Posted on · Following a preliminary Senate vote on Wednesday, Texas is now a step closer to requiring public colleges and universities to allow concealed handguns on campus - a policy opposed by many higher education leaders. The vote was along party lines, with all 11 of the upper chamber's Democrats opposing it.
Posted on · Gun rights activists haven't been shy about making their presence felt at the Capitol. They'll have their first chance to weigh in on actual legislation on Thursday, when a Senate committee takes up two gun bills.
Posted on · There are few differences between the Republican candidates for lieutenant governor on immigration, but the issue has taken center stage. Heated rhetoric has drawn concern from groups focused on courting Hispanic voters.
Posted on · The State Board of Education voted Friday to drop an existing requirement that all students at Texas public schools take algebra II to graduate. It also approved two high-level math courses that students can take as an alternative.
Posted on · Two new charter school operators have come to Texas promising a collegiate atmosphere. But along with their academic goals come extra fees for parents and a record of serving disproportionately affluent and white students.
Posted on · State leaders are preparing to push for legislation to expand the choices available for Texas' nearly 5 million public school students. Meanwhile, some local districts are already pursuing similar reforms within their own systems.
Posted on · While skeptics say reporting requirements for state graduation rates contain too many loopholes, other education policy experts say Texas deserves credit for implementing innovative programs to keep students in school.
Posted on · Since 1984, Texas has faced six lawsuits over the way it funds public schools. But over the years, a chorus of conservative voices has posed another fix for the school finance problem: Why not just change the state’s duties under the Texas Constitution?
Posted on · Texas plans to join the more than 30 states that have already asked for a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act's requirements, according to a letter new state Education Commissioner Michael Williams sent school districts Thursday.
Posted on · In Texas, where the curriculum-setting State Board of Education has engaged in high-profile skirmishes over science education, there won't be a rush to implement new nationally developed common standards. Make that a “zero percent chance,” said Barbara Cargill, the board's Republican chairwoman.
Posted on · A new state requirement that students must retake standardized tests if they do not achieve a minimum score has landed hundreds of thousands in summer school, carrying a hefty price tag for school districts.
Posted on · Tuesday night was a wash for candidates hoping to capitalize on a backlash against the 2011 Legislature's deep budget cuts to public schools. Some won and some lost, and there wasn't a definite guiding narrative as to why.
Posted on · Education Commissioner Robert Scott's successor will have his or her hands full. The job requires a delicate balancing act in regard to state officials and school administrators. So who could get Gov. Rick Perry's nod for the post?
Posted on · 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.
Posted on · 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.