McAllen Independent School District spent $20 million earlier this fall to purchase iPads for every student and teacher. That district is just the latest ISD using more technology. Irving ISD has provided laptops to all high school students for about a decade, the Dallas Morning News reports. Katy ISD installed WiFI on all campuses.
The Texas Office of Attorney General processes thousands of requests each year by local governments or other public entities to keep records private. There were 9,926 alone between January and June. These requests are tied to an area of the open records law where elected or appointed officials want the OAG Open Records Division to clarify what must be public and what remains private.
Fresh off of voters approving a $158.5 million bond issue in Lake Travis ISD, district trustees unanimously approved the contract for new superintendent Brad Lancaster on Thursday.
The unfunded liability for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas rose to $24.1 billion in fiscal year 2011.It was $22.9 billion at the end of fiscal year 2010. This data comes from the new TRS Actuarial Valuation Report for the year ending August 31, 2011. Irving-based Gabriel Roeder Smith & Co. compiled the report for TRS leaders.
The Super Committee’s failure to cut more than a trillion dollars underscores the federal government’s financial mess. The state of Texas has billions of dollars in debt, more than $280 billion if one accepts the findings from a recent study. Local governments in Texas receive less attention, but recent trends show they are deeper in rd ink deeper red ink.
Most people don’t get excited about bond ratings unless they work in the financial services industry or they are an investor. However, bond ratings are crucial because the lower the bond rating the more it will cost to pay off the bonds. When any public entity finances something with short-term or long-term debt, the credit rating agencies — Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch — assign a bond rating, with AAA being the best score.
The Texas Education Agency has received more than 6,900 requests for class-size waivers in secti
It never ceases to amaze what lengths elected officials will go to get what they want.
Texas received a better than average score of B- today from the transparency non-profit organization Sunshine Review. Sunshine Review awarded the grade for details about state government at texasonline.com.
More companies pull out of deal to bring jobs to Texas or alter deals By KELLEY SHANNON Special Contributor Published: 29 October 2011 11:12 PM AUSTIN — Four companies pulled out of their Texas Enterprise Fund contracts in the past year, and three others changed their agreements as Gov. Rick Perry embarked on a presidential run based on his job creation record.
It served as a moment of irony and humor. It occurred Monday evening during the Corpus Christi Independent School District board meeting. CCISD has been the focus of much recent controversy. A large complaint is now before the Texas Education Agency regarding the board’s hiring of the architect-engineering team for the new middle school.
The investigation in the School Finance Division at the Texas Education Agency will make a significant statement on accountability that awaits Corpus Christi Independent School District. It would seem something must be done in light of the controversy that has arisen this summer in CCISD.
