Tag Archives: schools

Feds officially file appeal in transgender bathroom directive lawsuit

Posted on January 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This may be the last stop. With two weeks left, the Obama administration has asked a federal appeals court to throw out a lower court’s decision that suspended policies designed to protect transgender people’s access to restrooms — a sign … Continue reading →

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New school grading system looks pretty harsh

Posted on January 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves. Schools in poor neighborhoods overwhelmingly received the worst grades under Texas’ new rating system — but even typically high-performing districts got C’s and D’s, according to scores that will be released Friday. The “what if” grades show how … Continue reading →

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“Denied”: HISD and special education

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There are problems here as well. Superintendent Richard Carranza announced Thursday that the Houston Independent School District has decided to conduct a detailed review of the way that it serves students with disabilities. The effort will include asking “independent, third-party … Continue reading →

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Who is paying for public education

Posted on December 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The state is paying less, while local districts are paying more. The state of Texas will spend a projected $40.5 billion on public education during the current 2016-17 budget period, and when state officials tell you they’re spending more on … Continue reading →

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Abbott says something about bathrooms

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Typically wishy-washy of him. Gov. Greg Abbott is adopting a wait-and-see approach about anticipated legislation that would prohibit transgender people in Texas from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity. “I have not seen any proposed legislation yet,” … Continue reading →

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It’s just school bathrooms Dan Patrick really cares about

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

So claims a surrogate, who may have been floating a trial balloon. An incoming state senator suggested Thursday that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will focus on schools, not businesses or sporting venues, as he crafts an already controversial proposal to … Continue reading →

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Here’s your chance to give feedback on special education

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The feds are coming to Texas to hear what you have to say about it. The U.S. Department of Education is sending representatives to tour Texas and take comment from school community members on special education, continuing to look at … Continue reading →

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We’re going to be fighting about vaccinations for a while

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I wish it weren’t so, but it is. Texas is one of 18 states that allow non-medical exemptions to the vaccines required for school attendance. California had a similar law allowing non-medical exemptions, until last year when it enacted a law that … Continue reading →

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TEA officially backs off special education limits

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about that. Facing increasing criticism over its special education enrollment benchmark, the Texas Education Agency this week told schools that they must provide services to all eligible students with disabilities and that they will no longer be penalized … Continue reading →

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It’s bill-filing season

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And they’re off. Today is the first day of early filing in the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate may begin filing the bills that will be discussed when the legislature convenes in January 10, 2017. So … Continue reading →

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HISD: Meyers resigns, Lunceford un-resigns

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Round and round we go. HISD Trustee Greg Meyers, who has served on the school board since 2004, has resigned. Meyers, who represents District VI for HISD and also served as board president in 2010, announced Thursday that he will … Continue reading →

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TEA says no more special ed limits

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about that. The Texas Education Agency has agreed to stop auditing school districts that give specialized education to more than 8.5 percent of students, officials announced Wednesday, cheering experts, advocates and lawmakers outraged by the policy. In a … Continue reading →

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Still talking about recapture

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story from Monday adds a bit more to the recapture discussion. As one Houston school board member sees it, the district’s November ballot measure regarding the state-mandated forfeiture of local tax dollars offers no good choice for voters. … Continue reading →

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Another look at the case for HISD recapture

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Dale Craymer taps the brakes on the vote-NO-on-recapture train. Houston Independent School District voters face an unhappy choice this November – vote “YES” or “FOR” on Proposition 1 to authorize the state to recapture roughly $160 million of the school … Continue reading →

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KHSPVA

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That will be the new acronym for the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. After impassioned debate, the Houston school board voted 7-2 Thursday to accept a $7.5 million gift for the district’s renowned arts high school and … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: In case you didn’t hear us the first time

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reiterates its opposition to the HISD recapture referendum. Statewide property taxes are unconstitutional in Texas, but don’t tell that to the legislators in Austin. For decades, the Legislature has been shifting its obligation to fund public education to … Continue reading →

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Feds intervene in Texas special education mess

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The federal government on Monday ordered Texas state officials to eliminate an 8.5 percent benchmark on special education enrollment enforced in the state’s 1,200 school districts unless they can show that it had not kept children with disabilities from … Continue reading →

