Public education

Average Texans and lawmakers alike are going back to the basics on school finance, as the state Legislature prepares to tackle a longstanding challenge.

The governor has laid out his legislative priorities. In our latest "Under the Dome" episode, we look at the challenges lawmakers face in addressing the issues of property taxes and school finance.

In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith asks state Rep. John Zerwas, the chief budget writer in the Texas House, whether we have enough money to fund today’s priorities and tomorrow’s — and which hard choices we have to make.

A Texas Senate committee is moving rapidly to require voter approval for local property tax increases over 2.5 percent. But some want to see the Legislature's school finance bill before they vote on property taxes.

After last year's massacre at Santa Fe High School, survivors told lawmakers the school safety measures they want to see enacted during this year's legislative session. How many of them will become law?

The governor focused on bread-and-butter policy in a forum that has often featured a lot of red meat.

The property tax legislation unveiled by state leaders this week carries an implicit promise — that local school districts will get more state money — but doesn't say where that money might come from.

Even outspoken critics of the controversial program that redistributes money among school districts, acknowledge that they need it to avoid future school-finance lawsuits.

In a new report, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar says the state should cover 40 percent of the cost of public education — and should cover the costs of inflation, too.

Speaker Dennis Bonnen has said a private school voucher bill won't pass the House. Meanwhile, other state leaders have toned down their calls for programs that give parents state money for kids to attend private schools.

The idea of tying a portion of funding to test scores appeals to some who want to improve student performance, but it enrages educators who say it will encourage teaching to the test.

The board, which is all white, will shift five of its seats to single-member districts in a bid to add more representation for people of color.

State leaders have promised to tackle school safety this session, and lawmakers are expected to push bills that would beef up mental health screening programs and make it easier to arm teachers.

Two rival budget proposals offer a starting point for debate between the two chambers on public school funding and property tax relief.

The two top statewide elected officials were sworn in Tuesday to second terms at the helm of Texas government.

Senate leaders say they will require districts to use the money to give $5,000 raises to each teacher.

The proposed budget would increase state funds for education by about 17 percent but cut funding for health and human services by about 3 percent.

In our new podcast, Point of Order, Evan Smith asks Dan Huberty, chairman of the House Public Education Committee, what it will take — and what it will cost — for state lawmakers to solve the state's most intractable problem.

In 2017, Patrick pushed for the controversial measure that would have restricted the use of certain public facilities for transgender Texans, but it failed to become law.

Lawmakers are taking on school finance and property tax reform — gnarly policy issues that are expensive to tackle even if the state decides enough money is already being spent on public education in Texas.