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Jan 22, 2024 | 
houstonpublicmedia.org | Brian Lopez
A scathing federal report on the Uvalde mass shooting released Thursday highlighted the miscommunication and lack of action between the hundreds of officers who showed up to Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. The Justice Department's report also came with plenty of recommendations to improve schools safety and active shooter protocols in the state.
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Dec 1, 2023 | 
abc13.com | Brian Lopez
AUSTIN, Texas -- The Texas Senate passed a bill Friday that would infuse public schools with more funds to spend on school safety, but it's unclear whether schools will see that money as lawmakers run out of time to pass legislation. The video above is ABC13's 24/7 livestream. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 5, authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, with a 24-0 vote. It now needs final approval from the House, which passed a similar bill that has been stuck in a Senate committee since last month.
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Nov 27, 2023 | 
houstonpublicmedia.org | Bill Zeeble |Toluwani Osibamowo |Brian Lopez
A new overview of "educational gag orders" by the group PEN America finds Texas is among more than a dozen states clamping down on speech among students and teachers. In a study released this month, America's Censored Classrooms 2023, the free speech organization found 110 bills across 22 states have imposed restrictions on what and how sensitive or controversial subjects could be taught. Texas bills affected both public K-12 and colleges.
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Nov 17, 2023 | 
thefacts.com | Zach Despart |Brian Lopez
AUSTIN — The Texas Hous voted Friday to strip school vouchers from the chamber’s massive education funding bill, effectively gutting Gov. Greg Abbott’s top priority from the legislation. The House voted 84-63 in favor of an amendment offered by Rep. John Raney of College Station, which removed the provision of the bill allowing some parents to use tax dollars to send their children to private and religious schools.
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Nov 17, 2023 | 
cbsaustin.com | Zach Despart |Brian Lopez
AUSTIN - An amendment filed Friday morning to remove school vouchers from the Texas House’s massive education bill, House Bill 1, has enough support from Republicans to pass — which would effectively gut the bill of its signature provision. At least a dozen Republicans signed the amendment filed by Rep. John Raney of College Station, including Reps.
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Nov 16, 2023 | 
thefacts.com | Brian Lopez
AUSTIN — After years of work from advocates and months of arm-twisting in the state Capitol, the Texas House appears poised to vote on the creation of a school voucher program Friday. House Bill 1, authored by Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, is the lower chamber's $7 billion wide-ranging education proposal that would create education savings accounts, a voucher-like program that would allow parents access to taxpayer money to pay for private schools.
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Nov 3, 2023 | 
thefacts.com | Brian Lopez |Maia Pandey
AUSTIN — A revised education bill hoping to introduce school vouchers in Texas would offer more money to schools and create academic accountability measures for students in the program, representing the most significant concessions voucher supporters have offered so far to sway skeptics. Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, released Friday the reworked House Bill 1, which includes a plethora of increases to public school funding.
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Oct 31, 2023 | 
thefacts.com | Zach Despart |Brian Lopez
AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced he had “reached an agreement” with Speaker Dade Phelan and House leaders on school vouchers, a potential breakthrough after months of unsuccessful negotiations days before the end of the third special legislative session. But Phelan stopped short of calling it a done deal. kAmpD<65 7@C 4@>>6?E[ !96=2? >6C6=J E92?<65 p33@EE 7@C 6IA2?5:?8 E96 D6DD:@?
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Oct 31, 2023 | 
houstonpublicmedia.org | Sergio Martínez-Beltrán |Dominic Anthony Walsh |Brian Lopez |Joshua Zinn
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he has reached an agreement with House Speaker Dade Phelan that would create education savings accounts in Texas — a school voucher-like program opposed by Democrats and most rural Republicans. Abbott's announcement comes exactly one week before the last day state lawmakers can pass any legislation during Texas’ third special legislative session this year.
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Oct 26, 2023 | 
houstonpublicmedia.org | Adam Zuvanich |Sergio Martínez-Beltrán |Joshua Fechter |Brian Lopez
State Rep. Armando Walle knew he and his fellow Democrats did not have the votes to keep House Bill 4 from passing. But he expected to at least have an opportunity to speak out against the proposed law – which would allow any law enforcement officer in Texas to deport someone suspected of being in the United States without legal permission – and for all of his fellow legislators to have the chance to suggest amendments.
