Texas education

After hours of debate — and years of pushing from Gov. Greg Abbott — the Texas House gave initial approval to a bill to create an Education Savings Account plan. The school voucher program would allow parents to use public funds towards private school costs.

Some Texas legislators may be done questioning the merits of education savings accounts as it moves to a vote in the State House, but voters aren't. Model programs in other states are showing rural voters could stand to lose the most, and they're preparing to do the math on election day.

The Texas Department of State Health Services on Tuesday confirmed 24 more cases of measles since last Friday.

A Texas start-up says for districts still unable to put the legally mandated armed guard in every school, its drones could be an option.

About 500 Texans, mostly young unvaccinated children, have contracted the disease. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited the West Texas town that has been the epicenter of the outbreak.

A judge blocked the release of the state’s 2023 school ratings after a lawsuit from more than 120 Texas school districts.

A series of Senate bills would solidify and sometimes broaden parental rights in their children’s education.

This legislative session, creating Education Savings Accounts — which would let parents use public funds towards private education costs — is a top priority for many Texas Republicans. But the voucher plan has also caused contentious clashes between some rural voters and the lawmakers who represent them.

Senate Bill 10 passed late Wednesday on a party-line vote. Democrats condemned the measure as unconstitutional and a threat to religious liberty.

The Trump administration recently reinstated the practice of detaining immigrant adults and children together. Two detention facilities in South Texas are at the center of that controversial decision.