Education

Texas' governor-elect has pledged to replace the state's top public education official when she takes office in January. Here's why.

Former Republican state Rep. Ernset Bailes, who lost his seat after opposing Gov. Greg Abbott's school voucher push is among the governor-elect's first appointments. Here other picks reflect priorities in public education, organized labor and local government.

School enrollment was already expected to plunge by 2 million kids by 2030. Education experts say deporting immigrant families, many with school-age children, is making the crisis worse.

After sweeping election wins on Tuesday, Texas Democrats are eyeing the upcoming legislative session as a chance to pursue major changes to public education, healthcare and affordability. But a Republican-controlled state Senate could limit how much they accomplish.

Lubbock had its first visit from President Donald Trump on Oct. 27 as he campaigned for Texas’ Republican U.S. Senate candidate Attorney General Ken Paxton. Also in Lubbock at the same time, Democratic candidates were rallying around their U.S. Senate pick James Talarico. While Republicans stressed unity within the party and a focus on maintaining power, Democratic candidates called for change and attempted to reach across party lines.

Texas families began receiving money from the state's new billion-dollar private school voucher program this summer, with another round of funding arriving earlier this month. Now, they're discovering just how much they can buy beyond tuition.

The book-delivery program is helping families build home libraries and make reading part of everyday life, while local organizers work to reach more children.

Families whose children attend private schools that don't participate in Texas' voucher program can still qualify for up to $2,000 in taxpayer- funded educational expenses.

A Texas senator is questioning what he calls a major loophole in the state's new school voucher program. KERA's Sujata Dand reports that families whose children attend non-participating private schools that don't participate in the program can still receive up to $2,000 for educational expenses. President Donald Trump’s expected visit to Lubbock next week to campaign for Republican Senate Candidate Ken Paxton has had a change in schedule, now overlapping a rally from Paxton’s opponent, Democrat representative James Talarico on the same day.

Schools in the U.S. serve almost 30 million lunches every day. But rising food costs, regulations and cuts to food assistance mean school kitchens have to do more with less.