(Talk1370.com) -- The Texas House is moving forward on two key education proposals, after a committee vote Thursday. That and more in your morning headlines for April 4.
Texas House Moves On School Choice: A Texas House committee has given its approval to a bill that would create education savings accounts, along with an increase in the basic allotment the state provides to school districts for each student. A modified version of Senate Bill 2, the upper chamber’s version of school choice, passed the House Committee on Public Education on a 9-6 party line vote; House Bill 2, which adjusts education spending, passed on a 13-2 vote. The committee’s changes to SB 2 include a $1 billion dollar cap for the first two years of the voucher program; the program would also institute other limits on the available funds. The spending package would increase the standard allotment for each student by $395 dollars; it would be the first increase since 2019. Both bills will go to the full House for their consideration; if passed, the two chambers will need to iron out the differences.
Court OKs TEA Accountability Ratings: The Texas Education Agency will be able to release its A-F accountability scores for the 2022-23 school year, after an appeals court ruled in favor of the agency Thursday. Those accountability scores had been the subject of a lawsuit filed by about 100 school districts across the state, including 9 here in Central Texas. The districts argued that TEA unfairly recalibrated its ratings without providing enough notice to districts. TEA says it will work to publish those ratings soon; the agency’s 2023-24 ratings are still subject to a separate lawsuit by a smaller number of districts, with that suit still working its way through the courts.
New Details in HaysCo Tren de Aragua Raid: We’re learning more about those arrests of nearly 50 individuals suspected of having ties to Tren de Aragua gang activity in Hays County earlier this week. A number of agencies, including the FBI, Texas DPS, and the Hays County Sheriff’s Office were part of that operation; federal immigration officials say a total of 47 people were arrested, including 25 adult males, nine adult single females, and four female heads of household with nine children. ICE says everyone arrested was found to be in the country illegally. Narcotics were also seized during that raid, according to the FBI.
Severe Threat Friday Night, Saturday Morning: All of the Austin metro is under a level 2 out of 5 risk for strong to severe thunderstorms later this evening into tonight. Strong winds and large hail will be the biggest threats. A pop-up thunderstorm or two could dampen Friday evening plans, but the bulk of the activity will be along a squall line expected to move through the Hill Country and into the I-35 corridor during the overnight hours. Storms clear by Saturday morning, leaving behind cooler conditions for Saturday and Sunday.