EDUCATION

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Wendy Davis shows her book "Forgetting to be Afraid" at Book People on September 11th, 2014
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Wendy Davis shows her book "Forgetting to be Afraid" at Book People on September 11th, 2014

The Brief: Nov. 13, 2014

Wendy Davis' rout was foretold by a couple of Democratic strategists who despaired nearly a year ago over the direction in which the Democratic gubernatorial candidate was taking her campaign.

University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers spoke on June 24, 2013, about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Fisher v. UT-Austin.
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers spoke on June 24, 2013, about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Fisher v. UT-Austin.

Appeals Court Denies Request to Rehear Fisher v. UT

Abigail Fisher's case against the University of Texas at Austin over the consideration of race in admissions for students not admitted through the state's top 10 percent law was dealt another blow on Wednesday.

The Brief: Nov. 13, 2014

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Wendy Davis shows her book "Forgetting to be Afraid" at Book People on September 11th, 2014
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Wendy Davis shows her book "Forgetting to be Afraid" at Book People on September 11th, 2014

Wendy Davis' rout was foretold by a couple of Democratic strategists who despaired nearly a year ago over the direction in which the Democratic gubernatorial candidate was taking her campaign.

Appeals Court Denies Request to Rehear Fisher v. UT

University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers spoke on June 24, 2013, about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Fisher v. UT-Austin.
Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
University of Texas at Austin President Bill Powers spoke on June 24, 2013, about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Fisher v. UT-Austin.

Abigail Fisher's case against the University of Texas at Austin over the consideration of race in admissions for students not admitted through the state's top 10 percent law was dealt another blow on Wednesday.

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The Brief: Nov. 11, 2014

Newly-elected state Rep. David Simpson at the head of the line to prefile bills on Nov. 8, 2010.
Enlarge photo by: Elise Hu
Newly-elected state Rep. David Simpson at the head of the line to prefile bills on Nov. 8, 2010.

Lawmakers filed 365 bills and joint resolutions on Monday, the first day they could pre-file legislation for the upcoming legislative session.

Details Yet to Emerge in Patrick's Tax Proposal

Dan Patrick, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, is shown at the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth on June 7, 2014.
Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich
Dan Patrick, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, is shown at the Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth on June 7, 2014.

Dan Patrick, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, has made clear that he wants to lower property taxes. What he has left unclear — both to voters and to prominent business groups that have endorsed him — is exactly how he'll do that.

Lawmakers Exploring Ways to Remove Graduation Hurdles

Students in Yvonne McDaniel's English for Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL, class participated in English-language exercises during summer school at McCallum High School in Austin on July 31, 2013.
Enlarge photo by: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez
Students in Yvonne McDaniel's English for Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL, class participated in English-language exercises during summer school at McCallum High School in Austin on July 31, 2013.

If roughly 47,000 high school seniors in December fail to pass the state exams required to earn a diploma, their last shot at graduating with their peers in the Class of 2015 may depend on the quick movement of state lawmakers.

The Brief: Oct. 15, 2014

Enlarge photo by: Katie Harbath

Tuesday turned into a topsy turvy day in the federal courts for the state of Texas with the voter ID law conserved for the Nov. 4 general election but a new delay placed on enforcing the new abortion law.

The Houston Endowment Inc., the Lumina Foundation, and the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation have supported higher education coverage at The Texas Tribune. The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, RGK Foundation, Burdine Johnson Foundation, and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation have supported public education coverage at The Texas Tribune.

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The Brief: Oct. 27, 2014

A Texas Parks and Wildlife Warden stands next to a 30 caliber rifle as he patrols the Rio Grand on the U.S.-Mexico border , Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Mission, Texas. Texas is spending $1.3 million a week for a bigger DPS presence along the border.
Enlarge photo by: Eric Gay / AP Pool Photo
A Texas Parks and Wildlife Warden stands next to a 30 caliber rifle as he patrols the Rio Grand on the U.S.-Mexico border , Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Mission, Texas. Texas is spending $1.3 million a week for a bigger DPS presence along the border.

Border security and immigration top the list of concerns in Texas, according to the most recent University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

Texas Takes Last Pass at Social Studies Textbooks

State Board of Education members work their way through proposed revisions to social studies textbooks at a meeting with publishers in Austin on Monday, October 20, 2014.
Enlarge photo by: Martin do Nascimento
State Board of Education members work their way through proposed revisions to social studies textbooks at a meeting with publishers in Austin on Monday, October 20, 2014.

In a month, the State Board of Education will take a final vote on the social studies textbooks that will be used in the state's public schools for the next eight years. 

Schools Face Fears of Ebola, Drop in Attendance

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of filamentous Ebola virus particles (red) attached and budding from a chronically infected VERO E6 cell (blue) (25,000x magnification).
Enlarge photo by: NAID
Colorized scanning electron micrograph of filamentous Ebola virus particles (red) attached and budding from a chronically infected VERO E6 cell (blue) (25,000x magnification).

Though Texas schools are relying on the guidance of health officials to determine the level of risk to their communities, they are making decisions like whether to cancel classes, give notice to parents, or change health screening policies largely on their own.

UT Looking to Make More of Massive Online Courses

University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber discusses the next steps for his Energy 101 massive open online course during a meeting with the design team at UT-Austin on Oct. 13, 2014.
Enlarge photo by: Charlie Pearce
University of Texas at Austin professor Michael Webber discusses the next steps for his Energy 101 massive open online course during a meeting with the design team at UT-Austin on Oct. 13, 2014.

At the University of Texas System, "massive open online courses" are being reimagined. University leaders believe that the shift will provide them with a more effective tool in meeting their goals.