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Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need.

Together We Will Triumph

What to Know: Former NFL player Scott Turner, executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, recently appeared on Fox & Friends to call for unity amid violence and unrest. 

The TPPF Take: Much of the nation celebrated the Texas holiday of Juneteenth on Friday which has grown to signify the emancipation of all our African American fellow citizens once held in cruel bondage.

“Juneteenth not only commemorates a triumph in our common past but is also a celebration of our common future,” said TPPF’s Executive Director Kevin Roberts. “Juneteenth is the proper ending of a society divided by caste, race, and inheritance – and the inauguration, however imperfect, of a Texas fulfilling the vision of the American Founders, where ‘all men are created equal.’”
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Open For Business

What to Know: Certain industries are far outpacing others in the rebound from the trough a month or two ago. Jobs in technology, health care, financial services, and consumer packaged goods lead the way.

The TPPF Take: Forty-six states added jobs in May.

“States like Texas and Florida that phased out their shutdowns due to COVID-19 earlier had substantial job creation while states like California and New York that delayed theirs didn’t add nearly as many in total jobs or percent changes,” said TPPF’s Chief Economist Vance Ginn, Ph.D.
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One Student At A Time

What to Know: Texas’ Sweetheart Mattress Mack is opening a tuition-free charter school in the fall that will offer training in automotive, electrical, welding and carpentry fields, along with flexible hours and early graduation.

The TPPF Take: In the wake of COVID-19, the Texas Education Agency has waived a variety of accountability measures for the 2020-21 school year including those for College, Career, and Military Readiness.

“Now is the time for policy makers to look for innovative solutions to improve existing CTE programs and consider if there may be better indications of the programs value to a particular student’s education such as mastery, post-graduation employment, and earnings,” said TPPF’s Erin Davis Valdez. “In a post-COVID climate, effective CTE courses are exponentially more  important for young adults entering the job market and for the continued success of Texas’ economy.”