School finance reform could bring the privately operated public schools a windfall. But traditional public school advocates are still fighting the charters’ expansion.
Public Education
Explore The Texas Tribune’s coverage of public education, from K-12 schools and funding to teachers, students, and policies shaping classrooms across Texas.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Here’s how different proposals at the Texas Capitol could change property tax bills
How would lawmakers’ proposals to provide property tax relief affect tax bills? It depends on where you live and what kind of home you own.
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Public Education
Texas estimates it may owe feds $223 million after illegally decreasing special education funding
A major flaw in the way Texas spends money on kids with disabilities might lose the state almost a quarter of its annual special education grant.
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Demographics
Texas grades school districts on an A-F scale. Explore your district’s grades here.
The changes to the new rating system — which gives districts a letter grade in three categories: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps — were finalized during the 2017 legislative session.
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Graphics and data reporting
We’ve updated our Texas Public Schools Explorer with 2017-18 data
Use our Texas public schools database to learn more about the state’s 1,200 districts and 8,759 public schools, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses.
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Texas 2020 Elections
Charter schools are a complicated issue for Beto O’Rourke. His wife, Amy O’Rourke, founded one.
The presidential candidate is walking a fine line on a tricky political issue. His wife, Amy O’Rourke, once launched a charter school and continues to be an advocate for the controversial education model.
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Public Education
Texas House approves major school finance reform package, adds teacher raises to the bill
The legislation would increase per-student funding, mandate across-the-board teacher pay raises and reduce “Robin Hood” payments made by wealthy districts.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Senate panel advances budget bill that mirrors House plan on education, property tax reform spending
The two-year plan, which must still pass the full Senate, includes a $9 billion infusion for public schools and property tax relief and up to $900 million in cuts to Medicaid.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: A standard test for Texas lawmakers — fixing school finance
Texas lawmakers want to fix school finance, but they can’t avoid looking for voter-pleasing side dishes, like property taxes and teacher pay raises, that could undermine the public education fixes.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Many Texas teachers have second jobs or live paycheck to paycheck. They’re anxiously watching the teacher pay debate.
“I never anticipated that I would take a summer job at Wendy’s just so that I could replace a broken dishwasher,” said one high school English teacher who makes $45,000 per year.