TEA

Under the state’s Permanent School Fund’s Bond Guarantee Program, schools get the best interest rate on bonds. That soon may be over if the federal government doesn’t act.

Raise Your Hand Texas released a report Tuesday that outlines ways to change how standardized testing is used to evaluate students and schools. The recommendations come just months ahead of the next legislative session.

John P. Scott, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, is tasked with ensuring Texas schools implement statewide safety policies and safeguard against school shootings.

Few schools have been able to keep up with the recent wave of teacher resignations.

This year’s TEA ratings were done differently than in previous years. Instead of the usual A-F ratings, which were last given in 2019, the agency gave only A-C ratings. Districts and schools that would have received a D or F instead received a “Not Rated” label this year.

The federal agency launched the inquiry after complaints from the Harris County Attorney and Lone Star Legal Aid about how the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues permits to plants that predominantly impact communities of color.

Texas schools have long had too few teachers. The pandemic made the situation worse — but issues like low pay, poor benefits and polarizing statewide politics all have an impact, too.

Texas requires schools to have emergency plans and conduct safety drills. But a lot of decisions about safety are left to school districts and charter schools.

The Texas Education Agency developed new school library standards that give parents more of a role in which books their children can read, gives school boards final say over all new books and establishes a book review committee if a parent files a complaint.

The state allows a portion of fines to be directed to projects that remediate environmental harm. Some of those projects benefit the companies that are being penalized.

School districts are not required to adopt the agency’s recommendations but can use them as guidance as they develop new procedures or alter their policies for selecting or removing library books.