Local governments in Texas finish their spending plans and set their tax rates in August, an annual exercise that includes some hot topics in this pandemic year, like police spending, public schools and property taxes. Full Story
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Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told local school officials Thursday they can expect $1.29 billion in federal coronavirus relief to start flowing this summer, helping shore up district budgets for next school year. Full Story
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It's not a new contradiction, but it's persistent: Texas voters think that property taxes are too high and that school spending is too low, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The high-priority bill boosts per-student funding and reduces property taxes across the state. Full Story
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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
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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
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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
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The $11.6 billion school finance and property tax reform bill is now poised to head to Gov. Greg Abbott. Full Story
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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
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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
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