Conroe is one of the fastest growing school districts in the state. It and other districts say they need voters to OK bonds to keep up with the influx of students.
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 2023
Texas House priority bill increases education spending in exchange for creating voucher program
House Bill 1 would make an educational savings account program available to 25,000 Texas students in its first year, with increased participation to follow. The governor’s office indicated that the proposal was lacking.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Voucher proposal spurs mix of excitement, wariness in Texas home schooling community
Parents of Texas’ growing population of home-schooled students are split over whether education savings accounts would give them much-needed financial help or represent an unwanted government involvement in their kids’ educations.
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Health care
Why a North Texas suburban school district is opening a new health clinic for students on Medicaid
The new clinic met resistance from a vocal group of parents who raised concerns the district was overstepping its authority in caring for students.
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Politics
In West Texas, schools hope skeptical voters will OK debt to upgrade crumbling, overcrowded buildings
The West Texas ethos of low taxes and small government has been hard for school leaders to overcome. Voters have rejected bond issues in Midland and Odessa during the last decade.
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Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll add teacher pay to the special session — but only if lawmakers pass school voucher bill
Though lawmakers have drafted a bill to increase public school funding and teacher salaries, it cannot pass during the special session unless Abbott adds those issues to his agenda.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas’ main voucher bill seeks to avoid other states’ mistakes but keeps ideas that attracted criticism
Like in Texas, voucher programs in other states sparked vigorous debates, came with the same promises and faced similar concerns. Not all predictions came true.
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Texas Legislature 2023
School voucher bill gets initial approval in the Texas Senate, heads over to a more skeptical House
The Senate also approved Senate Bill 2, which would infuse $5.2 billion to school districts to help them with teacher raises and rising costs. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would add those items to the special session’s agenda once lawmakers approve a voucher program.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
Book bans in Texas spread as new state law takes effect
As Texas enters its third straight school year of coordinated book banning activity, a growing number of districts are targeting library books. Caught in the dragnet: books featuring a “naked” crayon and one with a cartoon butt.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Disability advocates argue against school vouchers in Texas Senate hearing
The Senate’s main “school choice” bill would prioritize vouchers for children with disabilities, among other underprivileged groups. But advocates and parents raised concerns that voucher recipients who choose private school would no longer be protected by federal law.