|
 |
MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
Subscribe to the daily email here
THURSDAY || 5/29/2025
Good Thursday evening.
Thank you for reading as a FREE subscriber.
» Become a PAID subscriber here for $7/mo or $70/yr and SAVE TIME and be BETTER INFORMED.
“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
AUSTIN NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
Are you one of the 100,000+ subscribers to ATX Pulse, a newsletter that delivers EVERYTHING you NEED TO KNOW about Austin?
 |
Subscriptions are $5/mo, $50/yr or $199/lifetime here: ATXpulsepremium.com.
> Read the most recent FREE subscriber email here.
> Become a PAID subscriber for $5/mo or $50/yr here.
#TXLEGE
“Texas Legislature approves $8.5 billion boost for public schools after years of stagnant funding,” Texas Tribune's Jaden Edison – “The Texas House on Thursday gave the final stamp of approval to legislation authorizing roughly $8.5 billion in funding for public schools, sending the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk where it is soon expected to become law.
Final passage of House Bill 2, which will give schools additional money for teacher and staff salaries, educator preparation, special education, safety requirements and early childhood learning, comes on the heels of extensive negotiations between the House and Senate over how the final version of the bill would look.
Abbott has already said he intends to sign the bill, a notable difference from two years ago when he and the Legislature withheld billions from public schools following a failed attempt to create a private school voucher program. This year, lawmakers vowed to approve vouchers and new public school funding in tandem. The Legislature finalized the education finance package on a 122-13 vote nearly a month after vouchers officially became law.
The new dollars in HB 2 will allow school districts to begin making a dent in some of their long-standing challenges — a laundry list of items that includes reversing budget deficits, providing raises to full-time employees and keeping up with rising operational costs.
Before the legislation’s final passage on Thursday, Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, raised questions about the bill, underscoring that public schools’ dire situation is partly the result of stagnant funding since 2019, the year lawmakers last raised schools’ base dollars and passed a comprehensive education finance package.
He sought to have Republican Rep. Brad Buckley of Salado, the bill sponsor, answer why the Republican-led Legislature has not passed major school funding legislation since then, including last session when the state had a historic $32.7 billion budget surplus at its disposal.
The House public education chair only had a few moments to answer the question before lawmakers’ speaking time expired, but his response instead focused on HB 2’s investments in the basic costs of running a school and paying teachers what they deserve.
HB 2 will provide districts with a $55 per-student increase to their base funding — a number short of the $395 per student hike proposed by the House earlier in the session and far less than the roughly $1,300 school officials said they needed to keep up with inflation. That base funding, known as the basic allotment, provides districts the most flexibility to address the range of needs on their campuses, from salaries and maintenance to instructional materials and athletics.
The bill raises educator pay, which represents more than $4 billion of the proposal’s overall funding. To do so, it dictates:
> Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with 5,000 or fewer students will receive a $4,000 raise, while those with five or more years of teaching on their resume will earn $8,000.
> Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with more than 5,000 students will earn a $2,500 raise, while those with five or more years of experience will receive $5,000.
HB 2 also includes funding for an expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state program that awards raises to educators who demonstrate that they have improved their students’ academic outcomes — currently about 6% of teachers.
In place of a significant boost to the basic allotment, the bill will give districts $45 per student that they can only use to increase the salaries of school counselors, librarians, nurses and other support staff. The bill also grants schools $106 per student to pay costs associated with transportation, insurance, utilities and hiring retired educators, which has become more common as schools struggle to fill teacher vacancies.
