School board president, lawmaker clash over funding
Spring Branch ISD Board President Chris Earnest sharpened criticism against his State Senator, Paul Bettencourt. Tuesday night (Feb. 27, 2024) Bettencourt posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) sharing a recent opinion piece from the districtโs former superintendent questioning the districtโs recent funding shortfall.
Battle over sports betting intensifies in Austin with bipartisan push
A competitive match-up in Austin is heating up around mobile sports betting in Texas.The business of sports betting through a mobile device in the Lone Star State has been viewed as an underdog by many, but it is very much alive according to key players in Austin.
After Uvalde massacre, state lawmaker eyeing how schools address truancy
The Robb Elementary School shooter had hundreds of unexcused absences, and a House investigative report noted it was unclear whether any attempts were made by the school district to find out what was happening in the teenโs life before he was involuntarily withdrawn.
Bettencourt: Uvalde classroom door unlocked during rampage; law enforcement didnโt try to see if it would open
On Monday, the state House committee investigating the response to the mass murders at Robb Elementary will hear testimony from responding law enforcement officers. It is the third day of testimony in Uvalde.
Texas voters will decide whether to lower their property tax payments after Legislature completes last-minute Hail Mary
If voters approve the measure next year, it will raise the stateโs homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000 for school district property taxes, netting the average homeowner about $176 in savings.
Power failure: Texas Senators take โfirst step toward reformโ
HOUSTON โ After two days and two hearings, Texas state senators and representatives will begin deciding how to reform the embattled Electric Reliability Council of Texas, ERCOT, which manages the flow of electricity across our state. Magness testified ERCOT is asking each of the 185 power plants that went down during the storm to provide specific reasons for the outages. Nye testified his list did include natural gas facilities, but he learned during the storm his list was not the most current. Garland Power and Light COO Tom Hancock told state senators the company invested in a robust winterization effort following the 2011 winter storm that caused similar problems in Texas. Hancock said as a result none of the natural gas facilities in their territory went offline.
State senator files bill calling for legal action in connection with secret art collection inside Harris County shed
Fridayโs announcement of proposed Senate Bill 252 comes after Channel 2 Investigates first exposed secret massive art collection being warehoused on the taxpayersโ dime, โLegally what this bill means is that I donโt think that what Precinct One Commissioner is doing is legal. I donโt think you can take a private Art collection, house it, spend public money, do private tours, I donโt think that is the right thing under the Texas Code,โ said Bettencourt. The state senator out of District 7 doesnโt believe the actions taken by Ellis and his office is legal. Bettencourt said this bill is to ensure accountability at the state level if the Oggโs office does nothing. Bettencourt indicated he cannot speak to federal operations, but he can speak to the state and its laws.
42% of HISD students failing one or more classes amid COVID-19 pandemic
Students in the Houston Independent School District -- the stateโs largest school system -- are struggling academically and struggling far more than normal. Itโs survival mode.โIn a statement to KPRC 2, HISD confirmed that 42% of their students failed one or more classes in the first grading period of the fall, which was six weeks long. That grading period was nine weeks long and all in-person instruction. โAdditionally, to support students who are facing academic challenges, interventions are in place during the school day. Also, high school students can attend virtual online classes for credit recovery.โSen. Paul Bettencourt, a known critic of the school board, believes any solution needs to be hyper-focused on the students.
New statewide โDo Not Hire Registryโ shows teachers whoโve had inappropriate relationships with students
Schools across the state now have access to a list of teachers who have crossed the line with students in the past. The Texas Education Agency rolled out the โDo Not Hire Registryโ this week which serves as a database for employers. Also, it created a registry of individuals who are not eligible for hire in a Texas public school based on misconduct or criminal history. In 2017 the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 7 which addressed inappropriate teacher student relationships and added more penalties. This piece of legislation, Senate Bill 1256 was amended to Senate Bill 3 and cost about $1.7 million.