STAAR Report Card

Temporary Assistance for Two-Parent Families in Texas: Reorienting TANF Toward Integral Human Development and Flourishing

Temporary Assistance for Two-Parent Families in Texas: Reorienting TANF Toward Integral Human Development and Flourishing   Key points: TANF was designed to promote two-parent family stability, but current implementation in Texas diverts funds away from this core purpose. Strong empirical evidence shows that children in two-parent households experience better educational, economic, and behavioral outcomes. Texas TANF...

These 12 Small & Mid-Sized Cities and Counties are Threatening Huge Tax Hikes

Many small and mid-sized cities and counties are right now considering tax rates that, if ultimately adopted, will result in homeowners paying higher taxes. In some cases, those threatened tax hikes are dramatic.   To better understand which Texas taxpayers are in the danger zone, I recently surveyed numerous Notices of Public Hearing on Tax Increase,...

Going Medieval on Education Technology

Going Medieval on Education Technology  Key points: Texas schools have acquired millions of one-to-one devices for use as educational technology. These devices are used for instruction, practice, assessment, and independent study. Significant evidence suggests that using screens reduces students’ reading ability, and the evidence for other subjects is mixed. Exposure to screens also risks harm...