School Vouchers Are What We Thought They Were The nascent "freedom accounts" program is, predictably, burdened by Republicans’ insistence on religious discrimination—and likely set to benefit those already outside the public school system.

Applications had been submitted for about 275,000 students as of late March. But just 25% percent were for students currently enrolled in public schools. (That amounts to about 1% of the state’s 5.5 million public school students.)

How Teach for America Helped Set Up James Talarico’s Political Rise The prestigious education group is more than a shiny résumé item. For the Democratic Senate candidate, it was an incubator for his rapid political ascent.

Veteran classroom teachers like me will watch this midterm clash with anticipation, as a former schoolteacher tries to do what hasn’t been done by a Texas Democrat since the era of a certain Lyndon Baines Johnson: go from the classroom to the U.S. Senate.

The Corpus Christi Water Crisis Isn't Exceptional. It's Early. When drought cycles outpace infrastructure planning, a water emergency is not a surprise—it’s a forecast.

Our top story: Lake Corpus Christi stands at just over 9% capacity, and Choke Canyon Reservoir, the other primary source, is below 8% full. A formal Level 1 water emergency, requiring mandatory cuts across all users, could be declared as early as May.

Read Ramirez's story here: www.texasobserver.org/tesla-texas-...

Inbox: Reacting to news that Travis County will withhold part of the Tesla Gigafactory tax rebate, @repcasar.bsky.social notes that the subsidies covered the period during which Antelmo Ramirez died on the job, which Tesla initially failed to report to the county.

ProPublica and The Texas Tribune Launch Second Year of Texas Investigative Initiative

The Observer is one of 5 outlets joining in the second year of ProPublica's local Texas Investigative Initiative: www.propublica.org/atpropublica...

School Vouchers Are What We Thought They Were The nascent "freedom accounts" program is, predictably, burdened by Republicans’ insistence on religious discrimination—and likely set to benefit those already outside the public school system.

“The exclusion is not based on individualized findings of unlawful conduct by any specific school, but rather on categorical presumptions that Islamic schools are suspect and potentially linked to terrorism by virtue of their religious identity and community associations.”

After 20 Years of Resistance, Trump Is Walling Off the Rio Grande Valley Even sites once protected by Congress, including a butterfly refuge and a historic church, are slated for fencing funded by the “one big beautiful bill”—while the river itself is transformed by a…

Featured story: From trucks loaded with buoys driving through Southmost's pothole-ridden streets in Brownsville to shipments of steel border wall panels hauled down Valley highways, the rapid spending of taxpayer dollars is visible all around the region.

How Teach for America Helped Set Up James Talarico’s Political Rise The prestigious education group is more than a shiny résumé item. For the Democratic Senate candidate, it was an incubator for his rapid political ascent.

Out today: "I don’t lay this out with the intent of proving some sinister ulterior motive, but it is worth exploring the networks of money and influence that have laid down the infrastructure to make Talarico’s candidacy viable, and what favors they may expect."

important and comprehensive report out from @citizenlab.ca
about ad-based geolocation surveillance tech

thank you for citing our @texasobserver.org investigation, which was made possible by support from the @pulitzercenter.org AI Accountability Network

A bit more about monarchs and the border wall planned to run through the National Butterfly Center

School Vouchers Are What We Thought They Were The nascent "freedom accounts" program is, predictably, burdened by Republicans’ insistence on religious discrimination—and likely set to benefit those already outside the public school system.

New from @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: What would’ve been school-choice proponents’ triumphant publicity tour was instead consumed by catty finger-pointing over who’s to blame for the seemingly botched attempt to religiously discriminate against some program participants.

We're excited to be part of the team! 🤠

We'll be working with the Big Bend Sentinel, @houstonchronicle.com , KRIS 6 News in Corpus Christi, @kxan.com in Austin and the @texasobserver.org . Let's gooooo!

Last year, the @propublica.org / @texastribune.org investigative unit started a new partnership with newsrooms across TX. We produced some incredible accountability journalism. I'm so excited to announce our new TX newsroom partners for year two. www.propublica.org/atpropublica...

Foster Care Repeats Rejection for LGBTQ+ Texans State services should build community—and acceptance—for teens otherwise vulnerable to exploitation, homelessness, and isolation.

“People were paid to take care of me my whole life, so it just started to feel normal that everything had a price.”

When all caregiving seems temporary and professionalized, belonging can feel conditional.

‘Gossip and Sleaze’: Dallas Express Smears State Rep’s Son Under Fake Byline The right-wing news outlet published anonymously sourced allegations about a Houston minor by a supposed author whose name is likely an Ayn Rand reference.

