The latest public education news from The Texas Tribune.
Midland school officials and area businesses are excited about a planned high school program that will focus on preparing high schoolers to work in the region's booming oil industry. Full Story
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State leaders seem reluctant to break out the "Mission Accomplished" banner on the border surge even though apprehensions of illegal immigrants have hit a target goal laid out in July. Full Story
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Several academics on Tuesday pointed to flaws — including inaccurate descriptions of world religions and out-of-date racial terminology — in proposed social studies textbooks up for adoption by the Texas State Board of Education. Full Story
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In a shift for a state that has shunned other federal education initiatives, Texas will participate in an Obama administration early learning program. Full Story
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University of Texas System regents moved quickly Monday to keep two lawmakers from sitting in on interviews conducted by an external investigator into admissions procedures at the system's flagship Austin campus. Full Story
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At least 10 Texas school districts have received armored plating, tactical vests, military vehicles, rifles, pistols and rounds of ammunition through a federal military surplus program. Full Story
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Moody's Investors Service described a judge's declaration of the state's school finance system as unconstitutional as a “credit positive,” saying the ruling would compel Texas lawmakers to “redesign the school finance system.” Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: I know the state plans to appeal a judge's recent decision that Texas' school finance system is unconstitutional. But what will the state's defense be moving forward? Full Story
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Scholars hired by the Texas Freedom Network criticized social studies textbooks that are up for consideration by the State Board of Education, saying they include distortions of history and current events. Full Story
Texas school districts will have accumulated a legal tab of over $8.5 million in the course of challenging the state's school finance system — a sum that the state will have to pay if they prevail. Full Story
Following the revelation that Wendy Davis had two abortions performed for medical reasons more than 15 years ago, the question pursued over the weekend was how this would affect the dynamics of the race for governor. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Edu newsletter: pediatricians push for later school start times, a study on the impact of tough math and science classes on dropout rates and an interview with Catherine Clark, formerly of the Texas Association of School Boards. Full Story
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In a blow to Texas pride, it appears that the Lone Star State has lost out to Nevada in the race to land Tesla Motors' $5 billion battery "gigafactory." Full Story
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Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, said Wednesday that her GOP opponent, Dan Patrick, was “rewriting history” by taking credit for the restoration of some education funding cuts. Patrick's campaign hit back at the criticism. Full Story
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Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott on Tuesday reaffirmed the watchdog role of the Public Integrity Unit while also defending his agency's investigation of a Houston voter registration group in 2010. Full Story
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As candidates in the general election focus on making themselves known to voters, the latest school finance ruling provides their clearest marching orders yet. Full Story
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Leander and other fast-growing school districts have relied heavily on a controversial financing tool called capital appreciation bonds to borrow money to expand even as they bump up against state limits on school district debt. Full Story
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It's a good thing that Judge John Dietz dropped his school finance ruling before a three-day weekend, because interested parties could use that extra day to go over his 400-plus page decision. Full Story
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They are this summer's odd couple: Gov. Rick Perry and his lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Full Story
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis released her full 2013 tax return on Tuesday, changing course after previously not allowing the document to be shared or published in full. Full Story
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