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Texas judge blocks school ratings release amid ongoing lawsuit over STAAR test

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Texas judge blocks school ratings release amid ongoing lawsuit over STAAR test


For the second year in a row, a judge blocked the Texas Education Agency from releasing school accountability ratings.

It came hours after a coalition of school districts filed a second lawsuit against the state over how standardized tests impact these ratings.

With COVID-19 delaying the complete release of school accountability ratings for three years before these lawsuits, we’re now going on five years without parents having a full picture of how schools are doing across the state. But opponents of these ratings say new rules for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STARR test are unfairly impacting these ratings and believe the standardized tests and these ratings may need to be scrapped altogether.

Clay Robinson with the Texas State Teachers Association says scores from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness or STARR test have dropped across the board since going online last year.

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“We have been trying to get the legislature to abolish the STAAR test for years. We feel it’s a waste of millions of dollars, millions of tax dollars every year,” Robinson said. “We know it’s not gotten any better, and we also have doubts about the accuracy of the computerized testing of these writing samples.”

His organization isn’t named in a lawsuit filed against the state calling for the tests to be re-standardized, but he says the T.S.T.A. does support the move.

In response to the lawsuit, a Travis County judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the Texas Education Agency from releasing this year’s school A-F accountability ratings, of which the STAAR tests heavily impact.

“It’s sort of a heartbreaking story because so many students took this, in our opinion, invalid and unstandardized test and performed so poorly on it,” Nick Maddoz, an attorney representing the school districts, said. “which not only impacted their own self-esteem and their own academic abilities but also impacted their community school district as well.”

Though initially five districts, the support is growing, and he expects to have 50 districts from across the state join the lawsuit by the end of the month.

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ALSO| Central Texas school districts approve pay raises despite budget concerns

“We’re asking for school districts to not be graded on an A through F scale until the STAAR test has been accurized and reformed, and we have a valid basis of comparison,” Maddox said.

Texas State Representative Brian Harrison sits on the House Public Education Committee. He says after a similar injunction last year, this move only hurts parents and students across the state.

“They may have reasons to want to put them in one school or another, and depriving them of data deprives them of some of the most important information they have when making those considerations,” Harrison said.

He says the matter is worse when you consider COVID-19 blocked the complete release of accountability scores during the previous three years.

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“I don’t think what makes sense right now is just to say that, okay, well, as a result of these potential concerns, let’s just withhold all of the data and at this point, for multiple years,” Harrison said.

He says if there’s an issue, the legislature should handle it.

“There’s nothing more important that we grapple with as a state and how we educate the next generation of Texans, and we have a system that, while it’s working well for a few, it is unfortunately failing far too many,” Harrison said. “Watering down accountability is the last thing we need to be doing.”

But Maddox claims they’re only suing because the T.E.A. isn’t following the law to begin with.

“Those laws are in place in the state of Texas, and it’s our opinion that the Texas Education Agency and Commissioner Morath are not following those laws,” Maddox said.

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We reached out to the T.E.A. for comment, but have not heard back.

A hearing to make the injunction permanent is set for August 26th.



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Austin, TX

Texas’ Quinn Ewers competes against Simone Biles, others in DICK’S Sporting Goods competition

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Texas’ Quinn Ewers competes against Simone Biles, others in DICK’S Sporting Goods competition



Simone Biles, Dak Prescott, Chris Paul and Quinn Ewers are decorating DICK’S store in their hometowns of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin.

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DICK’S Sporting Goods is joining in on the holiday cheer — along with a dose of competition among Texas cities, featuring some of the Lone Star State’s best athletes.

Simone Biles, Dak Prescott, Chris Paul and Quinn Ewers will be competing, just not on any athletic field. They are each responsible for decorating a DICK’S Sporting Goods store in their hometown, competing for the title of DICK’S Holiday Decorating Officer and a trophy.

The athletes have begun decorating at stores in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. Videos by DICK’S Sporting Goods offer a sneak peek of each as the athletes add their own flair to spread holiday cheer.

The competition comes as part of DICK’S Sporting Goods and DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s program Sports Matter, which funds and maintains youth sports programs across the nation. The four athletes will each get a $100,000 Sports Matter grant, to be awarded to a local youth sports organization(s) of their choosing.

“We’ve had a blast getting ready for the holidays with Texas’ most inspiring and entertaining sports icons,” said Kari DeGori, VP Local Marketing and Marketing Capabilities at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “These in-store displays are interactive, fun, a great place for photos, and each has its own tie of sport into the holiday – whether it’s a gingerbread locker room, a chimney basketball game, or a vintage farm basketball hoop. We hope that these displays add some extra joy for our customers while they shop for everyone on their list. And we’re thrilled to be able to partner with our Foundation’s Sports Matter program to extend the holiday cheer to deserving local sports organizations.”

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“I love competing, so taking part in this Texas holiday contest with some of the best athletes across sports was a lot of fun,” said Chris Paul. “We are all trying to win and become DICK’S Holiday Decorating Officer, but no matter what, we all win as we have the opportunity to give back to youth sports. Thank you to DICK’S for awarding a $100,000 Sports Matter grant to the Chris Paul Family Foundation.”

This campaign will run across DICKS.com, YouTube, streaming, and social media, as well as broadcast on local TV, radio, and other audio platforms in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.

Quinn Ewers decorates Austin DICK’S store

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is responsible for decorating the Austin DICK’S store on 183A Toll Road. A promotion video captures Ewers placing a giant cowboy hat on a snowman and standing amid a Longhorn-themed tailgate scene while on a video call with actor Matthew McConaughey.

Chris ‘CP3’ Paul decorates San Antonio DICK’S store

Over in San Antonio, Spurs point guard Chris “CP3” Paul is busy decorating the DICK’S store on Northwest Loop 410. CP3 can be seen carefully placing basketballs into a Christmas tree and building a holiday barn-themed basketball court, casually making backward swishes throughout a promotional video.

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Simone Biles decorates Houston DICK’S store

World-famous gymnast and gold Olympic medalist Simone Biles has been tasked with decorating the Houston DICK’S store on the Gulf Freeway. In a promotional video, Biles stands in front of goat decorations wearing Olympic medals and a “GO FOR GOLD” sign display. Other notable decorations include a balance beam decked with stockings, a medal podium, and a photo op featuring “five golden rings.”

Dak Prescott decorates Dallas DICK’S store

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is in charge of decorating the Dallas DICK’S store on University Drive. A promotional video depicts Prescott designing a gingerbread-themed locker room and a tunnel featuring holiday lights, speaking in front of snowmen decked in football gear.

MAP: Where are the DICK’S stores involved in the holiday decoration competition?

Locations of the DICK’S stores being decorated include the following:

  • Dallas: 2845 W University Dr., Denton, TX 76201
  • Houston: 18650 Gulf Freeway, Friendswood, TX 77546
  • San Antonio: 321 Northwest Loop 410, Suite 112, San Antonio, TX 78216
  • Austin: 5001 183A Toll Road, Suite N100, Cedar Park, TX 78613



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Texas I-35 high-speed rail proposal is put into motion by lawmakers

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Texas I-35 high-speed rail proposal is put into motion by lawmakers


Austin lawmakers are putting a proposal in motion that has been in the works for years; plans to build a high-speed rail on I-35.

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The goal of House Bill 483 is to connect Dallas, Austin, and San António, using high-speed rail.

“The excitement and enthusiasm around this bill has been kind of overwhelming. I am surprised how much everyone is paying attention to it. I’m excited and encouraged. I think Texas is a booming state, with a booming economy, but we are far behind infrastructure options for residents,” says State Representative House District 136 John Bucy.

House Bill 483 submitted by lawmakers in Austin spells out plans for a high-speed rail expected to reach speeds of 110 miles per hour, connecting Dallas to Austin to San Antonio along interstate 35.

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“The interconnection of these major hubs that we are all traveling all the time would benefit our day-to-day lives. It is a way to a different mobility of travel then flying or driving in a car, it would be faster than driving in a car it would be safer. Many years ago, Rick Perry had plans to add more lanes and add a train up the I-35 corridor. We are not doing enough for infrastructure, and it needs to get done,” says Bucy.

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Last year, Travis County Commissioner’s Court Judge Andy Brown met with officials in Bexar County to discuss the possibility of a passenger rail between Austin and San Antonio, pending an environmental study.

Mayor Watson also highlighted opportunities for developing an inner-city passenger rail to congress, in November 2023.

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This year, The Texas Passenger Rail Advisory Committee discussed plans to add a high-speed passenger train along the corridor between Austin, San Antonio and Monterrey, Mexico.

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This month, State Senator Sarah Eckhardt joined in efforts to get house bill 483 passed.

“This is going to be a long process. We are going to try to get this bill by first continuing to raise awareness, asking for a hearing in committee that won’t  be until February or march at the earliest, so that process will be beginning, committee hearings and then hopefully we can continue to build support for it,” says Bucy.

According to the bill, high-speed rail would be constructed through state funds.

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“What we are doing is directing the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into an agreement so they would have a bid process, people would make their bids for building and maintaining this line, so it would be like public private partnership,” says Bucy.

Rep. John Bucy says the goal is to get the bill to the governor’s desk.

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“I know the governor loves to talk about Texas’s innovation and moving forward I would think a new high-speed mobility would be right up his alley,” says Bucy.

The bill would take effect in September 2025 if it is passed.



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Texas Supreme Court overturns ruling that state Attorney General Ken Paxton testify in lawsuit

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Texas Supreme Court overturns ruling that state Attorney General Ken Paxton testify in lawsuit


(AP) – The Texas Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that state Attorney General Ken Paxton testify in a whistleblower lawsuit at the heart of impeachment charges brought against him in 2023.

The court on Friday said Paxton’s office does not dispute any issue in the lawsuit by four former Paxton employees and agreed to any judgment in the case.

“In a major win for the State of Texas, the state Supreme Court has sided with Attorney General Paxton against former OAG employees whose effort to prolong costly, politically-motivated litigation against the agency has wasted public resources for years,” a statement from Paxton’s office said.

An attorney for one of the plaintiffs declined immediate comment, and a second attorney did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

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The former employees allege they were improperly fired or forced out for bringing to the FBI allegations that Paxton was misusing his office to protect a friend and campaign donor, who in turn, they said, was helping the attorney general to conceal an extramarital affair.

The Supreme Court ruling noted that the Texas governor and Legislature have expressed a desire to hear testimony from the witnesses prior to agreeing to appropriate funds to settle the lawsuit.

The court said forcing Paxton, First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster, Chief of Staff Lesley French Henneke and senior advisor Michelle Smith to testify earlier could improperly be used for legislative purposes in deciding any appropriation.

Under the preliminary deal, Paxton agreed to apologize to the former employees for calling them “rogue” employees, settle the case for $3.3 million and ask the state to pay for it, prompting the state House to reject the request and begin its own investigation, leading to the vote to impeach him.

Paxton was ultimately acquitted after a Senate trial.

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The Supreme Court termed its ruling conditional upon the lower trial court complying with the decision, while saying it is “confident the trial court will comply” with the order.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.



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