The budget does not factor in over $35 billion in federal aid. Senators said they don’t yet know when that money will come in and what strings could be attached.
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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Coronavirus in Texas
First day of STAAR testing canceled for thousands of students experiencing technical issues across Texas
Texas officials mandated that students take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness in person this year at monitored test sites, although millions of students are still learning remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Parents sue Katy ISD for keeping mask mandate after Gov. Greg Abbott lifted statewide requirement
The lawsuit claims district policies are unconstitutional and violate Abbott’s recent executive order.
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Coronavirus in Texas
One Texas town, two school districts and completely different mask policies. How science and politics are clashing in New Braunfels.
The two school districts in this Central Texas town headed in opposite directions after Gov. Greg Abbott ended the statewide mask mandate, sparking heated debates over safety and government responsibility.
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Public Education
School nurses have become crucial in battling the pandemic, but Texas doesn’t require districts to have them
With more students going back to classrooms and no more statewide mask mandate, nurses say their jobs are set to become even more challenging.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Government budgets looked terrible when COVID-19 started. A federal windfall has flipped the outlook.
Texas lawmakers expected to be sweating over a very tight budget right now, after strong early signs that the pandemic would stall the economy. But an improved economy and a huge infusion of federal aid is erasing those fears.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Lawmaker pushes to allow concealed weapons in Texas public schools
A 2015 law that allowed licensed adults to carry concealed weapons on college campuses sparked widespread protest. Now one legislator wants to extend the practice to include public schools and some charter schools.
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Public Education
Texas schools won’t lose state funding this academic year for coronavirus attendance declines
School districts must keep or increase the rate of students learning in person in order to avoid losing funds, Gov. Greg Abbott and education officials announced Thursday.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas teachers, child care workers now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine
The change in eligibility comes the day after the Biden administration urged all states to prioritize teachers.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas school boards don’t have to require masks, education officials announce
With Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide mask mandate ending next week, some school districts are likely to face contentious discussions about whether to continue requiring masks in schools.