Education

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 House Public Education Committee passed a sweeping school finance proposal on Thursday, along with a bill that would create a program allowing parents to use public funds to pay for private schools.

The 82nd annual ABC Pro Rodeo kicks off tomorrow at Levelland’s Mallet Event Center. KTTZ's Bishop Van Buren has more on what to expect from the three days of action and events. Tomorrow is also the last day to register to vote in the May 3 local election and our Samantha Larned reports on how to register and what voters in the area can expect to see on their ballots. Applications and further details can be found at votelubbock.org.

The Texas Education Agency has released its annual performance reports. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren breaks down the numbers, which show a decline in standardized test scores across all three Lubbock-area school districts. KERA’s Bill Zeeble has more after Texas Senators passed legislation that further defines parental rights in 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.

The Texas Senate has passed a bill that would create a designated time to pray and read the Bible or other religious text during the school day. Texas and New Mexico have a combined measles case count of 317 since late January, surpassing the C.D.C.’s total measles cases for the United States in all of 2024. Our Samantha Larned reports on a change in Texas' classification of certain cases. Meanwhile, here in Lubbock, Texas Tech has announced two potential measles exposure sites: the Carpenter/Wells Complex and the Student Health Services clinic from March 4 through 12.

If passed, the legislation would create a program where parents could use state tax dollars toward sending their kids to private schools. While it’s a priority for many Republicans, those opposed to the idea aren’t staying quiet.

This legislative session, Texas lawmakers are hoping to lower property taxes and increase funding for the state’s public schools. Meanwhile, local taxing entities say the state’s recent efforts to curb property taxes are making it harder for them to fund the services they provide.

The lawsuit comes after the Board of Regents banned drag shows from the school's 11 public campuses.

Bills before a Senate education committee would eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in public K-12 schools and establish a procedure to file grievances against districts that violate the ban. These programs were established to address or end historical inequities based on race, gender, and sexual orientation.