Stephanie Guidry - May 7, 2009 - 3:08 PM

HB 130 is being heard on the House floor as we speak!  You can tune in from your computer by clicking here.

Stephanie Guidry - May 4, 2009 - 2:30 PM

Over the weekend, legislators took an important step towards ensuring that Texas' littlest learners have access to high quality, full-day pre-k programs: House Bill 130 was placed on the General State Calendar.  Essentially this action means that the bill, UWT's #1 priority legislation this session, could be up for discussion and a vote on the House floor as early as today.

UWT needs your help to make sure that the bill is heard as quickly as possible.  We're asking you to contact your elected Representative TODAY and voice your support for HB 130 and the sound investment of high quality pre-k.  The more legislators hear from constituents, the better chance the bill has for being voted out of the House quickly. 

UWT has even made it easy for you by creating a Take Action webpage - just click on the link below and send off your e-mail. 

Take Action!  E-mail your Representative by clicking here.
 
If you'd like to monitor the action on the House floor this week, you can do so by clicking on the following link for a live video feed:   http://www.house.state.tx.us/media/welcome.php.  Of course, UWT will keep you updated via our blog about the latest related to HB 130. 

  

Stephanie Guidry - April 30, 2009 - 5:00 PM

During this legislative session, there have been a few very unique bits of legislation that catch my eye.  The most recent?  An amendment to a bill that prohibits school districts from regulating the hair length of honor students who have no disciplinary record or unexcused absences.   I can't help but have the mental image a smart, upstanding 15 year-old sophomore...with a mullet.

In all seriousness, this amendment was added to House Bill 3, a bill intended to reform the school accountability system in Texas.  In layman's terms, the bill will take some of the pressure off of the earlier standards of accountability (elementary and middle school TAKS) and place more stringent standards on high school performance measures (Algebra II and English III scores).  On the Senate side, an almost identical Senate Bill 3 recently unanimously passed 31-0.

Have a look at yesterday's Dallas Morning News article for additional commentary about the bill.