Washington dangled bait in front of Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday, but the governor still isn’t biting.
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.
Every Doggett Has His Day
The U.S. House has passed a bill on Tuesday that is expected to send about $800 million to bolster the state’s education budget. But thanks to an amendment added by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, the funding comes with Texas-specific strings attached. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune has this report.
Learnstrong
Can a $3 million marketing campaign to promote higher education change the culture of a country-sized state in which just 27 percent of the population has a college degree or certificate? It worked for cancer …
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Thevenot on bogus public school accountability rankings, Garcia-Ditta on what locals think of increased patrols on the border, Stiles and Ramsey on where Kay Bailey Hutchison’s donors have landed, Grissom on the pay gap between state and local police, Cervantes on how tweaks to the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder will impact Texas, M. Smith on the sinking prospects for an East Texas wetlands project, Ergenbright on the challenge of educating autistic children, Aguilar on efforts to legalize medicinal marijuana, Ramshaw on former foster children having trouble getting records from the state and Burnson on public health officials battling imported infectious diseases: The best of our best from August 2 to 6, 2010.
The Brief: Aug. 6, 2010
With a friend like the federal government, who needs enemies?
TribBlog: Dewhurst: “We Will File Suit”
Texas will sue the federal government, yet again, if Texas-specific requirements are not removed from budget legislation that passed the U.S. Senate today, according to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.
Autism in Texas Schools: Ben’s Story
Central Texas parent Charity Smith Bartell discusses the challenges her autistic son faces in the Texas public school system. Unsatisfied with Ben’s progress in the classroom, Bartell has invested her own time and money into tutoring him at home to meet his complex educational needs.
Special Needs
After a decade in which Texas has seen a 400 percent increase in the number of children with autism, lawmakers are wrestling with how best to educate the afflicted — and how to pay for it.
The Brief: Aug. 2, 2010
Officials announcing controversy-laden public school ratings Friday could barely contain their upbeat unease.
TribBlog: Testing the Texas Projection Measure
The Texas Education agency plans to release school accountability ratings for every campus in the state on Friday. For the second year, the rankings will be filtered through the controversial Texas Projection Measure, which critics fault for inflating the school scores.

