High Demand
What to know: Texas families are flocking to apply for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFAs), with more than 42,000 students applying on just the first day alone, and now more than 100,000 total.
The TPPF take: Texas families are eager for school choice.
“The sheer volume of applications in such a short period shows many Texas parents feel constrained by the options offered in the current public school system and are eager for alternatives,” says TPPF’s Brian Phillips. “That urgency reflects frustrations on multiple fronts, from class sizes and academic rigor to disciplinary culture and school safety. Given this demand, it’s highly likely that the Texas Legislature will need to revisit TEFA funding and enrollment limits when lawmakers convene next year.”
For more on TEFA’s, click here.
Down on The Farm
What to know: America’s farmers are aging, and many are finding that their children don’t want to take on the family business.
The TPPF take: America’s—and Texas’—rural regions are being hollowed out by demographic and economic shifts.
“People continue to flock to Texas—just not to the rural areas, at least not in numbers large enough to offset losses,” says TPPF’s Roy Maynard. “Texas’ population is projected to increase more than 70% from 2020 to 2070, from 29.5 million Texans to more than 50 million. But between 2023 and 2024, 65 Texas counties—about 25%—lost residents. According to the Texas Demographic Center, the Lone Star State has 181 counties considered rural; of these, 88 lost population between 2020 and 2024.”
For more on rural regions, click here.
Fix the Grid
What to know: The Houston Chronicle wants to know if the Texas electric grid has been fixed, five years after Winter Storm Uri.
The TPPF take: While many problems with the grid have been fixed, the increasing reliance on solar and energy storage to meet demand growth is making Texas more vulnerable to winter storms.
Texas needs two approaches: market reforms that let reliable generation compete on a level playing field with subsidized intermittent resources, and policies ensuring large flexible loads help absorb demand volatility rather than amplify it,” says TPPF’s Brent Bennett. “Only by addressing both supply and demand can the ERCOT grid be positioned to withstand the next winter storm without leaving Texans in the dark.”
For more on the grid, click here.