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Superintendents begin speaking out against special education limits

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The leaders of two of the state’s biggest school districts are calling on the Texas Education Agency to stop penalizing districts for giving specialized education to more kids than the agency has deemed prudent. Superintendents Michael Hinojosa … Continue reading →

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Hey, here’s an idea: Increase funding for public education

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s just crazy talk. Texas House budget and public education leaders said Wednesday that the best way to overhaul the state’s school finance system is to increase the base amount of money it gives to each district per student. While … Continue reading →

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School district to join lawsuit over STAAR test

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Ben Becker, the Houston father who helped organize a legal fight over last year’s STAAR exams, has repeatedly challenged superintendents over the last few months to join him in court to fight for their students. Becker describes his group … Continue reading →

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HISD board members against the HISD ballot item

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I missed this when it first appeared. Three Houston school board members on Thursday evening publicly urged voters to oppose a measure that would authorize the district to forfeit $162 million to the state. Trustees Jolanda Jones, Harvin Moore and … Continue reading →

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TEA will review special ed limits

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Wednesday that his office is reviewing a monitoring system that sets an 8.5 percent benchmark for special education enrollments and strictly audits school districts with enrollments that exceed that rate for … Continue reading →

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Some officials take note of special education funding restrictions

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. The vice chairman of the State Board of Education, a Houston school board member, a key state senator and scores of parents and disability advocates all expressed strong opposition on Monday to a Texas Education Agency performance-based … Continue reading →

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“Denied”

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This is worth your time to read. During the first week of school at Shadow Forest Elementary, a frail kindergartner named Roanin Walker had a meltdown at recess. Overwhelmed by the shrieking and giggling, he hid by the swings and … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s dinner with the Briggle family

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

So he did go, and he managed to behave himself. Lots of preparation led up to the moment, but Amber and Adam Briggle still exchanged nervous looks when their doorbell rang about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. “I was terrified,” Amber Briggle … Continue reading →

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The recapture blues

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

What are you gonna do? At least once a year, an official from a property-wealthy Texas school calls Christy Rome and tells her they’re just not going to do it. They don’t want to send a big chunk of their … Continue reading →

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Paxton encourages schools to discriminate against transgender students

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the ACLU of Texas: [Friday], the ACLU of Texas issued a letter to Texas school districts outlining their ongoing legal responsibility to provide transgender students access to educational opportunities and school facilities on the same basis as all other … Continue reading →

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No injunction against HISD school name changes

Posted on August 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The changes can remain, at least for now. A civil court judge has declined to stop the Houston school district from changing the names of eight campuses that were named after Confederate loyalists. Judge John Wooldridge this week denied a … Continue reading →

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Superintendent Carranza on bathroom access

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This is what I like to see and hear. The new HISD superintendent, Richard Carranza, did not discuss specifics but certainly signaled an open-minded approach to the issue of which restrooms students should be allowed to use. “I think, you … Continue reading →

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STAAR test lawsuit survives motion to dismiss

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

On to trial. After a group of parents sued the Texas Education Agency over the 2016 administration of STAAR exams, state lawyers argued this summer that the parents had no standing and asked the courts to drop the case. This … Continue reading →

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Preliminary injunction granted in transgender bathroom directive case

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. A federal judge in Fort Worth has blocked Obama administration guidelines directing the nation’s public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity. In a 38-page order released Sunday, U.S. … Continue reading →

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Too many kids are not getting vaccinated

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We let this happen, thanks to the fervor of a vocal minority. The number of Texans who exempt their children from vaccination for non-medical reasons rose nearly 9 percent last school year, continuing a now 12-year-long trend that public health … Continue reading →

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Strange HISD referendum to be on the ballot

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This will be weird. Because of the state’s byzantine financing system, HISD will have to either send almost $162 million in local taxpayers’ money to the state or stand by to see some of the district’s most valuable properties assigned … Continue reading →

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“Just Like Every Other Kid”

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the Observer: Texas’ child welfare apparatus is in a shambles. Zika virus threatens to put some of our most vulnerable in danger. Low oil prices have fiscal leaders worried about the future of the state’s budget. State lawmakers are … Continue reading →

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