Gov. Greg Abbott endorses reelection bids of 58 House members who voted for school vouchers
No members who voted against Abbott’s top legislative priority received the governor’s backing. Full Story
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![Gov. Abbott speaks to parents during an event hosted by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen on April 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzales for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House votes to remove school vouchers from massive education bill
The outcome was an embarrassment to Gov. Greg Abbott, who spent seven months lobbying two dozen Republicans who signaled opposition to vouchers in April. Full Story
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![Bonham Middle School students enter the school’s cafeteria for lunch Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa. The school is part of the Ector County Independent School District.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
School voucher critics remain largely unswayed during Texas House hearing
House Bill 1, which stagnated during the previous special session, finally received a hearing in the lower chamber, a crucial step that will decide whether the proposal gets a full vote. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School teachers Selena Olivares, center left, and Pricilla Martinez lead their 7th grade English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) in an activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa. Martinez said that due to the increased amount of families moving to the Permian Basin, they sometimes teach 38 to 40 kids per class. “It’s been six weeks and I still don’t know all of their names… Its embarrassing to me,” Martinez said.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
The Texas House’s new priority education bill offers concessions to sway voucher skeptics
The revised bill promises a significant funding increase for public schools and academic accountability measures for students participating in the proposed voucher program, two of the biggest requests from voucher opponents. Full Story
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![State Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, on the House floor on May 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Dark money nonprofit with ties to Texas billionaire works to defeat Midland school bond
Tim Dunn’s public policy groups have helped ensure that tax hike language is attached to every school bond ballot measure in the state. Now he is using that language to cast doubt on a bond in his hometown of Midland. Full Story
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Credit: Photo illustration by ProPublica. Source photographs: Brett Buchanan for The Texas Tribune, bond mailer obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. -
School leaders say Texas’ campus safety funding doesn’t cover new state mandates
A bill to increase the state’s support for school safety appears stalled in this month’s special legislative session. But even if it passes, superintendents warn it isn’t enough. Full Story
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![A lockdown device hangs on the wall inside a classroom at Nimitz Middle School Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Facing enrollment declines, Texas Catholic schools are leading supporters of school vouchers
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops has been one of the staunchest voucher supporters, arguing it would increase access to religious education regardless of income level. Full Story
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![A classroom at Sacred Heart Parish School in Uvalde, on Aug. 14, 2022. The school is preparing for classes to begin the following day, a full month ahead of public schools in the Uvalde district.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
With 22 portable classrooms on one campus, a growing Texas school district is asking voters for $2 billion
Conroe is one of the fastest growing school districts in the state. It and other districts say they need voters to OK bonds to keep up with the influx of students. Full Story
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![A cluster of portable classrooms at Nimitz Middle School is seen pictured Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Voucher proposal spurs mix of excitement, wariness in Texas home schooling community
Parents of Texas’ growing population of home-schooled students are split over whether education savings accounts would give them much-needed financial help or represent an unwanted government involvement in their kids’ educations. Full Story
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![The Harris family works on homeschool curriculum in a study space Oct. 12, 2023 at the Austin Central Library.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House priority bill increases education spending in exchange for creating voucher program
House Bill 1 would make an educational savings account program available to 25,000 Texas students in its first year, with increased participation to follow. The governor’s office indicated that the proposal was lacking. Full Story
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![State representatives meet on the House floor at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 11, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
In West Texas, schools hope skeptical voters will OK debt to upgrade crumbling, overcrowded buildings
The West Texas ethos of low taxes and small government has been hard for school leaders to overcome. Voters have rejected bond issues in Midland and Odessa during the last decade. Full Story
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![Children in West Odessa line up to board their school bus before dawn on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate unveils its priority school voucher bill
The proposal would give families who exit the state’s public education system access to $8,000 of taxpayer money each year to pay for their children’s private schooling. Full Story
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![Protesters holding signs and chanting, gathering in front of the Governor's Mansion during a rally against school vouchers on Oct. 7, 2023. Hundreds gathered to protest two days before a special session was slated to begin on Oct. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
School voucher supporters and opponents debate public school funding, private school accountability
Voucher opponents took issue with taxpayer dollars going to less regulated private schools, while proponents said parents can best choose which schools meet their needs and values at a Texas Tribune event. Full Story
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Vouchers return this special session — and school funding might be left out. Here’s what you need to know.
Gov. Greg Abbott called lawmakers back to Austin to try again to pass education savings accounts, which would let families use state funds to pay for their children’s private schooling. Teacher pay was not part of his agenda. Full Story
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![Chyrece Campbell holds Pierce Campbell as he looks up at the rotunda at the state capitol. Chyrece and her children, also pictured, Madison, Gregory and Kennedy, are visiting the capitol on the first day of the 86th legislative session. Miguel Gutierrez Jr.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Democrats hint at disunity ahead of possible October special session
State Rep. John Bryant said Democrats will need to work together to block the “school choice” bill in October. Full Story
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![Texas Tribune managing editor Matthew Watkins moderates a panel with Texas House Democrats Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, and John Bryant, D-Dallas, at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Compromise or pick a side? Texas House members offer preview of school vouchers debate ahead of special session
Lawmakers at a Texas Tribune Fest panel found common ground on school funding and teacher pay but took starkly different stances on “school choice.” Full Story
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![Brian Lopez, public education reporter at The Texas Tribune, moderates a panel on school choice with Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, James Talarico and James Frank at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2023.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Facing declining enrollment and charter school competition, San Antonio and Plano consider closing campuses
School officials in San Antonio announced earlier this week that they are looking at closing about 20% of their campuses while Plano school officials are starting those discussions. Full Story
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![School supplies are individually bagged in each cubbie in a classroom at Ott Elementary School on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
How a state effort to fund Texas schools equitably is shortchanging dozens of rural districts
For decades, the Texas comptroller’s office has double-checked property valuations across the state, which help determine how much school districts can levy in property taxes. But when state and county appraisers disagree, districts can end up with big holes in their budgets. Full Story
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![Alpine ISD Superintendent Michelle Rinehart points to heaters that need to be upgraded inside a classroom at Alpine Elementary School.]()
Credit: Sarah M. Vasquez for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House committee report outlines possible path forward for school vouchers
The House blocked school vouchers during this year’s regular lawmaking session, but a report released Friday shows some members might be willing to approve a scaled-back version of the program that doesn’t compete with public schools for funds. Full Story
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![Cactus Elementary School in Cactus on Jan. 28, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas education leaders brace for imminent special session on teacher pay and school vouchers
Panelists in a Texas Tribune event recapped lawmakers’ hits and misses on education during the regular legislative session and shared their thoughts about the likely debates that will take place during an expected special session later this year. Full Story
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