Two Texas bookstores and three national bookseller associations file suit over House Bill 900, which requires private booksellers to rate books on appropriateness, and bans “sexually explicit” material from libraries.
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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Uvalde school shooting
Watch how a Texas professor used art to honor Uvalde’s lost kids
After the tragic Uvalde school shooting in 2022, Abel Ortiz, an art professor at Southwest Texas Junior College, asked artists from across the state to come together to use the power of art to heal. See the results of their efforts in this video.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Gov. Greg Abbott signs $18 billion tax cut package for Texas property owners
At a time when the state has some of the nation’s highest property taxes, the initiative was a cornerstone of his 2022 reelection campaign.
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Public Education
Brazosport ISD is training its own teachers. The program might become a model for other Texas schools.
The small district’s apprenticeship program lets aspiring teachers earn a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification at no cost. In return, participants must work at the district for at least three years. Observers hope state lawmakers will use the program as a model for legislation.
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Texas Legislature 2023
New school safety laws seek to add armed guards, chaplains and mental health training. Here’s what you need to know.
Experts say many of the changes will bolster school safety but some requirements may be challenging for public schools to implement by the upcoming school year with limited funding and staffing constraints.
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Public Education
With no new funding from the state, Texas schools are breaking the bank to pay for teacher raises
Lawmakers this year didn’t approve extra money to help schools pay for raises despite having an unprecedented $32 billion surplus — even after Gov. Greg Abbott commissioned a task force last year to improve teacher pay and retention.
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Public Education
Houston ISD’s state-appointed superintendent will cut over 500 jobs
Mike Miles said the cuts will be mostly from academics-related departments with more positions to be cut in coming weeks, he said.
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Uvalde school shooting
Judge says DPS must release documents related to Uvalde shooting response
The state police agency had been withholding nearly all of its records on law enforcement’s botched response to Texas’ deadliest school shooting. DPS will have an opportunity to redact the files before they are released.
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Public Education
Texas’ pick to lead Houston’s schools used aggressive, polarizing methods in Dallas
Mike Miles has wasted no time in restructuring schools and proposing administrative layoffs. The changes are designed to pay teachers at struggling schools more if their students show improvement.
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Economy
As demand for skilled workers rises in Texas, work-based educational programs see a resurgence
Many Texas residents can opt for a variety of different educational programs that are shorter, more appropriate to their needs and often cost less than a bachelor’s degree.