Texas launches free faculty software week this October
Texas college students have simply taken a step nearer to their faculty desires with out the value tag.
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Larger Training Coordinating Board have introduced Free Faculty Utility Week, scheduled for October 13-19, 2025. For one week, public schools and universities throughout the state will waive software charges for Texas residents making use of by way of ApplyTexas.
It’s a small however vital shift. Utility charges, typically $50 to $90 a chunk, can add up shortly, particularly for households encouraging college students to solid a large internet. For first-generation college students, that value could be sufficient to discourage them from making use of in any respect.
This system, created below Senate Invoice 2231 through the 89th Texas Legislative Session, suits right into a broader effort to broaden entry by way of instruments like My Texas Future and Direct Admissions, which assist college students match pursuits to careers and establish faculties the place they qualify even earlier than they apply.
Nonetheless, free purposes are solely a primary step. The larger challenges stay, like rising tuition, residing bills and unequal entry to monetary support. For now, although, Free Faculty Utility Week tears down another barrier between Texas college students and alternative.
Mike Miles’ $173K bonus sparks debate
Houston ISD’s current resolution to award Superintendent Mike Miles a $173,660 efficiency bonus, bringing his complete compensation above $635,000 for the 2025-26 12 months, has stirred questions on priorities and accountability.
This features a base wage of $462,000, which elevated from $380,000 when the board prolonged his contract for 5 years.
The bonus was contractually justified. In his annual analysis, Miles scored excessive marks in pupil achievement and management rubrics. Supporters argue that his management is driving wanted educational good points: Fewer failing campuses, rising metrics in important assessments and a reform agenda geared toward lifting outcomes.
Nonetheless, many in Houston say the bonus rewards are primarily based on efficiency on paper, not the lived experiences of scholars, lecturers and fogeys. Enrollment has dropped amid sweeping modifications. Critics level to program cuts, college closures, group disruption and reviews of burnout and instability amongst employees.
Lina Hidalgo’s exit leaves Harris County at a crossroads
Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo’s resolution to not search reelection in 2026 marks the shut of a political period that redefined native management. When first elected in 2018 at simply 27 years previous, she upended expectations, unseating a Republican incumbent and shifting the Commissioners Court docket towards a Democratic majority.
In our interview earlier this 12 months, Hidalgo admitted she was unsure about working once more. That uncertainty has now ended.
Her tenure has been each groundbreaking and polarizing. Her political trajectory has borne the toll of fixed scrutiny, partisan battles and the pressures of steering Texas’ largest county by way of floods, a pandemic and public security debates.
Both method, Hidalgo’s presence modified the dialog in Houston and past, exhibiting that younger, various voices might command the middle of Texas politics.
Her current conduct in Commissioners Court docket additionally exhibits growing tensions with fellow commissioners, each Democratic and Republican, round finances priorities, decorum and the steadiness between legislation enforcement funding and social providers.
Hidalgo launched a property tax improve to maintain early childhood teaching programs (Early REACH), funded beforehand by federal aid. Some commissioners criticized the proposal as missing ample knowledge and stated they weren’t briefed till after paperwork have been launched.
In early August, the Court docket formally censured Hidalgo for a number of breaches of decorum. These included her swearing in entrance of a 7-year-old throughout a gathering and interrupting commissioners throughout debate. It was the primary time a sitting Harris County Decide was admonished on this method.
Hidalgo walked out of a finances assembly after her efforts to stop cuts to child-related applications failed. She expressed frustration that colleagues wouldn’t help motions to guard early childhood applications, together with questioning the place the priority for youngsters was in finances selections.
She has additionally resisted massive pay raises for legislation enforcement, warning that they may pressure deep cuts elsewhere in county providers, significantly for youngsters and social applications.
Now, Harris County faces a crossroads. With out Hidalgo, Democrats threat shedding management of the court docket and Republicans see a gap. Extra importantly, residents should ask: What sort of management do Houstonians need subsequent?
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