“The Dallas Express ‘news story’ about Texas state Representative and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu’s juvenile son does not pass the ethical sniff test, from its newsworthiness to its use of anonymous sources and a fake byline.” www.texasobserver.org/dallas-expre...

The Corpus Christi Water Crisis Isn't Exceptional. It's Early. When drought cycles outpace infrastructure planning, a water emergency is not a surprise—it’s a forecast.

For years, scientists have projected that South Texas would grow hotter and drier—that droughts would lengthen, that rainfall would become less reliable, and water systems built for a wetter century would face conditions they were never designed to absorb. www.texasobserver.org/corpus-chris...

The Plight of the Monarch All along their journey, from my hometown suburb to their winter home in Mexico, the iconic butterflies face human-made threats.

Out today from our magazine: Climate change, illegal logging, the avocado trade and, of course, “One Big Beautiful Bill,” all threaten the famous migration of the monarch.

Mike Miles’ Former Charter School Network Expands Its Footprint in Texas Some school district leaders say they believed they had only one option for a partnership to avoid state takeover.

“What happens if we don’t go into this partnership?”

“Then we’re at risk for state intervention.”

From yesterday: Some officials in school districts feel had to join the charter network, or else.

Corpus Christi Water Crisis Spurs Stampede on South Texas Aquifers Cities, towns and industrial complexes aim to quickly pump tens of millions of gallons per day in a bid to avert disaster.

“Without water we can’t even live out here. You can’t feed cows bottled water.”

The Plight of the Monarch All along their journey, from my hometown suburb to their winter home in Mexico, the iconic butterflies face human-made threats.

From @francescadnunz.bsky.social in our magazine: The butterfly’s cross-continent migration has transformed it into a symbol for immigration reform. To supporters of immigrants’ rights, it represents a possibility for a new paradigm, a world in which traversing borders is not fatal but natural.

Mike Miles’ Former Charter School Network Expands Its Footprint in Texas Some school district leaders say they believed they had only one option for a partnership to avoid state takeover.

Out today: “The board made it clear at the board meeting that they were being pressured or threatened by TEA … that the district is under threat of takeover if they don’t make some pretty big changes, and Third Future is the only authorized turnaround partner from TEA.”

'Riding Shotgun': New Observer True Crime Podcast Explores Death Row Case of Charles Flores With Free Range Productions, Michelle Pitcher digs deep into a conviction involving a dubious hypnosis technique.

Episode 3 of "The Unforgotten: Riding Shotgun" with @michellepitcher.bsky.social is out today wherever you get podcasts.

Read this preview of the show on our site ...

Mike Miles’ Former Charter School Network Expands Its Footprint in Texas Some school district leaders say they believed they had only one option for a partnership to avoid state takeover.

New from @josephinelee.bsky.social: Under threat of possible takeovers by the Texas Education Agency, 9 school districts are set to hand over 15 public schools to Third Future Schools-Texas, a charter school operator previously run by state-appointed Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles.

The Corpus Christi Water Crisis Isn't Exceptional. It's Early. When drought cycles outpace infrastructure planning, a water emergency is not a surprise—it’s a forecast.

Our top story: Industrial facilities now account for 50 to 60% of the city’s total water consumption—reflecting the scale at which industrial demand now operates within a system never sized for prolonged drought at this level of consumption.

Corpus Christi Water Crisis Spurs Stampede on South Texas Aquifers Cities, towns and industrial complexes aim to quickly pump tens of millions of gallons per day in a bid to avert disaster.

“People like me are probably gonna be running out of water. Then this property and house is useless.”

From @dylanbaddour.bsky.social and @insideclimatenews.org: As the water crisis grows, communities around the region are pushing their aquifiers to the brink. www.texasobserver.org/corpus-chris...

‘Gossip and Sleaze’: Dallas Express Smears State Rep’s Son Under Fake Byline The right-wing news outlet published anonymously sourced allegations about a Houston minor by a supposed author whose name is likely an Ayn Rand reference.

“The Dallas Express ‘news story’ about Texas state Representative and House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu’s juvenile son does not pass the ethical sniff test, from its newsworthiness to its use of anonymous sources and a fake byline.”

‘Proudly Claiming Our Tears’: Fathers Stand Together for Their Trans and Nonbinary Kids In “The Dads,” a new documentary that premiered at SXSW, men open up to each other about their hope, their fears, and their unconditional love for their children.

“In [2023], we thought things were bad: we were having conversations around safety for our children. This is another level that we haven’t ever seen before.”

Last week from @kitoconnell.com: Fathers gather together to protect their trans and nonbinary kids in this doc that premiered at SXSW.