Furthermore, the legislation will overhaul Texas’ special education funding system to account for the individual needs of each student; establish a compensation system for educator preparation and mentorship programs; set aside money for schools to better identify learning difficulties among the state’s youngest students and fund prekindergarten services; and increase the money districts receive for safety upgrades." Texas Tribune
#TXLEGE
“Stricter bail rules win final passage in Texas Legislature, will go to voters in November” Texas Tribune
“Here’s how Abbott’s choice on a THC ban could split Texas Republicans” Hou Chron ($)
“Proposals to give state AG more power head to Gov. Greg Abbott” DMN ($)
STATE GOVERNMENT
“Top deputies to Attorney General Ken Paxton pushed out over sexual harassment allegations, lawsuit says” Texas Tribune
TEXANS IN DC
“Senate Republicans plan hearing on Biden's alleged cognitive decline cover-up” Fox News
Ted Cruz guest column: “Senate Republicans plan hearing on Biden's alleged cognitive decline cover-up” Wash Post
BUSINESS NEWS
“Energy Department cancels $3 billion solar loan guarantee with Houston-based Sunnova Energy” Hou Chron ($)
“S&P, Moody’s downgrade San Antonio’s USAA over banking woes” SAEN ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Texas poised to add $100 million to child care scholarship program" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas just defined man and woman. Here’s why that matters." TX TRIB
> FWST: "Texas set to require Ten Commandments be on display in every school classroom" FWST
> TX TRIB: "A bill to air-condition all Texas prisons likely to fail again in the Senate" TX TRIB
> DMN: "Southern Dallas hotel site could become fire station instead of planned homeless housing" DMN
> DMN: "Bill endorsed by Dallas PD would’ve sealed unsustained cop misconduct records from public" DMN
> AAS: "With added protections, Texas House passes 'Campus Protection Act' to regulate free speech" AAS
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Texas Senate votes to expand medical cannabis program; THC ban sent to governor" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> THE TEXAN: "Amid Public Pressure to Veto THC Ban, Patrick Says He’s Not ‘Worried’ About Abbott" THE TEXAN
> MRT: "Texas bill sets 15-year limit for inactive oil and gas wells" MRT
> TPR: "Texas Senate votes to end STAAR, shield school ratings from lawsuits" TPR
> AAS: "Texas Legislature OKs expansion of medical marijuana program as THC ban heads to Abbott" AAS
> AAS: "Abortion pill crackdown, voting restrictions and trans 'bathroom bill' die in Texas House" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "Ban on ‘Red Flag’ Extreme Risk Protection Orders Heads to Abbott’s Desk" THE TEXAN
> THE TEXAN: "Texas Medical Cannabis 'Compassionate Use Program' Expansion Bill Passes Senate" THE TEXAN
> AAS: "Down to the wire: Key highlights from Texas' legislative session with one week to go" AAS
> THE TEXAN: "Automatic Denial of Bail for Certain Violent Crimes Narrowly Fails in Texas House" THE TEXAN
> MY RGV: "It’s not over: Starbase control of beaches still possible" MY RGV
> AAS: "Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick holds press conference on importance of Texas THC ban, see photos" AAS
> TPR: "Texas bill banning local governments from holding gun buyback events on verge of becoming law" TPR
> SA REPORT: "Early voting for San Antonio’s runoff election has started" SA REPORT
> THE TEXAN: "Tarrant County-Area Officials Join to Oppose Redistricting Process" THE TEXAN
> TPR: "Bexar County commissioners warned budget deficit is possible in 2027" TPR
> FWST: "Suspect in 2019 Arlington murder arrested after DNA sample matched, police say" FWST
> DMN: "Trophy Club Byron Nelson football coach Travis Pride dies unexpectedly" DMN
> FWST: "Fatal Grapevine Lake jet ski hit-and-run was a ‘horrific scene’" FWST
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports scores:
> MLB: Oakland at Houston
> MLS: Dallas at Cincinnati (Apple TV)
> MLS: Houston at New York (Apple TV)
> MLB: Toronto at Texas
> MLS: Salt Lake at Austin (Apple TV)
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 7pm: NHL: Edmonton at Dallas (3-1) (ESPN)
> 7pm: WNBA: Dallas at Chicago
> 7:10pm: MLB: Tampa at Houston
Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
> 7:05pm: MLB: St. Louis at Texas
> 7:10pm: MLB: Tampa at Houston
DALLAS STARS: Sherrington: "With the Stars’ backs to the wall, it’s time for Dallas to stop playing nice" DMN ($)
TEXAS SOFTBALL: “Texas opens Women's College World Series with win over Florida and faces Oklahoma next" Hou Chron ($)
TEXAS BASEBALL: "Why Texas' Max Belyeu and Ruger Riojas may loom large in 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament" AAS ($)
TEXAS RANGERS: “Corey Seager is reinstated by Texas Rangers after shortstop’s second IL stint this season" AP
HOUSTON ASTROS: “Houston's Yordan Alvarez takes batting practice and 'should be coming back soon' from hand injury” Hou Chron ($)
HOUSTON TEXANS: “C.J. Stroud limited, Christian Harris out and a possible key player emerges at Texans OTAs" Hou Chron ($)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Mavs CEO holds firm on new arena, entertainment district in Dallas" DMN ($)
| ||||||||||
