Capital Highlights

House OKs $4.5 billion for teacher pay raises The Texas House last Thursday passed two education- related bills, one that allocates $4.5 billion for teacher pay raises and another to increase the annual per-student base funding from $6,160 to $6,300 – a 2.3% increase.

Marxian Education

Some schools are ditching traditional grading. Instead, they use 'labor-based grading,' an idea promoted by Arizona State University professor Asao Inoue. Labor-based grading means basing grades more on effort than the quality of work.

Capital Highlights

Senate, House begin budget reconciliation process The Texas Senate unanimously approved a $308 billion two-year budget last week, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The next step is to reconcile that budget with one passed earlier by the Texas House.

The Idle American

It would be daunting for researchers half his age, but it didn’t stop Dr. Ray Van Cleef from reconnecting with his baseball players from six decades ago. The longtime Texas community college administrator couldn’t resist trying. Late in 2022, the search began.

Letters

To the Editor: Letter to the Editor: There has been a lot of chatter over the past few weeks about the proposed school bonds, and I have tried, as admonished by school officials, to be “informed” before voting.

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor: Successful schools are the foundation of a successful town. As a citizen, mother of young children, Perryton graduate, local employer, and farmer I write in full support of the May 6th Perryton ISD Bond Election.

Save the Planet, Invest in Fossil Fuels

Earth Day is Saturday! Hooray? 'Saving humanity from the climate crisis,' says EarthDay.org, requires us to 'push away from the dirty fossil fuel economy.' Sounds logical. But my latest video explains why doing that is cruel to poor people.

Capital Highlights

Dueling tax proposals in the Lege The Texas House passed a bill promising $17 billion in tax relief, a measure that is at odds with the Senate’s tax break plan, according to the AustinAmerican-Statesman. The House bill would lower by half a home’s cap on appraisal increases.

Capital Highlights

House OKs $302 billion budget The Texas House approved a $302 billion budget last week that included an amendment prohibiting the use of state money on private school tuition — a major setback to Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to establish a school voucher system.

Capital Highlights

Texas leads nation in jobs added The Lone Star State continues to lead the nation in jobs added with 58,200 new positions in February, bringing the state to nearly 14 million total nonfarm jobs, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.