The latest school finance news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas has a long history of school finance lawsuits, many of them fought over the same themes. But in the latest round, one phrase has been conspicuously absent from the discussion: Robin Hood. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/courtroomclassroom2.jpg)
Voters clearly want good schools and nice roads and low taxes. It's a political and policy question straight out of a business textbook: What's the right balance of price and quality? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a7d041d350653ac3860644966aea582f/BD%20INC%20Williams%2001%202011)
Ramshaw and Root on the debate that dominated the nation's political news, Tan and Ramshaw on how it will affect Rick Perry's campaign, Philpott on what "oops" might mean for Perry in South Carolina, Root on what it means in Iowa, Dehn with the latest Weekend Insider video, Galbraith on the split fates of water-related constitutional amendments, Grissom on an arrest in a 1986 murder case, Hamilton on UT-Arlington's efforts to control tuition costs and M. Smith, Murphy and Gerdau on West Texas schools raising money with wind farms: The best of our best content from November 7 to 11, 2011. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Tribweek11072011.jpg)
Judges have been telling legislators what to do since we set up government to replace knife fights and bar brawls. And legislators use the courts to make them do unpopular but necessary things that voters don't like. School finance, for instance. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/08/25/traviscourthouse_jpg_800x1000_q100.jpg)
The primary elections come in less than five months. The general election is about a year away. When that's all out of the way, we'll all be talking about lawsuits — some that have been filed, some that will be filed later — on school finance and franchise taxes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/gavel.jpg)
Aaronson interactively asks if stimulus funds created jobs in Texas, Aguilar on new voter registrar rules that could decrease voter turnout, Galbraith on a UT professor's debunking of climate change "myths," Grissom on an epic clash of El Paso political titans, Hamilton on the right's new higher ed guru, Murphy maps household data from the 2010 Census, Ramsey on a coming rules fight in the Texas Senate, Root and M. Smith on Rick Perry's performance at the New Hampshire debate and M. Smith talks public ed cuts with the state's Superintendent of the Year: The best of our best content from October 10-14, 2011. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/10102011_Tribweek.jpg)
This week, we asked the insiders whether the school finance lawsuits will play in the elections and in the next legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/inside_intelligence-logo.png){kind=logo}
The lawsuits are back for the sixth time in the last 40 years, carrying the issue that dominated Rick Perry's first years as governor: Is the state spending enough money, and distributing it fairly enough, to ensure that every kid in the state has a shot at an adequate public school education? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/EmptyDesks_ClassSize.jpg)
On this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Jim review the most recent debate, discuss the looming lawsuits on school finance and consider proposals for Confederate flag license plates. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Tribcast_2.jpg)
The lawsuits over public education funding that are currently taking shape will be the latest in a long history of court intervention in Texas' school finance system. But how much can the judiciary do to fix it? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/ScaleMoneySchool_2.jpg)
Within the education community, there have been rumors about a possible school finance lawsuit since well before the legislative session got under way. Now, with $4 billion less in public funding and a daunting new student assessment program on the horizon, those rumors have become a reality. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/college_aid3.jpg)
Dripping Springs ISD avoided laying off teachers as a result of state budget cuts. But it has eliminated custodial positions, and that has left teachers there with new tasks once the school bell rings: sweeping classrooms and taking out the trash. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/DrippingSprings.jpg)
Our all-hands-on-deck series on new laws — 31 Days, 31 Ways — continues, Root covers a challenge to the governor's school finance fix and the tax that makes it work, Philpott forecasts a presidential media tsunami will hit Texas, Murphy with a look at midyear campaign reports from candidates and PACs in Texas, yours truly on the quiet spot at the top of the 2014 ballot, Hamilton on government-required vaccinations against meningitis, Grissom reports on the heat wave in un-air-conditioned Texas jails, Aguilar on the private security business along the state's border with Mexico and M. Smith's interview with Nicole Hurd on how to get more high school students into college: The best of our best content from Aug. 8 to 12, 2011. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Tribweek_080811.jpg)
As cash-strapped public schools attempt to squeeze every possible dollar out of their budgets, an unpleasant reality awaits parents: They will most likely have to pay for programs and services that schools once provided for free. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/RaceToTop.jpg)
A week has passed since school districts bracing for the worst at last got what they've been waiting for throughout the legislative session: finality. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TeacherCrowdCMS.jpg)
Since most Texas counties have fireworks bans in effect this July 4 weekend, what better way to celebrate than recalling the legislative fireworks of recent weeks and imagining those still to come on the campaign trail? Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/20100501-DSC_3933.jpg)
Lawmakers have officially made their exit from the Pink Building, leaving two bills that will bring major changes to Texas school districts awaiting the governor's signature. Lawmakers, meanwhile, are wondering whether and how the two measures will play in next year's elections. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9ea53b664ae4f474e7226eaa929a65b8/BD%20INC%20Empty%20Senate%2001%202011)
An amendment from Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, that would have directed surplus money from the Rainy Day Fund to pay for enrollment growth in public schools perished in conference committee, but came up again in debate before the final vote on a fiscal matters bill to which it was attached. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Donna_Howard.png)
The special session hasn't done much to alter the school finance plan that dragged lawmakers into overtime. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PreschoolBlocksAndCash.jpg)
Public education in Texas is now the top concern — surpassing immigration and even the economy — for many Texans, according to poll results released today by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Texas Lyceum. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/SchoolFundingCuts.jpg)