The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
School finance reform could bring the privately operated public schools a windfall. But traditional public school advocates are still fighting the charters' expansion. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2cbfb315a10f12ae34b056d2139453b2/School_Choice_12.jpg)
How would lawmakers' proposals to provide property tax relief affect tax bills? It depends on where you live and what kind of home you own. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/96f16bac8d87b223ce858fad63ffe2db/07_Abbott_Bonnen_Patrick_Property_Tax_Presser_MG.jpg)
A major flaw in the way Texas spends money on kids with disabilities might lose the state almost a quarter of its annual special education grant. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/12/13/Seal_SpecialEducation-04_TT.jpg)
Use our Texas public schools database to learn more about the state’s 1,200 districts and 8,759 public schools, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2207c02cce2a55f447273f83a006f439/Public_school_explorer_2_LS_TT.jpg)
The changes to the new rating system — which gives districts a letter grade in three categories: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps — were finalized during the 2017 legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8c3cd7e7c1ae41988a597c93f7e4bf62/Public_school_explorer_1_LS_TT.jpg)
The presidential candidate is walking a fine line on a tricky political issue. His wife, Amy O'Rourke, once launched a charter school and continues to be an advocate for the controversial education model. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/807cff70909f0d940850ef07c2cf269e/Beto_El_Paso_IVP_TT_PLACEHOLDER.jpg)
The legislation would increase per-student funding, mandate across-the-board teacher pay raises and reduce "Robin Hood" payments made by wealthy districts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/83f6c825b6f46a08521fb99e1fcec93b/06_House_School_Finance_EW.jpg)
The two-year plan, which must still pass the full Senate, includes a $9 billion infusion for public schools and property tax relief and up to $900 million in cuts to Medicaid. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d01380571c7829b007495a1e6305aadb/01_Jane_Nelson_EW.jpg)
"I never anticipated that I would take a summer job at Wendy’s just so that I could replace a broken dishwasher,” said one high school English teacher who makes $45,000 per year. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/10052d253281b99dff3bcab78ee56b34/01_Brady_Mayo_EW_Retouch.jpg)
Texas lawmakers want to fix school finance, but they can't avoid looking for voter-pleasing side dishes, like property taxes and teacher pay raises, that could undermine the public education fixes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c928e76cbd620f0c303bd63278f2d9ed/07_Budget_Night_BD_TT.JPG)
Both chambers now want to put $9 billion toward public schools and levy reductions. But they disagree about how to spread it out. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/68b46f9e5e38789f0e11629387622d51/16_Senate_Education_Committee_EW.jpg)
The state indicated in previous communications with the federal government that a fix would be made by this January. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c3c484231dea4f05651a67801d49be86/Mike_Morath_BD_TT.jpg)
The House also signed off on a $9 billion supplemental budget that would withdraw $4.3 billion from the state savings account. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/29bc4f6c3ec73b8385c67658572fad48/11_Zerwas_and_Bonnen_EW.jpg)
Giving every property owner in Texas a significant tax cut is expensive, but there are less ambitious plans under consideration along with the big ones. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/12/13/House-Taxes.jpg)
The bill would increase state, school district and teacher contributions to the fund, and provide a one-time additional check for retirees. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/27/__BDD4345_Huffman_X.JPG)
Proposals in the Texas House would spend $6.6 billion from the state’s savings account; the Senate would spend $4.4 billion. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/02/01/Money-Capitol-3d-Budget.jpg)
The $9 billion bill has more than 100 co-sponsors in the House but will need to be reconciled with Senate proposals. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b1a4eab3fa5a79c6c66a2180754fa0ea/08_House_Public_Education_Committee_EW.jpg)
The newfound push this session around school safety and preventing mass shootings is reinvigorating ideas about mental health care for Texas children. But advocates often cringe when legislators make the argument that mental health care is the key to preventing mass shootings. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/eff996674f9b1fdd4b0279bbd86d13f4/01_SB3_Jane_Nelson_MG.jpg)
Texas voters told candidates they want property tax relief, and it's remarkably expensive. That's why state lawmakers are talking about higher sales taxes. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b41d32bdecf1a260d8ff9a7d907da302/O3_TTEvents_HUBERTY_JJ_TT.jpg)
Watch as we sit down with state Rep. Dan Huberty in a conversation moderated by Texas Tribune co-founder and CEO Evan Smith. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2e1b6e06a7147309c155d13bf7604811/TTE-DHuberty-_tt.org.png)