public education

Peer Support Program to Make Its Lone Star Debut

By Reeve Hamilton April 16, 2012

The Posse Foundation, which has been lauded by the MacArthur Foundation and President Obama, is preparing to make its first foray into Texas public schools this year. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith April 14, 2012

Aaronson maps Medicaid patients' access to pharmacies, Aguilar on Mexicans in exile, Batheja on an unlikely threat to a veteran lawmaker's re-election, Galbraith and Murphy interactively track reservoir levels around the state, Grissom on the ringleaders who rule the state's largest youth lockup, Hamilton on how much Texas professors are paid, Ramsey on who's conservative, Ramshaw and Tan on the latest Planned Parenthood kerfuffle, Root on what Santorum's exit means for the Texas primary, and parts 4 (by M. Smith) and 5 (by Tan and Dehn) of our series on school district closures: The best of our best content from April 9-13, 2012. Full Story

Credit: Allen Otto
School Districts Preparing for Anti-Bullying Law

By Nathan Bernier, KUT News April 13, 2012

School districts across Texas are working to comply with a broad anti-bullying law passed by state lawmakers in 2011. Nathan Bernier of KUT News reports on how school boards have been changing their policies to prepare for the law, which will allow bullies to be moved to other campuses. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 127

By Reeve Hamilton April 11, 2012

Evan, Ross, Reeve and Thanh talk about Rick Santorum's campaign suspension, the plight of failing schools in Texas, and the latest developments in the world of political scorecards. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Congressional Bid Could Impact State House Race

By Aman Batheja April 11, 2012

Domingo Garcia's campaign for Congress may boost Hispanic turnout enough to unseat state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who is facing his first primary challenge in 16 years. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Marjorie Kamys Cotera / Todd Wiseman
Video: Is State System Helping Failing Districts?

By Justin Dehn and Thanh Tan April 10, 2012

In conjunction with Morgan Smith's "Death of a District" series, the Tribune presents a special video report on the role of accountability and whether the state's current standards are helping or hurting failing districts in Texas. Full Story
Six Years After District is Closed, Signs of Rebirth

By Morgan Smith April 9, 2012

Plagued by financial and academic troubles, Wilmer-Hutchins ISD was closed six years ago. Now, the area appears to be on the verge of academic transformation, with three new Dallas ISD campuses. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
District Still Has Work to Do After Cutting Sports

By Morgan Smith April 8, 2012

Premont ISD in South Texas has made drastic moves to improve its finances — including cutting high school sports. But critics fault the state's accountability and school finance systems, which they say punish districts that serve largely low-income populations. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Eddie Seal / Todd Wiseman
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey April 7, 2012

The first two parts of M. Smith's series on failing school districts (plus Murphy and Seger's interactive on how districts' characteristics relate to ratings), Root on lagging GOP candidates for president trying to shore things up in Texas, Ramshaw on a "fiscal switcheroo" to get federal money for women's health programs, Galbraith talks to a West Texas farmer about crop insurance and climate change and Aguilar on the money behind a lawsuit on long rifle sales: The best of our best content from April 2 to 6, 2012. Full Story

Credit: Allen Otto
The Hot Seat: A Conversation with West Texas Lawmakers

By Evan Smith April 6, 2012

At our Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, state Reps. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, and Tryon Lewis, R-Odessa, and state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, discussed cuts to public and higher education and other by-products of the 82nd Session. Full Story
North Forest Lives On, But So Do Its Struggles

By Morgan Smith April 6, 2012

North Forest ISD has gotten what amounts to a stay of execution. But the question of whether students would be better off attending different schools still lingers. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Michael Stravato / Todd Wiseman
The Hot Seat: West Texas Lawmakers on Public Ed Cuts

By Evan Smith April 5, 2012

At last Friday's Hot Seat conversation at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, state Rep. Tryon Lewis, R-Odessa, and state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, talked about the impact of cuts to public education. Full Story
Weekend Insider: Workers Comp, Houston School Closure

By Justin Dehn April 5, 2012

Wal-Mart looks to provide a cheaper alternative to workers compensation for their employees, and a Houston school district struggles with the possibility of closure. Full Story
In Austin, Sex Ed via Text Message

By Nathan Bernier, KUT News April 5, 2012

Public health officials in Austin, an area with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the state, have launched an effort to educate teens about sexual health using a familiar medium: their cellphones. Nathan Bernier of KUT News reports on how the effort compares to information students receive in school. Full Story
Interactive: Compare Public Education Stats by Accountability Rating

By Ryan Murphy and Noah Seger April 5, 2012

Yearly state accountability ratings can make or break a school district. But there's more to determining how districts stack up. Use our interactive data application to explore how districts' demographics and finances correlate to their ratings. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Ryan Murphy
Texas School District Closures Are Rare, But Should They Be?

By Morgan Smith April 5, 2012

There's little research that indicates closing districts will improve outcomes for students, but letting chronically low-performing and financially mismanaged schools stay open doesn't work either. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Citing Resources, Several Districts Steer Clear of School Funding Suits

By Anna Whitney April 3, 2012

Already facing budget cuts, almost half of the school districts in Texas haven't signed on to one of the five school finance lawsuits filed against the sate. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
STAAR Almost Over, but Debate Isn't

By Morgan Smith March 30, 2012

The STAAR exams are almost over, but for elected officials, educators and other members of the education community, wrangling over the new tests — and the effects of standardized testing in the classroom — has just begun. Full Story
Looking Back at Hearings on Health Care Reforms

By Thanh Tan March 29, 2012

Here's a final roundup of Texas reactions to the last day of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic hearings on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Slideshow: Save Our Schools Rally at Texas Capitol

By Morgan Smith March 24, 2012

Hundreds of educators, lawmakers and parents descended on the Capitol Saturday to protest cuts to public education. Here are some images from the scene. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Marjorie Kamys Cotera