Month: <span>October 2011</span>

Football fans vote for the classroom

Giving credit where credit is due, I am pleased to report that voters in Allen ISD in North Texas approved an increase in their local school taxes to help rehire some teachers and help the district avoid further classroom cuts. (Actually, the Allen American did the real reporting, and I am passing it on.) I […]

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Job creation? Look at lawsuit, not debate

Although Gov. Rick Perry will be in New Hampshire tonight, bragging (again) about his alleged job creation record in Texas, a less rosy but more realistic view of his commitment to longterm economic growth was spelled out in Austin this morning with the longawaited filing of the latest school finance lawsuit. Perry’s performance in tonight’s […]

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Putting school kids’ health and safety at risk

More than our children’s academic opportunities are jeopardized by the budget cuts forced upon school districts by Gov. Rick Perry and the legislative majority. Our kids’ health and safety also are at risk. Here are two examples coming to my attention. The first involves cafeteria workers in San Antonio ISD, and the second is about […]

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Onefifth of districts seek 221 waivers (Updated)

Teachers and school kids continue to pay the price for the state budget cuts. Approximately 187 school districts, almost onefifth of the state’s total, have applied to the Texas Education Agency for waivers to the 221 class size limit in kindergarten through fourth grade. (An earlier version of this post said 204 districts, but TEA […]

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