The Texas Tribune: Pavan Acharyahttps://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/pavan-acharya/The latest news by Pavan Acharya.enThu, 20 Feb 2025 13:59:21 -0600Texas House wants to give public schools $220 more per studenthttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/20/texas-house-public-school-funding/The proposal, filed Thursday, comes well short of the increase school administrators and education advocates have been asking for.By Pavan AcharyaThu, 20 Feb 2025 13:59:21 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/20/texas-house-public-school-funding/A Texas House bill filed Thursday would increase the base amount public schools receive in state funding from $6,160 per pupil to $6,380.Nimitz Middle School students take part in a class activity Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneLarge earthquake strikes West Texas, among strongest ever in statehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/15/texas-west-earthquake-magnitude/The 5.0 magnitude earthquake is tied for the sixth strongest in state history. Scientists have warned for years that increased fracking in West Texas is causing higher earthquake activity.By Pavan AcharyaSat, 15 Feb 2025 13:58:36 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/15/texas-west-earthquake-magnitude/A fracking site in Pecos County on Feb. 4, 2023.A drilling rig in Pecos County on Feb. 4, 2023.Pu Ying Huang/The Texas TribuneIn quest to infuse more religion into Texas schools, advocates say courts are now on their sidehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-ten-commandments-school-prayer/Past efforts to allow more religion in public schools have been hamstrung by legal challenges. But those on the religious right feel empowered by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions.By Pavan Acharya and Robert DownenWed, 12 Feb 2025 12:48:44 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-ten-commandments-school-prayer/A Bible sits on a representative's desk on the House floor of the state Capitol in Austin on Jan 10, 2023.A christian bible sits on a representatives desk on the house floor on first day of the 88th legislature, Jan 10, 2023.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneLegislature considers paying much more for school safetyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/10/school-safety-armed-guard-texas-legislature/Texas law requires an armed officer at each school. Districts are asking lawmakers to pay the full yearly cost, which they say is $100 per student.By Pavan AcharyaMon, 10 Feb 2025 14:42:33 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/10/school-safety-armed-guard-texas-legislature/Officers test classroom doors and patrol an elementary school in Uvalde on the first day of classes in September 2022. How to pay the cost of armed guards at schools is on the agenda for Texas lawmakers.Two DPS officers test classroom doors and patrol the campus at Dalton Elementary School on the first day of school in Uvalde on Sept. 6, 2022.Evan L'Roy/The Texas TribuneMeasles outbreak in West Texas worsenshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/08/measles-west-texas-vaccine-outbreak/Most of the infections have shown up in Gaines County. Texas health officials have consistently said that vaccination is the best way for people to avoid the highly contagious airborne disease.By Pavan AcharyaSat, 08 Feb 2025 11:09:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/08/measles-west-texas-vaccine-outbreak/The Texas health department reported the number of measles cases in Gaines County in West Texas is now 10. Most are children and all were unvaccinated.An empty emergency room at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on August 3, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneHealth care access and economic insecurity top a list of challenges for Texas childrenhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/06/texas-children-health-care-gaps/A San Antonio panel discussed the results of a new survey on the well-being of Texas children Thursday and proposed solutions to the state’s ongoing challenges.By Pavan AcharyaThu, 06 Feb 2025 14:51:28 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/06/texas-children-health-care-gaps/According to the 2024 Texas Kids Count Data Book that was released Thursday, about 2.9 million Texas children live in households that are above the poverty line but earn below what would be considered a living wage.A student walks down the hallway at Cactus Elementary School in Cactus on Jan. 28, 2020.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneQuantum computing leaders push to make Texas the field’s “center of gravity”https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-technology-quantum-computing/Proponents say the technology can improve cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and pharmaceutical development.By Pavan AcharyaWed, 05 Feb 2025 15:43:35 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-technology-quantum-computing/Absenteeism spiked in the pandemic. Texas schools want the state’s help to keep students in the classroom.