Texas judge temporarily blocks release of “unlawful” school accountability ratings
The ruling comes after dozens of school districts sued the Texas Education Agency, claiming the revised accountability system would hurt their ratings. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School students gather in the hallway outside of a classroom as they wait for a teacher between periods Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Harris County’s voter roll errors — if left unexplained — could fuel claims of voter fraud
This isn’t the first time a state audit flagged such discrepancies. Last year, the state found similar inconsistencies when reviewing Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, and Collin counties’ 2020 elections. Full Story
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![A Harris County election worker carries in ballots and voting supplies from a polling location at NRG Arena Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Houston, Texas.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune -
Inaccessible private schools or underfunded public schools: Texas’ disabled students have few options with no change in sight
The few private schools that offer special education for disabled students have strict conditions and are clustered in metropolitan areas. Full Story
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![Two window decals are shown on Laurie Sharp's van on Sep. 9, 2023. The stickers reference Logan's wheelchair.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Proposition 5 on Texas ballot would create new endowment for ‘emerging’ research universities
If approved, the new fund would provide tens of millions of dollars to the University of Houston, Texas Tech, Texas State University and University of North Texas. Full Story
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![University of Houston students back on campus in Houston Tuesday, September 5, 2017 after the labor day holiday and Tropical Storm Harvey.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Former oil executive withdraws application to build private dam on South Llano River
The withdrawn proposal would have allowed the dam’s owner to take nearly 4 million gallons from the South Llano River, the main water source for Kimble, Mason and Llano counties. Full Story
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![A golf course borders Cedar Creek, a tributary of the South Llano River, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, in Junction.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Why a Texas Panhandle city hit pause on a proposed abortion “travel ban” — for now
Amarillo's city council said it will continue to study the issue. The city is one of just a few in Texas to reject the policy pushed by anti-abortion activists. Full Story
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![Downtown Amarillo on June 28, 2021.]()
Credit: Madison Walker for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers
Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation. Full Story
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![A man carries a sign protesting Houston Methodist Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate outside Houston Methodist Hospital in Baytown on June 7, 2021. Employees who chose not to inoculate themselves by the hospital's Monday deadline faced suspension without pay and job termination, a policy criticized by the protesters as unfair and unauthorized.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott, House at impasse over school voucher bill as special session winds down
Vouchers are the governor’s top legislative priority. But he has signaled opposition to a proposed House compromise that would tie them to increased funding for public schools. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan listens to state Representatives on the House floor during Sine Die, the last day of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, at the Capitol in Austin on May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas voters split on House, Senate handling of Paxton impeachment, poll finds
Republicans showed a more clear divide, giving the Senate higher marks than the House for how the attorney general’s impeachment was handled. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center, talks with his defense attorney Tony Buzbee, left, before starting the ninth day of his impeachment trial in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Austin, Texas.]()
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As Texas bans diversity and equity offices at public colleges, Rice University’s inclusion efforts march on
DEI efforts have become a lightning rod for debate in American higher education. At the private Houston university, officials admit impact is hard to measure — but they also see progress from their work. Full Story
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![Alexander Byrd, the vice provost for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Rice University, poses for a portrait on campus in Houston, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. In June, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion offices in Texas public colleges and universities starting in 2024.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Texas sues to stop Border Patrol agents from cutting state’s razor wire at the border
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s latest lawsuit against the federal government claims Border Patrol agents cut through concertina wire purchased and deployed at the border by the state. Full Story
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![A U.S. Border Patrol agent cuts through razor wire to let in a group of asylum seekers who crossed the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S., September 28, 2023.]()
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Texas proposition lets voters decide whether to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses
Proposition 4 could usher in a bevy of property tax changes. That includes using $12.7 billion from a record state budget surplus to lower school district taxes. Full Story
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![The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.]()
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Texas lawmakers weigh spending $1.5 billion on more border barriers. Experts say walls alone won’t stop migrants.
The House Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 6 on Monday. If it becomes law, the bill would fund an estimated 50 miles of new barriers at the 1,200-mile Texas-Mexico border. Full Story
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![Immigrants who illegally crossed the Mexico-U.S. border are apprehended by the U.S. border patrol in the Rio Grande Valley sector, near McAllen, Texas, U.S., April 5, 2018.]()
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Public education advocates propose alternatives to STAAR test, push for more pathways for teachers
As Gov. Greg Abbott expands his special session agenda to include public education funding, some still take issue with the governor tying new money for teacher raises and school safety to a voucher program. Full Story
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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 -
Taxes, state parks, infrastructure: What you need to know about the Nov. 7 constitutional amendments election
Early voting begins Monday in the Nov. 7 elections. Here’s a breakdown of the 14 constitutional amendments on the ballot. Full Story
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![Voters wait to cast their ballots at the Dittmar Recreation Center in South Austin on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas cities and counties are destroying expired Narcan. Some say it could still be used to save lives.
The state has given tens of thousands of doses of a drug that can reverse opioid deaths to local governments. It can still save lives after its expiration date, but some government agencies are destroying older doses. Full Story
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![Boxes of Narcan Nasal Spray at Janel Rodriguez's home March 30, 2023, in Hays County.]()
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U.S. Reps. Jodey Arrington, Roger Williams decline House speaker bid
Only one Texan, Rep. Pete Sessions, remains in the race for House Speaker. Republicans will hear from the candidates Monday night as they try to fill the job following U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s failure to win a majority. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
House, Senate bills at odds over power to boost future funding for Texas school voucher program
The Senate’s Republican bill would let state leaders grow the program by taking money from other agencies without the Legislature’s approval. The House bill would bar the practice. Full Story
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![Nimitz Middle School students take part in a class activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.]()
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Jim Jordan is out. Here are the three Texas Republicans who helped keep him from the speaker’s gavel.
Reps. Kay Granger, Tony Gonzales and Jake Ellzey were firm in their opposition to Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Reps. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and J.K. "Jake" Ellzey, R-Waxahachie.]()
Credit: Tom Williams/Pool/Sipa USA via Ruters | The Texas Tribune