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.
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 Brief: Aug. 6, 2010
With a friend like the federal government, who needs enemies?
Posted in
Public Education
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.
Posted in
Public Education
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.
Posted in
Public Education
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.
Posted in
Public Education
The Brief: Aug. 2, 2010
Officials announcing controversy-laden public school ratings Friday could barely contain their upbeat unease.
Posted in
Public Education
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.
Posted in
Higher Education
TribBlog: The 51st State
How can Texas rank last in the nation — 51st — in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas, and simultaneously rank 22nd in the percentage attending at least some college?
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: In Reversal, SBOE Passes Charter Financing [Updated]
After getting shot down in committee, SBOE member David Bradley, R-Beaumont, and other members succeeded Friday in pushing through a plan to purchase school buildings and lease them back to charter schools in a split vote, with two Democrats absent. The decision, however, is contingent upon a favorable attorney general’s opinion on the legality of the controversial move — which would pull money from the Permanent School Fund.
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: SBOE Votes Down Charter Allocation
The State Board of Education won’t be investing any money in properties to lease to charter schools, at least for now.