last year.

Full Story 

Senate Bill 11 is authored by state Sen. Larry Taylor, whose district includes Santa Fe High School.

Full Story 

The order came in a case brought by a Pflugerville school speech pathologist who was told she could only continue her contract work if she promised not to boycott Israel.

Full Story 

The bill differs in significant ways from the version the House approved this month.

Full Story 

The chambers will have to negotiate exactly who will pay to shore up the pension fund and how big the one-time additional check will be for retirees.

Full Story 

Sabika Sheikh was a Muslim exchange student with dreams of changing the world, and she bonded with an evangelical Christian girl from small-town Texas. The two became inseparable — until May 18, 2018.

Full Story 

Three quarters of the way into the legislative session, lawmakers are still juggling several proposals related to school district taxes, including some that would not provide any tax relief.

Full Story 

It's hard to gather support for the state's most persistent problems when you're also pressing forward with issues that divide and anger Republicans and Democrats. It's also business as usual in the Texas Legislature.

Full Story 

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have already signaled opposition to the proposal from Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen.

Full Story 

Top Republican leaders have proposed raising the sales tax and using the money to lower local property tax rates. Wealthier Texans and businesses would likely benefit, while poorer Texans would likely pay more.

Full Story 

Almost a year after the massacre at Santa Fe High School, state lawmakers are considering ways to make students and teachers feel safe in the classroom again.

Full Story 

The Texas Legislature is in its biennial spasm of drama, with big bills stuck and some state leaders saying it will take a special session to get property taxes, school finance and all of that done. But they have six weeks to go, and they often do their big work on deadline.

Full Story 

It's not unusual for teachers to spend over $1,000 a month on health insurance.

Full Story 

The state's top three leaders bet everything on public education and property taxes this year, but they can't get where they're going — especially if they want to cut property taxes — without bringing some Democrats to their side.

Full Story