EDUCATION

‘More stressed, more unsure’: Texas educators start school year under new DEI ban
DALLAS | dei | DFW | DFW Lead Story | DFW TEXED EXCLUSIVE | diversity | EDUCATION | educators | equity | inclusion | SAN ANTONIO | state legislature | TEXAS

Why books shouldn’t be controversial: Welcome to your Texas banned reading list
by Sierra Rozen
bannedbooks | book ban | bookbans | books | censorship | Community | CULTURE | EDUCATION | HARDGATE | TEXAS

VIDEO: Texas graded its public schools. How did yours fare?
| May 1, 2025
Texas public school ratings — which grade how well districts and campuses educate their students and prepare them for the future — were made public for the first time in two years. Results across the state have dropped after the Texas Education Agency implemented stricter scoring standards, and one North Texas school district is at […]

Student loans in default will be sent for collection. Here’s what to know for borrowers
| April 29, 2025
ECONOMY | EDUCATION | education department | HIGHER EDUCATION | old texas | Student Loan Debt | TEXAS | TEXAS ECONOMY | trump
By ADRIANA MORGA and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Starting next month, the Education Department says student loans that are in default will be referred for collections. Roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans and soon could be subject to having their wages garnished. Referrals for collection […]

The number of 18-year-olds is about to drop sharply, packing a wallop for colleges—and the economy
by Stacker
| April 28, 2025
Affordability | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | CULTURE | ECONOMY | EDUCATION | funding | GROWTH | HEALTH | HIGHER EDUCATION | History | JOBS | LABOR | NATIONAL NEWS | national politics | politcal | political | politics | schools | TEXAS
This so-called demographic cliff has been predicted ever since Americans started having fewer babies at the advent of the Great Recession around the end of 2007—a falling birth rate that has not recovered since, except for a slight blip after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

She’s not faking it: How this Texas bill would excuse period pain absences in school
| April 28, 2025
bills | DFW | DFW Lead Story | EDUCATION | EQUALITY | equity | HEALTH | inclusion | lawmakers | old texas | public education | public school | Repro Rights | TEXAS | TEXAS LEGISLATURE | women's health
A Texas bill would excuse school absences for menstrual disorders—advocates say it’s a crucial step toward reproductive health and dignity in schools.

Texas House passes $1 billion school vouchers bill in historic vote
by Matt Hennie
| April 17, 2025
The Texas House passed a $1 billion school voucher bill early Thursday, a measure that provides $10,300 to students to attend private schools.

Fort Worth prioritizes literacy effort as 2 in 3 students cannot read proficiently
| April 16, 2025
Mayor Mattie Parker issued a resolution April 15 declaring literacy as one of the city’s priorities. The document emphasized Fort Worth’s promise to help the 12 school districts serving the city achieve universal grade-level reading among students.

Trump wants to dismantle the Education Department. That could hurt students with disabilities in Texas.
| April 8, 2025
censorship | CHILDCARE | CIVIL RIGHTS | DALLAS | diversity | Donald Trump | EDUCATION | education department | EQUALITY | equity | EXTREMISM | funding | HIGHER EDUCATION | inclusion | lawmakers | laws | national politics | old texas | politcal | political | politics | public education | schools | state legislature | TEXAS | TEXAS POLITICS | trump
In a state with a checkered history with federal special education law, advocates say Texas students will see an erosion of their disability rights protections. As the Trump administration pushes to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, advocates for students with disabilities worry that, without federal oversight, Texas will fail to provide adequate special education services to the children who need them.

Second chance charter: This Texas educator is fighting for high school dropouts
by Joi Louviere
| April 4, 2025
Once a teenager drops out of high school, stigmas often follow. The world has become a more and more unforgiving place for young people, and on top of the unique challenges today’s teens face, financial crises at home and in the public school system leave struggling youth without much support. Fortunately, there’s a North Texas […]

Texas Senate approves ban on DEI, LGBTQ+ clubs in public schools
| April 4, 2025
dei | DFW | diversity | EDUCATION | equity | greg abbott | inclusion | public schools | TEXAS | Texas Lead Story | trump
The Senate approved SB 12 in a 20-11 party-line vote on March 19. It’s now headed to the Texas House for consideration. The bill bans the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation, creates an avenue for parents to file complaints about violations, and requires districts to create policies for disciplining employees who engage in DEI-related tasks.

What Trump’s dismantling of the US Education Department means for Texas
| March 27, 2025
DFW | DFW TEXED EXCLUSIVE | EDUCATION | education department | musk | old texas | TEXAS | Texas Lead Story | trump
The Trump administration's plans to close the US Education Department — which provides $3.6 billion to Texas schools — has left public school advocates decrying it as "embarrassing, maddening, and saddening."

Texas A&M can’t ban “Draggieland” drag show, federal judge rules
| March 24, 2025
censorship | CIVIL RIGHTS | COLLEGE STUDENTS | CULTURE | Donald Trump | EQUALITY | LGBTQ | politcal | political | politics | state legislature | TEXAS | Texas Lead Story | TEXAS LEGISLATURE | TEXAS POLITICS | trump
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Texas A&M University System from enforcing a ban on drag shows being held at its special event venues. Judge Lee H. Rosenthal said the student group that organizes Draggieland, the Queer Empowerment Council, was likely to succeed in showing the ban violates the First Amendment.

These librarians won’t let America’s fever hit Fahrenheit 451
| March 20, 2025
bannedbooks | bookbans | books | CIVIC ENGAGEMENT | CIVIL RIGHTS | Community | CULTURE | EQUALITY | History | libraries | library | LITERATURE | national politics | old texas | politcal | political | politics | public education | schools | TEXAS | TEXAS POLITICS
A new documentary shows us our local guardians of intellectual freedom in battle.