School finance

Analyzing 2019: The 86th Texas Legislature

by Ross Ramsey

Texas lawmakers, convinced that 2018’s voters were telling them to get some serious work done, steered (mostly) away from social and cultural issues to concentrate on “meat and potatoes” items voters demanded, starting with schools and property taxes. Full Story 

Midland County officials just found a missing ballot box. It may change the result of a $569 million bond election.

by Stacy Fernández

A proposal for a $569 million bond failed, then passed and could fail again after the discovery of missing ballot box from the November election. Full Story 

Texas is spending millions to bring the "portfolio model" to its schools. The strategy has led to teacher strikes in other states.

by Aliyya Swaby

The approach is intended to quickly cut down on the number of low-performing schools in the state. So far, Texas has seen mixed results. Full Story 

Analysis: Texas doesn’t have an income tax — and isn’t getting one any time soon

by Ross Ramsey

Lawmakers want voters to replace the current constitutional hurdle to a personal income tax in Texas with a marginally higher one. Think of it as insurance against something that isn't likely to happen anyway. Full Story 

Texas is paying more for full-day pre-K. But some school districts are delaying.

by Aliyya Swaby

How are Texas school districts using state pre-K funding to expand educational options for 3- and 4-year-olds? It depends where you look. Full Story 

Texas put billions more into schools. Is that enough to help this high-poverty school district break out?

by Aliyya Swaby

A new superintendent at the helm of Edgewood Independent School District is trying to move the schools beyond their reputation of struggle and dysfunction. Full Story 

With conflicting budget estimates, will Texas teachers get the pay raises they anticipated?

by Aliyya Swaby

Many school districts are seeing smaller gains from the state's school finance law than they predicted. Teachers are fighting to get bigger raises anyway. Full Story 

Analysis: What do Texas voters want? Meat and potatoes, apparently. And cleaner elections.

by Ross Ramsey

Texans like the Legislature better now. They're worried about elections. And they have mixed feelings about the country's most prominent politician. Some notes on the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story 

As Texas overhauls schools, property taxes, voters wary, UT/TT Poll says

by Ross Ramsey

Texas lawmakers are boasting about ambitious education and property tax legislation they passed this year, but voters don't appear to be completely sold, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story 

Analysis: The Texas legislative session’s over. Now, all lawmakers have to do is sell it to voters.

by Ross Ramsey

Lawmakers are finished with the regular session and now enter the political season, figuring out how to discuss their work in a narrative voters will find appealing in next year's elections. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott signs $11.6 billion school finance measure into law

by Patrick Svitek

The high-priority bill boosts per-student funding and reduces property taxes across the state. Full Story 

“The right man at this point in Texas history”: How Dennis Bonnen led the Texas House

by Cassandra Pollock

Dennis Bonnen gaveled out on Monday with much of the same widespread support in the Texas House that accompanied his unanimous election to the speaker’s gavel in January. Full Story 

TribCast: It's sine die time

by Emily Ramshaw and Michael Rey de Leon

On this week’s post-legislative session TribCast, Emily talks to Alexa, Aliyya and Emma about the kumbaya legislative session, the details of school finance reform and the fate of (now former) Texas Secretary of State David Whitley. Full Story 

To pass school finance and property tax bills, Texas’ legislative leaders chose cooperation over combativeness

by Cassandra Pollock and Emma Platoff

In the past, personalities got in the way of policy at the Texas Capitol. This year, state leaders refused to let that happen. Full Story 

Texas House, Senate pass school finance bill mandating teacher raises and cutting taxes

by Aliyya Swaby

The $11.6 billion school finance and property tax reform bill is now poised to head to Gov. Greg Abbott. Full Story 

Analysis: Texas legislators had a successful session, but not a historic one

by Ross Ramsey

Lawmakers delivered on their promises of school finance and property tax reforms, agreeing to spend $11.6 billion on a combination of education changes and tax cuts. It's big, but is it really "transformative"? Full Story 

Teacher raises and all-day pre-K: Here's what's in the Texas Legislature's landmark school finance bill

by Aliyya Swaby

The $11.6 billion legislation is on a path to the governor's desk and includes property tax cuts, a hike in per-student funding and money to ease the state's reliance on the "Robin Hood" program. Full Story 

Analysis: Texas lawmakers struggling to find a lovable tax

by Ross Ramsey

Even in a legislative session that began with estimates of a generous increase in state revenue, lawmakers spent a lot of time talking about big, big tax bills — all the way to the end. Full Story 

Can pay raises help rural Texas districts like Buffalo retain teachers?

by Aliyya Swaby

Starting teacher pay in Buffalo is thousands below the state average, and it's hard to attract people from outside the small town. The district's superintendent hopes school finance reform will help. Full Story 

Analysis: No bills are finally dead yet, but some are starting to smell funny

by Ross Ramsey

One of the big bills of the session — a sales- for property-tax swap — was put on ice this week. Lots of other bills are ready for their post-session burials, too, but keep your eyes open. In the Texas Legislature, dead legislation has a way of coming back to life. Full Story