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-schools-chronic-absenteeism/Chronically absent students — those who missed at least 10% of their school days — are more likely to drop out, education advocates say.By Pavan AcharyaTue, 04 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/04/texas-schools-chronic-absenteeism/A student who misses 10% of the days in a school year -- enough to be considered chronically absent -- will lose opportunities for counseling and will have an increased risk of educational issues.Nimitz Middle School students gather in the hallway outside of a classroom as they wait for a teacher between periods Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneTrump orders tariffs on Mexico and Canada — Texas’ biggest trading partnershttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/01/trump-tariffs-texas-mexico/The tariffs, which also target China, are scheduled to go into effect Tuesday. They prompted immediate efforts to retaliate.By Pavan AcharyaSat, 01 Feb 2025 17:48:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/01/trump-tariffs-texas-mexico/A line of trucks wait to cross the World Trade Bridge over the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States in Laredo, on Sept. 16, 2020.A line of trucks wait to cross the World Trade Bridge over the Rio Grande from Mexico into the United States in Laredo, on Sept. 16, 2020.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas TribuneCenterPoint Energy settles rate case, will lower power costs for customershttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/30/texas-centerpoint-energy-lowers-power-costs-hurricane-beryl/Houston’s main electrical company backed off plans to raise rates after facing sharp criticism for its response to massive power outages after Hurricane Beryl.By Pavan AcharyaThu, 30 Jan 2025 12:12:14 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/30/texas-centerpoint-energy-lowers-power-costs-hurricane-beryl/Utility trucks line up, preparing to repair power outages after Hurricane Beryl struck Houston in July 2024.Electric trucks line up to provide support with major power outages after Hurricane Beryl in Houston, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.Joseph Bui for The Texas TribuneGreg Abbott orders state agencies to cooperate with Trump’s deportation effortshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-greg-abbott-order-state-agencies-trump-deportation/The move comes just days after federal agents launched immigration operations in various Texas cities.By Pavan AcharyaWed, 29 Jan 2025 15:31:48 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-greg-abbott-order-state-agencies-trump-deportation/Gov. Greg Abbott issued executive orders Wednesday directing state agencies to help with President Trump's push to deport undocumented immigrants.Governor Greg Abbott spaks about school choice in Texas during a visit to the private school Kingdom Life Academy, on Wednesday November 6, 2024, in Tyler.Michael Cavazos for The Texas TribuneTexas Senate’s voucher proposal would give families $10,000 to fund students’ private schoolhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/24/texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers-education-savings-accounts/Senate Bill 2 starts a new debate on a school voucher program in Texas. A funding proposal would allow up to 100,000 K-12 students who want to enroll to a private school to participate.By Jaden Edison and Pavan AcharyaFri, 24 Jan 2025 11:06:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/24/texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers-education-savings-accounts/The Texas Senate filed on Friday its priority bill to create a voucher-like program known as education savings accounts.Students in Mrs. Hogan's kindergarten class on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Elementary. Sept. 8, 2020 in Highland Village.Shelby Tauber for The Texas TribuneTexas should close prisons and jails with staffing challenges, state oversight panel sayshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/texas-sunset-commission-prisons-jails-tdcj/A report found up to 70% of guard positions were unfilled at some prisons. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a 26% staff turnover rate.By Pavan AcharyaWed, 15 Jan 2025 11:16:31 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/15/texas-sunset-commission-prisons-jails-tdcj/The Polunsky Unit on Jan. 31, 2024. The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission recommended Wednesday for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to close some correctional facilities with staffing challenges.The Polunsky Unit on Jan. 31, 2024. The Livingston prison is where men on death row are housed, but they are executed at the prison in Huntsville, about 40 miles away.Maria Crane/The Texas TribuneWhen is a business to blame for over-serving? Texas Supreme Court weighs the line in drunk driving casehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/13/texas-supreme-court-drunk-driving/The court’s ruling could boost a state law that allows drunk driving victims to sue businesses that over-serve alcohol to intoxicated individuals.By Pavan AcharyaMon, 13 Jan 2025 16:00:18 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/13/texas-supreme-court-drunk-driving/The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneMeta to move content moderators to Texas as part of plan to end fact-checking programhttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/07/texas-meta-content-moderators-fact-checking/The tech giant’s decision to end the program comes as CEO Mark Zuckerberg seeks to mend ties with the incoming Trump administration.By Pavan AcharyaTue, 07 Jan 2025 12:27:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/07/texas-meta-content-moderators-fact-checking/