Texas

Shutdown Impacts Some States More Than Others

By Bethany Erickson / January 9, 2019 /

For the most part, Texas is doing OK during U.S. government shut down, but it still is hitting the state’s most vulnerable citizens the hardest, according to a recent report on the states most and least affected by the 2019 shut down. The report, compiled by analysts at WalletHub, compared all 50 states plus the…

Texas Legislature Gavels In: Bathrooms Out, Property Taxes and Schools In

By Bethany Erickson / January 9, 2019 /

Bathrooms? That’s so 2017. The new hot legislative priorities lighting up Austin this legislative session are school finance and property taxes. Think I’m kidding? New House Speaker Dennis Bonnen put it on a cup — actually, every cup in the Senate lounge is now emblazoned with “School Finance Reform, The Time Is Now.” The session…

Faith Community, Local Leaders Gather To Honor Dallas ‘Hero for Texas Children’

By Bethany Erickson / October 12, 2018 /

It may have been unusually — for Dallas — chilly Thursday morning, but the warmth inside First United Methodist Church downtown was effusive when an organization of faith leaders held a breakfast gathering to talk about their unified efforts to advocate for public education. Pastors for Texas Children members were also there to honor the…

Bush and State Ed Board’s $600M Disagreement About the Permanent School Fund Continues

By Bethany Erickson / October 1, 2018 /

Even people who follow public education are often unaware of how the General Land Office and the Texas Land Commissioner and the State Board of Education can impact public school finance. And that is, in part, because up until this year, things between the two entities and the services and funding they make available to…

Disasters Happen: Tips for Texans This National Preparedness Month

By Shelby Skrhak / September 14, 2018 /

We hate to sound all public service announcement-y, but now that this year’s hurricane season is off to an active start, FEMA wants to remind you during September’s National Preparedness Month that “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.” How do you prepare for any multitude of disasters? FEMA and ready.gov offers these four steps to disaster…