The pandemic has undone years of educational gains in Texas schools. Here’s what the road to recovery looks like.
Gaps in student learning because of pandemic disruptions could impact students in the long term. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ef67acfd1d8d74041776d870d9a3da3e/Isabel%20Suarez%20School%20JV%20TT%20009.jpg)
-
![Isabel Suarez works on homework at her home in Pflugerville. Dec 9, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Longtime state Sen. Larry Taylor, best known for his work on education issues, says he won't run for reelection
Taylor was a key player in the 2019 school finance overhaul that lawmakers passed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8eae6a738eb164983fc1b5146209387d/0013_Larry_Taylor_Juan_Figueroa_May_6_TT.jpg)
![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, addresses Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, on the Senate floor on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Republican state Rep. Matt Krause drops out of attorney general’s race to run for Tarrant County district attorney
Krause had been among the primary challengers to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose legal problems have made him a target for both parties next year. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d43441269a39993d30f9e14703c20e66/House%20Floor%20Matt%20Krause%20JV%20TT%2029.jpg)
![State Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, on the House floor on Aug. 9, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A swelling Texas treasury gives 2022 hopefuls room for big ideas
As the political season starts, the contestants got an unexpected bit of good news: The state comptroller says the next Legislature will start with almost $25 billion in the state treasury. Expensive campaign promises just got a lot easier to make. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b617331ea8d2dfd7d93e307607e190c8/Opening%20Day%20House%20Floor%20SP%20TT%20213.jpg)
![Legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texans in U.S. House vote along party lines to pass $1.75 trillion social spending package
After months of contentious negotiations, the U.S. House passed the Build Back Better plan. It would establish universal pre-K and provide funding to combat climate change, among other things. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7b6334bf9094943107d1534c113efb31/Build%20Back%20Better%20Pelosi%20TT%20-%20REUTERS%20.jpg)
![U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during her weekly press conference, at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 18, 2021. Today President Biden will host the leaders of Mexico and Canada for a North American Leaders Summit, as Congressional Democrats continue to debate the President's Build Back Better Agenda. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)No Use Germany.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuters -
State Board of Education approves one sex ed textbook for Texas middle school students
Last November, the board expanded curriculum standards to include birth control in addition to abstinence education. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a4c0f4de8c39917cb5ec472daebaa1d8/15_State_Board_of_Education_EW.jpg)
![State Board of Education members meet in Austin on Jan. 29, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Department of Education investigates claims of racial and gender discrimination at North Texas school district
The inquiry comes after several high-profile controversies at Carroll ISD, including an administrator's call for teachers to provide an "opposing" view of the Holocaust. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cc34f122e7fd484c4cfb34ef52e971a3/Blanco%20Vista%20Elementary%20JV%20TT%2028.jpg)
![Students and teachers walk between classes at Blanco Vista Elementary School in San Marcos on Aug. 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas education board considers how middle schools teach climate change and sexuality as officials fight over library books
Until now, the State Board of Education has left library selections up to local schools. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e961dec7e52eb7cc54c729ecda91531a/13_State_Board_of_Education_EW.jpg)
![The State Board of Education meeting on January 29, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
Tribcast: Parsing through Texas GOP officials’ hunt for “pornographic books” in public schools
In this week’s episode, James talks with Jolie and Patrick about Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for an investigation into books at public schools and the ramping up of the 2022 election season as candidate filing season begins. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a54b91575067de92123bcfa4336d8c02/TribCast%20Nov%2010%20TT.jpg)
![The library at Blanco Vista Elementary in San Marcos on Nov. 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Las familias latinas en Texas demandan una educación más inclusiva
El creciente número de estudiantes latinos en Texas tiene necesidades específicas que requieren ser atendidas, como un mayor y mejor acceso a la tecnología e información en español. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0715f40f75cad356d27f7e71c49045df/EPISD%20Mask%20mandate%20IPA%20TT%201603.JPG)
![Students arrived at Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School in El Paso on Aug. 19, 2021. The EPISD school district voted in support of a mask mandate for all teachers, staff and students in school facilities, defying Gov. Abbott's order that restricted local entities from instituting mask mandates.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Penguin parents, anti-bullying tips, teen romance: What we found inside three books flagged by a Texas lawmaker’s schools inquiry
