Latest news with #TexasEducation
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap STAAR test dies in the Texas Legislature
A legislative effort to scrap the STAAR test to respond to concerns that the test puts unnecessary pressure on students died in the last days of the legislative session. House Bill 4, authored by state Rep. Brad Buckley, would have swapped the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for three shorter tests given throughout the school year. The Senate and House failed to come out of closed-door negotiations with a compromise in time, missing a key legislative deadline this weekend. Legislators in the House and Senate agreed that Texas schools needed to do away with the STAAR test. But in the end, the two chambers could not close the gulf over what they wanted to see out of the new test and from the A-F ratings system, which uses standardized test results to grade schools' performance. Tensions had come to a head in recent years when a dispute over how ratings should be calculated led to two years of scores to be held up in court. The Senate wanted to solidify the Texas Education Agency commissioner's authority to set stricter standards for the ratings system. And to discourage schools from taking legal action again, the upper chamber's version of the bill gave the TEA commissioner authority to appoint a conservator to districts that initiate lawsuits. The House version, meanwhile, required the TEA to get approval from the Legislature before making major changes to the ratings system. And it left an avenue for districts to sue to challenge the TEA in the future, while setting up a fast-track court process so those lawsuits would not halt the release of the ratings. The two chambers also differed over whether to keep or do away with a mandatory social studies test, with the House in favor of less testing. The session started with nearly identical versions of the legislation in the House and Senate, but when senators slammed school districts in committee hearings and on the chamber floor for participating in the recent lawsuits, few superintendents came out to testify in front of the Senate Education Committee. Instead, the school leaders were in talks with House representatives about their lack of trust in the state's accountability and testing systems. The House's rewrite of the legislation to reflect school leaders' concerns eventually came late in the session, leaving little time for negotiations between the chambers to reach a compromise. To the Texas State Teachers Association, the current high-stakes STAAR test takes instructional time away from the classroom and is not an accurate measure of student success. But the group was holding their breath when the two chambers were in closed-door negotiations. 'We think we are better off that there is no bill at all than what the Senate wanted to do,' said Clay Robison, a spokesperson for the group. 'We thought the Senate gave far too much authority to the unelected state commissioner.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Disclosure: Texas State Teachers Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bill expanding Texas student discipline options awaits Gov. Abbott's signature
The Brief A new bill has passed both sides of the Texas legislature, giving schools more options for student discipline. The bill allows for longer in-school suspensions, expands the use of out-of-school suspensions for younger students and those experiencing homelessness, and offers more flexible punishments for vaping. Governor Greg Abbott plans to sign the bill into law, and it is expected to take effect on Sept. 1. AUSTIN - A new bill has passed through both sides of the Texas legislature, aiming to increase options for student discipline in state schools. Gov. Greg Abbott says he plans to sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk, calling the proposal "common sense." The Proposal HB 6 would extend how long schools can place students on in-school suspension. Current law allows for three days; the proposed legislation would allow the suspension to last as long as schools deem appropriate, with principals required to review the placement every 10 days. "Repeated and significant" classroom disruption or threats to the health and safety of other children could now be met with out-of-school suspension, in a reversal of prior state laws that limited the punishment's use. Reporting by the Texas Tribune noted that the out-of-school suspension expansion would enable schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness, as well as students as young as kindergarten through the third grade. The bill also changes punishments for students caught with vapes. Schools previously were required to send such students to alternative education facilities; now, first-time offenders can be given less severe punishments, and alternative education programs can be administered remotely. The Texas House of Representatives passed HB 6 in April, and the Senate approved it last Wednesday, May 21. The House has now approved 19 Senate amendments to the bill, sending it to the governor's desk to be signed into law. What they're saying Abbott posted about HB 6 on X Wednesday night. "The school discipline bill passed the Texas House & is headed to my desk," Abbott said. "It's common sense to give teachers the authority to remove disruptive students from classrooms. We must restore discipline in our schools." The Texas Tribune quotes Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), who championed the bill in the Senate. "Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn," Perry said. Perry went on to say that the bill has been six years in the making. "We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way," Perry said. "With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed." What's next As Abbott plans to approve the bill once it reaches his pen, it can be expected to take effect on Sept. 1. The Source Information in this article comes from Texas Legislature Online and the Texas Tribune.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Bill advancing at Texas Capitol gives school boards, parents process to remove books in public school libraries
