Latest News
TCTA responds to Speaker Phelan's interim charges for the House Public Education Committee
By Lone Star Standard | May 24, 2024
Dade Phelan, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, has released his list of interim charges for committees to consider before the start of the next session. His list was published in a press release on May 16.
Raise Your Hand Texas announces departure of executive director Dr. Michelle Smith
By Lone Star Standard | May 23, 2024
Austin, Texas (May 22, 2024) – Raise Your Hand Texas today announced that its executive director, Dr. Michelle Smith, has chosen to leave the organization to pursue new leadership opportunities as a public education advocate. Dr. Smith will serve as a special advisor to the organization in a consultative role beginning in June.
Bumgarner invites Denton County students to apply for Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program
By Lone Star Standard | May 11, 2024
Texas State Representative Ben Bumgarner (R-House District 63) has extended an invitation to students in Denton County to apply for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program (TASSP). The program offers eligible students the opportunity to receive up to $15,000 for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Apply to Join the 2024-25 TPAC by May 24
By Lone Star Standard | May 2, 2024
The Texas Public Accountability Consortium (TPAC) is calling on superintendents to join their district-led network in an effort to transform Texas' A-F accountability system into a Community-Based Accountability System. The application deadline for the 2024-25 TPAC is May 24th.According to the announcement, the upcoming TPAC events for 2024-25 are still being developed by the TPAC Design Team. These events will focus on the needs of school leaders while upholding the principles outlined in the TASA visioning document, "Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas."...
Celebrate Lone Star Día with New Bilingual Storytime Videos from Texas Center for the Book
By Lone Star Standard | May 1, 2024
Austin, TX – The Texas Center for the Book is excited to announce the release of three new bilingual story time videos in celebration of Lone Star Día. These videos feature engaging English/Spanish picture books that are perfect for children from toddlers to second grade students, aimed at enhancing word comprehension in both languages.Carmen Lazo, Children’s Community Program Administrator at Pflugerville Public Library, guides viewers through the pages of the books in the videos. The featured books include "I’m Hungry!/¡Tengo Hambre!" by Angela Dominguez, "Let’s Be...
Texas Historical Records Advisory Board Invites Nominations for 2024 Archival Awards
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 24, 2024
Austin, TX - The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) has announced the opening of nominations for their 2024 archival awards. The awards aim to honor archival institutions, programs, and individuals in Texas for their contributions to the profession. Nominations are being accepted until June 20, with the recipients set to be revealed in October during Texas Archives Month.According to THRAB, the awards are divided into three categories: excellence, advocacy, and distinguished service. The Archival Award of Excellence recognizes those who have made significant...
Texas Restaurant Foundation chair: We partner with the re-entry and integration program so incarcerated individuals ‘can have that second chance hiring'
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 16, 2024
Russell Woodward, chair of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, said they collaborate with educational institutions and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to provide culinary and hospitality training for formerly incarcerated individuals, fostering second-chance hiring opportunities. Woodward was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
Texas Restaurant Foundation chair: The teachers participating in our training program are ‘one important piece of our workforce’
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 15, 2024
Russell Woodward, chair of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, said that their annual ProStart Educators Training Conference is pivotal for workforce training objectives, gathering a hundred teachers for hands-on programs. Woodward was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
A variety of THECB programs aim to alleviate nursing shortage in Texas
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 14, 2024
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is actively addressing the nursing shortage in Texas through a variety of programs as part of the state's strategic plan for higher education, Building a Talent Strong Texas.According to a statement from THECB, the demand for registered and licensed vocational nurses in Texas is surpassing the current supply, with projections indicating a widening gap over the next decade.Among the programs aimed at addressing this issue is the Emergency and Trauma Care Education Partnership Program (ETEP), which supports training...
Texas Restaurant Foundation chair: One area of high focus is ‘high school level culinary programs and hospitality’
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 12, 2024
Russell Woodward, chair of the Texas Restaurant Foundation, said that they have long-term involvement with high school culinary programs and that culinary and hospitality education is shaping the future workforce. Woodward was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
DEI ban forces the University of Texas at Austin to restructure
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 10, 2024
Several months after the implementation of Senate Bill 17, which prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in public colleges, the University of Texas at Austin has announced staff layoffs. The university's President, Jay Hartzell, announced a restructuring in an email, stating that it was necessary to comply with SB 17 and to reallocate resources towards teaching and research.
