Bill of the Week: Bracing for a School Choice Battle

Senate Bill 176 would create "parental empowerment accounts"

"...years, the Texas Legislature has considered what proponents call "school choice" and opponents call "vouchers": diverting the state's public..."

Feb. 24, 2023 News Feature by Maggie Quinlan

Hundreds Brave Cold to Support Public School Funding

Save Texas Schools rally fills two rooms of local church

"...weather didn’t keep people away from the Save Texas Schools rally. Public school supporters from across the state packed..."

Feb. 28, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Legislature Narrowly Averts Funneling Public School Funds to Private Schools

How schools fared in Texas' 88th legislative session

"...Democrats – and many House Republicans – began the session optimistically, pushing House Bill 100,..."

June 2, 2023 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

11th Hour School Funding Bill Adds Abbott's Voucher Plan

Democrats in the House ain't gonna like it

"...Public school advocates are calling it a shady, backroom maneuver...."

May 23, 2023 News Post by Brant Bingamon

MAGA Moms and the Republican Resistance to School Vouchers

Make education public again

"...us. “And I block walked for him. I’m a Republican precinct chair in Tarrant County. I’m a Christian. I’m..."

March 21, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

School Finance Plan Headed for Hearing

Aycock promises no losers as Senate obsesses on vouchers

"...Can Texas avoid further school finance lawsuits? That's what House Public Education Committee Chair..."

April 8, 2015 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Texas Lege Preview: Are School Vouchers a Shoo-In?

House Dems (and rural Republicans) ready to rally for public education

"...the Texas House, has two children in Austin ISD schools. "My fifth-grader didn't get a teacher this year because..."

Jan. 13, 2023 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Texas Lege Preview: Saving Public Education

Vouchers and school funding and never the twain shall meet

"...Isn’t it great that public education is getting the attention it deserves? Texas Republicans..."

Jan. 10, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Judge: Texas School Finance System Unconstitutional

Now what? Legislators, education advocates and think tanks respond

"...Dietz finally released his ruling yesterday on the Texas public school finance system, it was no surprise to anyone:..."

Feb. 5, 2013 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Abbott’s School Voucher Momentum Seems to Slow

And school advocates mobilize against it

"...Gov. Greg Abbott’s school voucher bill was supposed to be fast-tracked and nearing..."

April 4, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Austin Requires Masks in All Public Schools, Including Colleges

Local orders push back against Abbott’s ban on mask mandates

"...County ordered that face masks are required at all public schools, as well as city and county properties including..."

Aug. 13, 2021 News Post by Beth Sullivan

Opinion: I’m a Chaplain. Here’s Why I Oppose Replacing School Counselors With Chaplains.

As a chaplain and school volunteer, the Rev. Deborah Reeves explains why school districts should reject the option to install chaplains in public schools

"...As a mother, I volunteer in my children's elementary school. I have served as a room parent, listened to..."

Oct. 27, 2023 Column by Deborah Reeves

School Voucher Committee Isn't So Sure About a Possible Voucher System in Texas

Austin rep refuses to sign on to recommendations

"...The special House committee established to study school vouchers hasn’t exactly come out in support of them,..."

Aug. 17, 2023 News Post by Brant Bingamon

Abbott Flirts With Endorsing School Vouchers

Primary challengers pressure the governor from the right

"...put a push behind a key red-meat issue like school choice, be it vouchers or private school tax credits...."

Jan. 28, 2022 News Feature by Kimberly Reeves

Who Killed Porter Middle School?

The evidence points to George W. Bush. But he wasn't alone.

"...A school died in Austin this week. The causes were definitely..."

March 10, 2006 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

With More Pro-Voucher Republicans Elected, What’s Next in the Fight Over School Vouchers

Dems look to flip Republican seats in the November election

"...pleasant memories – was the déjà vu death of school vouchers...."

July 12, 2024 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Abbott Says School Vouchers Are Coming, Rural Republicans Don’t Seem Convinced

A Guv can dream, can’t he?

"...Is Greg Abbott fantasizing or what? On Monday, the..."

Oct. 20, 2023 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Austin ISD Budget Shortfall Could Put School Closures on the Table

Desperate times may lead to desperate measures

"...deficit had ballooned from $60 million to $89 million, school board Trustee Candace Hunter broached a nearly forbidden topic...."

June 7, 2024 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Public Notice: 'Tis the Season

Parties nightly, and events in pairs

"...after a third of its board got elected to public office last year. Now they're back in force with..."

Dec. 4, 2015 News Column by Nick Barbaro

What Follows Five Years of Failure at Mendez Middle School?

Making the grade

"...as part of its new A-F accountability system, five schools in the Austin Independent School District received failing grades...."

Aug. 31, 2018 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Back to School

From Dallas to the Border, Texas shortchanges its children and its future

"...distance the state needs to travel to address the school finance crisis might be expressed in Mean Republican Units..."

Aug. 20, 2004 News Column by Michael King

School Voucher Plan Moves to the Floor of the House

Opponents are demonstrating and calling Republican lawmakers up

"...at a meeting last week of the Texas House’s public education committee. Talarico asked rhetorically if there is a..."

April 11, 2025 News Feature by Brant Bingamon

Public Notice: Full Speed Ahead

City, AISD unfazed by public criticism

"...Austin ISD board of trustees each got blasted in public comment, which they basically ignored and declined to address,..."

July 24, 2020 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Public Education Back Under Fire

Republicans set anti-school agenda at national and state level

"...roll back the Affordable Care Act. But as the Republican agenda gets rolled out, it's pretty clear that the..."

Nov. 10, 2014 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Austin ISD Doesn't Have Much Choice in TEA Deal, Attorney Tells Board

Either they agree to terms, or a conservator will force them

"...the district’s legal counsel has made clear that little choice exists...."

Sept. 15, 2023 News Post by Brant Bingamon

Chartering Middle School

Hoping to reach middle-schoolers who could go off track in a regular school setting, district moves forward with charter school plans

"...summer, 21-year-old Melinda Shaw will finally graduate from high school. The slender, ponytailed African-American dropped out of school at..."

June 2, 2006 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

2006 People's Choice Winner: It had to be ewe

Visitors to Austin City Hall voted on the 101 works of art displayed in the 2006 People's Gallery exhibition, and their top choice was Benge Elliott's sculpture, Three Sheep

"...by the votes they cast in the 2006 People's Choice competition – was the welded sculpture Three Sheep, depicting..."

March 2, 2007 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Public Notice

"...the ominous buzz of a cricket swarm. Time for school, new projects, and that general reassessment known as: What-the-hell-are-you-doing-with-your-life?..."

Aug. 8, 1997 Column by Kate X Messer

"It Was a Difficult Choice, But..."

The Austin Critics Table named its tops in the arts for 2014

"...you hear a critic say, "It was a difficult choice, but...," take a drink...."

June 3, 2014 Arts Post by Robert Faires

Public Notice: A Mayor (and a Superintendent) for All of Austin

Kirk Watson, Matias Segura set to lead city, school district

"...ISD in the Houston area. Segura is a conservative choice by the board: He has zero educational experience –..."

Dec. 30, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

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