State Rep. Matt Krause is investigating whether Texas school districts have purchased any of nearly 850 books in a list he produced last month. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/53ff69dd377e406b6d7dd979815b5199/Book%20Fight%20-%20Lead%20EG%20TT.jpg)
![And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Avoiding Bullies?: Skills to Outsmart and Stop Them by Louise A Spilsbury.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
How a YA oral-sex scene touched off Texas' latest culture war
A coming-of-age memoir by a California writer has been seized upon by politicians who want greater control over the kinds of books available in Texas schools. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/96c5f7021eade232337a3f1c61cc55c0/Gender%20Queer%20Book%20MGO%20TT%2001.jpg)
![Gender Queer a Memoir by Maia Kobabe on Nov. 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune -
Texas schools can again set their own face mask rules after federal judge overrules Gov. Greg Abbott's ban
The judge said the governor's order impedes children with disabilities from the benefits of public schools’ programs, services and activities, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f63f40d5fd89b6d13ffdf0b0f3c74228/COVID%20Highland%20Village%20Elem%20ST%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Declan True listens to kindergarten teacher Mrs. Hogan on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary on Sept. 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
North Texas principal resigns to end fight over whether he was teaching “critical race theory”
James Whitfield, the first Black principal at mostly white Colleyville Heritage High School, chose to resign but remain on paid administrative leave until 2023 in a settlement with the school district. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3a655e0e026c19ab7c104547c6e43574/JamesWhitfield%20Principal%20BT%20TT%2009.jpg)
![James Whitfield, 43, principal at Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, who has been placed on leave by the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District after being accused of teaching critical race theory at his high school. Photographed at his home in Hurst, on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for the Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for criminal investigation into availability of "pornographic books" in public schools
It’s unclear why the governor tasked the state's education agency, which does not employ law enforcement officers, to perform the investigation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9d8a91ab51707380f9d75e21baf737b8/Library%20File%20JV%20TT%2006.jpg)
![The library at Blanco Vista Elementary in San Marcos on Nov. 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Republican lawmakers pleased most of their own voters, most of the time
They didn't make a majority of Texas voters happy on a single issue, but the Republican majority in the Legislature made most of their own voters happy — and then drew maps that minimize political threats to them in the November general election. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c491349a5b5ba3b394ef25ded4426906/Archer%20Co%20Early%20Voting%20ST%20TT%2011.jpg)
![Voters at the Alvord City Hall, an early voting site in Alvord on Oct. 28, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Houston-area school district suspends gender-based provisions of its dress code after being sued over its long-hair policy
The ACLU of Texas sued Magnolia ISD, accusing it of violating students’ equal protection under the 14th Amendment and Title IX. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1a32737756af46b114b794bf3119b4b2/Magnolia%20Hair%20AM%20TT%2009.jpg)
![Danielle Miller hugs her child as the family prepares for school in their Magnolia home on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott chastises school board group with vague accusation of “pornographic images” in library books
Abbott’s letter comes on the heels of an inquiry launched by state Rep. Matt Krause, a Fort Worth Republican running for Texas attorney general. Krause sent a letter to certain school districts with an 850-book list that included novels about racism and sexuality. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5bbd05ceba36ccdc0d1c7b93d51dfdab/Abbott%20Dallas%20Presser%20CM%20TT%2010.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Carly May for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Matt Krause’s campaign for attorney general comes with a reading list
State Rep. Matt Krause, a Republican candidate for attorney general, wants public schools to explain some of the books in their libraries. He's got questions about content, along with a way to get some attention from voters. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c6bddd5e432792be1b6d15382b0bafcb/House%20Floor%20SP%20TT%2004.jpg)
![State Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, reads proposed legislation while on the House floor on July 29, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Federal judge says Houston-area students defying dress code ban on long hair can return to class
In a lawsuit filed against Magnolia ISD, the ACLU of Texas says six boys and a nonbinary student were disciplined for having long hair under the district’s gender-based dress code. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d786b367b465d5bb45918f340510a6d9/Magnolia%20Hair%20AM%20TT%2002.jpg)
![A fifth-grade Magnolia student plays some practice notes on the piano before school in their Magnolia home on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune