Austin, TX
Explaining SB2, the proposal for Texas Education Savings Accounts
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Education savings accounts are a top priority for Governor Abbott and the Texas Legislature this session.
Born from the concept of “school choice,” lawmakers are hoping to give Texas families the opportunity to remove their children from public school and send them to private school.
“The issue I hear mostly from parents is that they are angry at a ‘woke’ agenda being pushed on their [public school] kids,” Governor Abbott said during a rally at a private school last week.
The concept of “school choice” isn’t new. America First Policy Institute reports at least 32 states across the country have some form of voucher system. Those include vouchers, tax-credit scholarship programs, and education savings accounts.
Vouchers are simply taxpayer dollars made available for families to use for private school tuition. Tax-credit scholarship programs involve businesses or individuals donating to a scholarship fund in exchange for tax credits.
Education savings accounts, which Texas lawmakers hope to implement, are state-supported bank accounts that parents can access for things like private school tuition and transportation.
SB2 requires the Texas Comptroller’s Office to set those accounts up and comb through applications. It also proposes accountability measures. The bill requires the Comptroller’s Office to contract with a company that will regularly audit the accounts.
Senate Bill 2 proposes $10,000 be made available per student, per year. That number increases to $11,500 for students with disabilities and could also provide $2,000 for homeschool students.
Any child already enrolled in public school, from pre-K to high school seniors, is eligible for a savings account. Any child already enrolled in private school can also apply.
It is important to keep in mind; however, that private schools are not required to accept a student, even if they can pay tuition. That’s one of the major concerns for lawmakers and parents who are against SB2.
“You’re telling us this bill would allow hard-working Texans’ taxpaying dollars the ability to be presented to a private institution that could deny that student?” State Senator Jose Menendez, of San Antonio, asked of the bill’s author. “The Texas constitution requires equal educational opportunities. It has a mandate for us to do that. How do you reconcile the two?”
Both chambers of the legislature agreed to initially set aside $1 billion for this program. There are more than 5.5 million students enrolled in public schools across Texas, according to the Texas Education Agency. That means the state’s education savings accounts will only allow 0.018% of the student population to switch to private school.
That percentage also has lawmakers concerned, and questioning who would receive the funds at the end of the day.
“In terms of our public school system, it’s predominately minority, is it not? And private schools are predominately white? So, we are about to fund a component of the state’s education system that is currently, let’s say, 75 percent white,” State Senator Royce West, of Dallas, asked on the Senate floor.
If demand surpasses state funding, only children with disabilities or those who fall 500% under the federal poverty line will be considered for the accounts. In 2024, the federal poverty line for a family of four was $31,200. Five times that amount would be $156,000 a year.
The state conducted a fiscal analysis of SB2 last month. That report estimates Texas will need to set aside $4 billion for the savings accounts by 2030. Public schools rely on attendance for state funding, and the report estimates 98,000 students will leave public schools for private schools by that same year.
It’s not yet clear when the House will take SB2 up. Committees were just created on Thursday. That means the bill will now have to pass through the House’s Public Education Committee before it can be brought to the floor for a vote.
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AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thirteen Texas cities were listed as the most delinquent on debt in the United States.
Financial resource outlet WalletHub recently compared proprietary user data in the 100 largest U.S. cities to find where people were having the most difficulty paying their bills.
“Being delinquent on debt payments can cause a lot of harm to your credit score, and late payments will remain on your credit report for seven years,” WalletHub said. “People who are delinquent on any debt should try to get current as quickly as possible in order to minimize credit score damage and avoid other consequences like additional late fees, closed accounts, or lawsuits.”
The data showed the Texas city that struggled the most was Laredo, which ranked No. 8 nationally. Laredo had a total score of 72.52 out of 100, with 18.31% of people being loan balance delinquent in Q4 of 2025.
“People in some cities will have a much harder time catching up on delinquent debt payments than others, though,” WalletHub said.
Nationally, the No. 1 city with the most delinquent debt was Detroit, Michigan, which had residents delinquent on 15.7% of all their loans and lines of credit. Detroit residents were also delinquent on 20.2% of their entire debt, according to the study’s data.
Other Texas cities in the top 20 included:
No. 11 – Garland, TX
- Total Score: 68.11
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.42%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.91%
No. 13 – El Paso, TX
- Total Score: 65.83
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.86%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 14.30%
No. 18 – Arlington, TX
- Total Score: 63.15
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.87%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.35%
No. 20 – Lubbock, TX
- Total Score: 61.07
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.71%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.96%
Other Texas cities in the top 100 included:
No. 26 – San Antonio, TX
- Total Score: 58.59
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.05%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 13.50%
No. 32 – Fort Worth, TX
- Total Score: 55.09
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.96%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.47%
No. 39 – Houston, TX
- Total Score: 50.71
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.43%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.92%
No. 47 – Corpus Christi, TX
- Total Score: 46.79
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 10.72%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 12.21%
No. 52 – Irving, TX
- Total Score: 44.37
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.56%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.57%
No. 68 – Dallas, TX
- Total Score: 38.36
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 11.86%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 6.83%
No. 83 – Plano, TX
- Total Score: 30.81
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 10.79%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 6.46%
No. 90 – Austin, TX
- Total Score: 21.40
- Percentage of Tradelines Delinquent in Q4 2025: 9.56%
- Percentage of Loan Balance Delinquent in Q4 2025: 5.80%
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ABC Kite Fest, a beloved annual tradition in Austin, Texas, has announced the final details for its upcoming event on April 11th in Zilker Park. As the largest and longest-running kite festival of its kind, the one-day celebration will feature kite flying demonstrations, live music, food trucks, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
Why it matters
The ABC Kite Fest has been a cherished part of the Austin community for decades, drawing thousands of locals and visitors each year to enjoy the colorful displays of kites in the sky above Zilker Park. The festival celebrates the city’s vibrant outdoor culture and provides a fun, affordable day of entertainment for all ages.
The details
This year’s ABC Kite Fest will feature professional kite flying demonstrations, with expert kite pilots showcasing their skills and techniques throughout the day. In addition to the kite flying, the event will also include live music performances, a variety of food trucks offering local cuisine, and activity booths with games and crafts for children.
- ABC Kite Fest will take place on April 11, 2026 in Zilker Park, Austin, Texas.
The players
ABC Kite Fest
An annual kite festival in Austin, Texas that is the largest and longest-running of its kind.
Zilker Park
A popular urban park in Austin, Texas that hosts the ABC Kite Fest each year.
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What’s next
Tickets for the ABC Kite Fest are available for purchase online, and the event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own kites or purchase them on-site to participate in the festivities.
The takeaway
The ABC Kite Fest is a beloved annual tradition that celebrates Austin’s vibrant outdoor culture and provides a fun, affordable day of entertainment for the whole family. The festival’s return to Zilker Park is sure to be a highlight of the spring season in the city.
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.
UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.
“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”
View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.
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