April 24th, 2026

The Texas Comptroller's Office announced the first round of Texas Education Freedom Accounts awards this week, totalling more than 42,000 students in the first wave. The comptroller's office reports that about two-thirds of awarded students have a documented disability. Texas producers are facing sharp increases in fertilizer costs as a result of escalating conflicts in the Middle East. Texas Public Radio's Norma Martinez explains why the costs are on the rise despite strong domestic production.