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El Paso Times El Paso Times
Gov. Abbott blames EPISD's financial woes on 'bloated' bureaucracy

Gov. Abbott blames EPISD's financial woes on 'bloated' bureaucracy

In a stop In El Paso, Gov. Greg Abbott called out 'bloated' EPISD bureaucracy and poor taxpayer accountability for the district's financial exigency.
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Texas Governor Abbott Proposes 70% Classroom Spending Rule for School Districts

Texas Governor Abbott Proposes 70% Classroom Spending Rule for School Districts

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has proposed a new rule that would require school districts to allocate at least 70% of their funds directly to classroom activities, aiming to reduce administrative bloat. Speaking in El Paso, Governor Abbott stated that despite record levels of public school funding in Texas, increased spending has not consistently led to improved student outcomes. He highlighted concerns about administrative spending and financial inefficiencies in some districts, citing examples like Austin ISD and El Paso ISD, where administrative spending per student reportedly increased significantly while enrollment declined. The proposal also mandates comprehensive audits by the Texas Comptroller for the state's lowest-performing school districts. Governor Abbott emphasized that districts would retain discretion over the remaining 30% of their funds. He also suggested eliminating laws and reporting requirements that create expenses without enhancing student outcomes, extending this call to state governme...
El Paso Times El Paso Times
Who’s on El Paso’s City Council ballot? 4 seats at stake

Who’s on El Paso’s City Council ballot? 4 seats at stake

More than a dozen candidates filed for four El Paso City Council races, setting up contests shaped by Meta, taxes and I-10 Deck Plaza debates.
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Governor Greg Abbott Proposes Ban on H-1B Visas for Texas Public School Employees

Governor Greg Abbott Proposes Ban on H-1B Visas for Texas Public School Employees

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced his intention to propose a ban on public schools employing individuals holding H-1B visas. This proposal, if enacted, would require new legislation to be introduced and passed during the upcoming legislative session. Governor Abbott stated that 'Exactly zero Texas public school employees should be here on H-1B visas.' This move follows an earlier directive from January where Abbott ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B visa petitions by state agencies and public institutions of higher education. The Governor cited concerns about the abuse of the federal program and the need to prioritize jobs for Texas workers, emphasizing that 'foreign influence of any kind has no place in our classrooms.' Currently, over 300 public school and charter school employees in Texas hold H-1B visas, with Dallas ISD alone employing 171 such individuals, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The H-1B program annually provides 65,000 visas, with an additional 2...
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Governor Abbott Proposes Ban on H-1B Workers and Foreign Funding in Texas K-12 Schools

Governor Abbott Proposes Ban on H-1B Workers and Foreign Funding in Texas K-12 Schools

Governor Greg Abbott has introduced a new initiative aimed at restricting foreign influence in Texas public schools. The proposal includes a ban on H-1B visa workers in K-12 education and prohibits public schools from accepting gifts or entering into financial arrangements with foreign governments or entities connected to them. Abbott stated that the objective is to prevent foreign governments and foreign-backed organizations from influencing Texas education and to ensure that jobs in public schools are available to Texans. This move follows a broader focus by his administration and the Trump administration on the use of H-1B visas. The governor's proposal would require legislative action to be enacted into law. Previous examples cited include Qatar Foundation International providing funds to Austin ISD for Arabic language and culture instruction, and similar concerns raised regarding Houston ISD's Arabic Immersion Magnet School.
El Paso Times El Paso Times
TCEQ probe starts as El Paso Marathon pollution estimate soars

TCEQ probe starts as El Paso Marathon pollution estimate soars

New Marathon El Paso refinery report reveals 31,100-pound pollution event; residents report sickness as TCEQ starts investigation.
El Paso Times El Paso Times
Abbott cites DHS commitment to block border wall at Big Bend

Abbott cites DHS commitment to block border wall at Big Bend

Gov. Greg Abbott, during a campaign stop in El Paso, confirmed there will be no border wall built in Big Bend National Park.
El Paso Times El Paso Times
Texas Gov. Abbott to talk schools, taxes during El Paso visit

Texas Gov. Abbott to talk schools, taxes during El Paso visit

Gov. Greg Abbott will visit El Paso on Wednesday, Aug. 19 to discuss education efficiency.
AP News AP News
Governors' races are being increasingly buffeted by the toxic politics of data centers

Governors' races are being increasingly buffeted by the toxic politics of data centers

More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers, as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths
The Corpus Christi Caller Times The Corpus Christi Caller Times
Del Mar College to receive less state money than expected. Here's why

Del Mar College to receive less state money than expected. Here's why

Texas can’t provide all the money that community colleges earned under a new funding model. Here's how the underfunding will affect Del Mar College.
El Paso Times El Paso Times
Texas US Senate race tightens as Talarico, Paxton vie for key voters

Texas US Senate race tightens as Talarico, Paxton vie for key voters

A new poll finds James Talarico and Ken Paxton locked in a competitive Texas US Senate race, with voter age and key issues shaping support.
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DFW Airport Halts Islamic Foot-Washing Station Expansion After Governor Abbott Threatens Funding

DFW Airport Halts Islamic Foot-Washing Station Expansion After Governor Abbott Threatens Funding

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has canceled plans to add more Islamic foot-washing stations, known as ablution stations, following a threat from Texas Governor Greg Abbott to withdraw state airport grants. Governor Abbott claimed that these stations constitute religious discrimination and asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate DFW and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, both of which already have existing ablution stations. Abbott stated that such facilities appear to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion, which he deems illegal for government-owned facilities. The proposed additional stations at DFW were initially an internal proposal, with an estimated cost of $120,000 to be funded by the airport. The airport stated that it accelerated its review due to public interest and determined that the project would not deliver the anticipated operational benefits. DFW has had ablution stations in its international terminal's ...