The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: A study suggests taking band class improves students' cognitive skills, comparing student achievement data across states remains difficult and an interview with Melissa Wetzel of the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story
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“Money isn’t pixie dust” when it comes to improving public schools, lawyers for the state of Texas told the state Supreme Court on Tuesday, arguing an appeal in what has been described as the most far-reaching school finance case in state history. Full Story
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As Texas prepares to argue a school finance appeal before the state Supreme Court, districts still are grappling with staffing cuts, swelling class sizes and flat test scores exacerbated by the 2011 budget cuts. Full Story
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A four-year, $37 million state program to improve physical education at high-poverty middle schools failed to reduce obesity rates, according to a study by the University of Texas at Austin. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: A study finds amount of homework assigned doesn't fit students' grade level, school gardens teach students about healthy habits and an interview with Dennis Davis of the University of Texas at San Antonio. Full Story
The Texas Supreme Court is about to hear the latest challenge to the state's financing of public schools. Maybe they'll throw it out, but history says otherwise: This almost always means changes in school policy and increases in taxes. Full Story
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If school district leaders can’t fix failing schools, the state may strip their authority under a new law effective Sept. 1. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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When the state's new truancy law takes effect Sept. 1, students will no longer potentially face criminal sanctions for skipping school. But there are new directives for public schools and the courts. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: Public playgrounds experiment with giving kids free range, Head Start benefits proving difficult to demonstrate and an interview with Daniel R. Taber of the University of Texas. Full Story
Lawmakers have pumped millions into financial aid for low-income residents and are phasing out programs with less strict income requirements. Is the middle class is being left out? This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Texas A&M is partnering with an Irving company and a nonprofit corporation to add 3,400 beds' worth of housing near campus. School officials estimate it could generate hundreds of millions of dollars. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: The NSA holds a free summer camp on cyber warfare, requests for flexibility on counting English language learners are getting different responses and an interview with Jacqueline R. Stillisano of Texas A&M's Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture. Full Story
The public school population in Texas has grown dramatically, and in a way some might find surprising: Most of the growth has come in the numbers of economically disadvantaged students. Full Story
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You can peek at the state’s near future in the latest numbers from the Texas Education Agency: 51.8 percent Hispanic, 29.4 percent Anglo, 12.7 percent African-American, 3.7 percent Asian. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: A new map shows graduation rates nationally at the district level, 28 Texas schools are named for Confederate leaders and an interview with Bradley Davis of the University of Texas at Arlington. Full Story
Over the course of this year's legislative session, House Speaker Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made their priorities known by what bills got the lowest bill numbers. Take a look at how those proposals fared. Full Story
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Soda machines and deep fat fryers are now allowed back in Texas public schools, thanks to Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller's reversal of a 10-year ban. But many school districts say they have no appetite for reinstating the unhealthy choices for students. Full Story
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The Tribune identified 28 schools in Texas named after Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Albert Sidney Johnston. Of those, four have a majority of white students. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: Questions are being raised about part-time graders hired to evaluate standardized tests, the enduring success of Sesame Street and an interview with Andrea Brauer of Texans Care for Children. Full Story
The conservative wing of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's party wasn't thrilled with his first legislative session, objecting most notably to his "godless" pre-kindergarten plan. But Abbott seems to be mending fences by vetoing two measures the Tea Party disliked. Full Story
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