New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries New bill would give Texas parents more control over books in public school libraries Texas lawmakers are taking a step closer to passing a bill that will give local school boards the ability to pull books from school library shelves. Parents will also be able to challenge books in the school libraries under the legislation. The Texas House passed Senate Bill 13, authored by Senator Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, along party lines Monday. Lawmakers in the House were set to give final approval Tuesday, but that has been pushed back until Wednesday morning. From the House, the measure will return to the Senate to review changes made by the House. Under the legislation, the state will establish a definition for harmful materials. According to legislative records, indecent content would portray sex organs or activities in a way that's patently offensive. Profane content would include grossly offensive language considered a public nuisance. There is a difference between the House and Senate versions in at least one provision, which allows the creation of a school library advisory council. The Senate version says it should be mandatory, while the House version says it should be optional. Republicans, including Representative Brad Buckley of Salado, support the bill because it gives more local control. "Senate Bill 13 understands that too often, for too long, libraries have been filled with agendas," said Buckley. "It's time to end that. But the way to end it is to empower our local leaders and our parents locally to find some resolution." Democrats, including Representative Mihaela Plesa of Dallas, expressed concerns over the legislation and said she opposes it. "Senate Bill 13 may not call itself censorship, but in effect is the same thing: giving the government the authority to decide what stories are too uncomfortable, too complicated or too real for our students to read," Plesa said. In addition to Senate Bill 13, the Texas House gave final passage to Senate Bill 6. It will allow ERCOT, the power grid operator, the ability to shut off power to large customers, such as data centers, during emergency situations. Those customers would have to have backup power. It comes as ERCOT has forecast that demand for power will surge in Texas by 2030. The bill will have to go back to the Texas Senate to work out differences. Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday morning on CBS News Texas on air and streaming
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Bill requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in Texas public school classrooms advances in Texas Legislature
The Ten Commandments will have to be shown in each public school classroom in Texas under a new bill that is making its way to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Ten Commandments AP On Monday, the Texas House gave final passage to Senate Bill 10, changing from the version previously passed by the Senate. Under the House amendment, the state, not school districts, will be responsible for covering legal defense costs if a district is sued over the law. CBS News Texas reached out to the office of Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, the bill's author, to ask whether he will accept the change or if both chambers will need to negotiate further. Under the legislation, schools may accept donated posters or use district funds to comply. The law is set to take effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. Rep. Candy Noble, R-Lucas, who carried the bill in the House, said, "Nothing is more deep-rooted in the fabric of our American tradition of education than the Ten Commandments. The way we treat others as a society comes from the principles found in the Ten Commandments." Opponents, including Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, argue the bill violates the separation of church and state. "I just think if I were giving a speech, I would say it just seems like we're trampling over the freedom of religion by passing your bill," Goodwin said. Also headed to Gov. Abbott's desk is Senate Bill 835, which passed unanimously in the House on Monday morning. The bill bans the use of non-disclosure agreements in civil settlements involving sexual assault victims. Among its supporters is Cindy Clemishire, who has accused former Gateway Church Senior Pastor Robert Morris of sexually abusing her decades ago. The Texas Senate also approved the bill unanimously earlier this month. Lawmakers also approved a bill on Sunday that would ban THC. The legislation now heads to the governor, and unless he vetoes it, the measure would effectively eliminate the $8 billion hemp industry in Texas. Watch "Eye on Politics" at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on CBS News Texas, on air and streaming. Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jackFollow Jack on X: @cbs11jack
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Texas House approves bill requiring Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools
The Texas House of Representatives passed a Republican bill on Sunday requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every schoolroom across the Lone Star State, bringing it a step closer to becoming law. After a week of debate, in which Democrats attempted to introduce amendments enabling individual districts to opt out and to list the commandments in languages other than English, the bill, known as SB 10, was finally voted through by 82 votes to 46. The legislation will next be voted on in the state Senate and, should it pass, will be sent to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for his signature. The Senate waved through an earlier draft in a 20-11 party-line vote. The bill demands that all public elementary and high schools 'display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments,' which must be no smaller than 16 inches by 20 inches and carry the complete text of the decalogue, as emblazoned on the stone tablets held aloft by Moses on Mount Sinai in the Book of Exodus, according to scripture. If it becomes law, all Texas schools will be required to accept any appropriate displays that are privately donated from the 2025/26 academic year onwards. It is not clear what the consequences might be for a headteacher or teacher who refuses to comply. Still, a House committee's analysis concluded that the bill itself 'does not expressly create a criminal offense.' 'By placing the Ten Commandments in our public school classrooms, we ensure our students receive the same foundational moral compass as our state and country's forefathers,' Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said. 'The Ten Commandments are part of our Texas and American story,' said state Senator Phil King, the bill's co-lead author. State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat and a Christian, has opposed it on behalf of the state's non-Christian students by saying simply: 'Forcing our religion down their throats is not love.' Emily Witt of the Texas Freedom Network, which advocates for religious freedom, said the wave of conservative-led legislation across Texas and other southern states is part of a wider 'coordinated strategy' to instill the Bible within public school education. 'The message this sends to kids is that they're being told their religion doesn't matter and isn't as important as this one,' she said. 'We worry that leads to bullying and other-ism – all things in public schools that we try to prevent.' Equivalent bills in Louisiana and Arkansas ordering public displays of the Commandments have been met with legal complaints that could end in the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in 1980 that such mandates were unconstitutional.
