State Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, is a widely liked Republican chairman with a supermajority to back him up. So why has his signature education bill this session, a mandate relief package for school districts, stumbled so badly?
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.
Posted in
Public Education
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 80
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Morgan and Ben talk budget drama, stalled education legislation and the renewed Rick-Perry-for-president buzz.
Posted in
Public Education
Update: What $7.8 Billion Less Looks Like for Your District
A new version of Rep. Scott Hochberg’s school finance plan limits the total reductions in state funding for any individual district to 10 percent in 2012. Check our searchable database to see what the cuts will look for your district.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on pork choppers, Aguilar on sanctuary cities legislation, Galbraith on Brownsville’s ban on plastic bags, Grissom on Delma Banks and prosecutorial misconduct, Hamilton on a tough week for higher education in Texas, Philpott on wildfires and politics, Ramshaw on the state’s pursuit of a federal Medicaid overhaul, M. Smith on what would happen if lawmakers don’t rewrite school finance formulas, yours truly on the Lege as schoolyard and Stiles with interactive graphics on how the proposed Senate redistricting maps compare with current ones: The best of our best content from May 9 to 13, 2011.
Posted in
Public Education
House Finally Kills Class Size Bill
In what may be the Democrats’ first concrete victory of the session, the House at last sent HB 400 to its grave when it failed to take up the controversial education legislation before its midnight deadline.
Posted inPublic Education
Interactive: What $830M in Federal Aid Means for Your School District
Since the repeal of the Doggett amendment on the use of federal education stimulus dollars, $830 million has been rolling in to Texas schools. Use our interactive maps to see which districts benefited and which lost out under the money’s new terms.
Posted in
Public Education
“Spanking” Bill Passes After Being Reconsidered
A controversial bill that would require parental permission before school administrators are allowed to paddle unruly public school children passed the House today after failing on Wednesday.
Posted in
Public Education
What Happens if There’s No School Finance Bill?
Nobody wanted to think about it in January. But as the middle of May approaches, with little more than two weeks left in the 82nd legislative session, a growing chorus of voices is asking: What happens if lawmakers can’t agree on school finance reform?
Posted in
Public Education
House Says No to Parental Consent for Spanking
Texas lawmakers voted against parental approval for corporal punishment Wednesday, allowing schools to spank students with or without parents’ say.
Posted in
Public Education
Wendy Kopp: The TT Interview
The founder of Teach for America and Highland Park High School alumna on why she’s (generally) positive about the direction of public education in America and how Texas school districts should cope with deep funding cuts.