Sam Houston Center Quarterly Book Club Meets in May
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 9, 2024
Liberty, TX - The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty (SHC) is set to host its 2024 quarterly book club meeting on Tuesday, May 28, featuring "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes. The novel tells the story of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky, who delivered library books by packhorse during the Great Depression.The Sam Houston Center book club, which focuses on fictional works related to museums, archives, and libraries, welcomes all participants to join the discussion from 6 - 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of May, August, and November 2024 at the...
Texas Center for the Book Celebrates Lone Star Día with New Bilingual Storytime Videos
By Lone Star Standard | Apr 5, 2024
The Texas Center for the Book is gearing up to release three new bilingual story time videos in celebration of Lone Star Día on April 30. The videos feature English/Spanish picture books that are perfect for sharing with young children, from toddlers to second grade students, to help build word comprehension in both languages.Leading the story time videos is Carmen Lazo, Children’s Community Program Administrator at Pflugerville Public Library, who guides viewers through the pages of each book. The featured books include "I’m Hungry!/¡Tengo Hambre!" by Angela Dominguez,...
12-year-old tech entrepreneur: 'I would prefer to meet more people around my age group, help more people, do more stuff' than skip grades to get to college early
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 27, 2024
Arjun Sharda, a 12-year-old tech entrepreneur, said he plans to remain in middle school because of the value of interpersonal connections and community engagement over rushing into college. Sharda was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
12-year-old tech entrepreneur: Nonprofit TLEEM started off as 'just a small club' at his middle school
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 26, 2024
Arjun Sharda, a 12-year-old tech entrepreneur, said that the nonprofit TLEEM began as a small club, collaborating with teachers and students, gaining support from the assistant principal, and aiming to expand while focusing on technology. Sharda was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
12-year-old tech entrepreneur: I ‘founded a nonprofit organization called TLEEM’ to advance education efforts
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 25, 2024
Arjun Sharda, a 12-year-old tech entrepreneur, said he has various roles in technology and entrepreneurship, including programming, authorship, and public speaking, highlighting his nonprofit's mission to advance education in diverse fields such as technology, leadership, entrepreneurship, engineering, and mathematics. Sharda was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
THECB Awarded $250,000 Grant for Direct Admissions Pathway
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 23, 2024
Austin, Texas – The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has been awarded a $250,000 grant as one of the winners of The Great Admissions Redesign competition, sponsored by Lumina Foundation. The grant is aimed at supporting the design and development of the Direct Admissions Pathway.The Pathway, which will be integrated into My Texas Future, a comprehensive advising tool for Texans looking to pursue higher education, will notify students when they receive direct admission to participating institutions. Students can input their class rank and...
TASA Partners with N2 Learning to Offer Leadership Series for New Principals
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 21, 2024
TASA is pleased to announce a new collaboration with N2 Learning to launch the New 2 Principalship Collaborative Coaching Series. This initiative aims to support the development of new school leaders and equip them with the necessary skills to create student-centered schools and foster future-ready students.According to TASA, the series will provide new principals with a platform to engage in discussions about leadership strategies, innovative solutions to current challenges, and networking opportunities with peers from different districts. Participants will...
Charter school entrepreneur: Charter schools are supposed to be guaranteed ‘the ability to innovate and be creative’
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 20, 2024
Starlee Coleman, CEO of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association, underscored the pivotal role of charter schools within the Texan educational landscape, emphasizing their distinctiveness in possessing autonomy and flexibility, enabling them to innovate and adapt to meet the evolving needs of students and parents within the public school system. Coleman was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
Charter school entrepreneur: ‘Charter schools are filling a gap for low-income communities’
By Lone Star Standard | Mar 18, 2024
Starlee Coleman, CEO of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association, emphasized the vital role charter schools play in addressing educational disparities, particularly for marginalized communities, highlighting their accountability in providing safe and effective learning environments for children. Coleman was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
