Some relatives of the 21 people killed in Texas’ deadliest school shooting are demanding criminal charges after federal officials say delayed police response cost lives.
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.
School voucher supporter gave Gov. Greg Abbott $6 million in December
The contribution is the largest single campaign donation in Texas history, according to Abbott’s campaign.
Texas’ school ratings remain in limbo as the state and school districts fight over how strict the grading should be
Dozens of school districts sued the Texas Education Agency last fall, claiming revisions to the state’s accountability system would hurt them.
Grieving Houston-area students’ well-being at stake as federal COVID-19 funds fade
The federal stimulus money that helped fund many mental health positions in Texas schools will end in the fall of 2024.
Vouchers, border security, abortion: The issues you heard about in 2023 will continue to be hotly debated in 2024
After nearly a year’s worth of legislative sessions, several issues are poised to dominate Texas politics this year. Here’s a look at how things ended on several fronts last year — and where they’re headed next.
Diversity offices on college campuses will soon be illegal in Texas, as 30 new laws go into effect
Other new laws make changes to the tax code, criminal justice and health care systems.
Texans grapple with numerous challenges, yet many are actively seeking solutions
Across the state, people are looking for ways to make Texas a better place to live as they tackle hunger, rural “brain drain,” health care obstacles and other impediments.
Reports about police actions in U.S. mass shootings lack standardization and often leave unanswered questions
A lack of national standards leads to wide variability in after-action examinations of law enforcement’s response, ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and FRONTLINE found.
How Gov. Greg Abbott lost a yearlong fight to create school vouchers
The governor projected confidence throughout 2023 that vouchers would pass. But his insistence on universal eligibility ensured his failure to convince 21 House Republican holdouts.
Struggling to find teachers close to home, some Texas schools are looking overseas for help
Public schools got little help from lawmakers this year to address the state’s chronic teacher shortage, so they’ve turned to other creative solutions — like leaning on cultural exchange programs to recruit international teachers.


