Career and technical education in action: Hospitality and Tourism

The Academy of Hospitality & Tourism (AOHT) at Justin F. Kimball High School offers students a comprehensive education in the hospitality and tourism industry. By graduation, AOHT students earn four certifications, complete a senior-year internship, and develop skills in team building, marketing, communication, and budgeting.

Dallas ISD’s first biomedical campus Biomedical Preparatory at UT Southwestern offers elementary students an innovative learning experience focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as social-emotional learning (SEL). Established through a partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center. Students engage in hands-on activities such as using an EpiPen and observing surgical robots, fostering curiosity and critical thinking.

4 things to know about the state of child care and early education in Texas

Early brain development is impacted by quality environments that support children's growth. The legislature has made efforts to address these issues by taking actions to improve child care quality and affordability, as well as create partnerships with employers to provide on-site child care. Collaboration among policymakers, childcare providers, employers, and communities is essential to ensure the well-being and development of Texas children.

Most written responses on STAAR exams will be graded by a computer with new scoring process

The STAAR test recently transitioned to be fully online with a new grading process, where most written responses are assessed by a computer and 25% by humans. The shift saw a significant increase in zero scores among fourth graders in Houston, likely influenced by various factors including pandemic-related learning loss. To address concerns, education professor Duncan Klussmann proposes safeguards: allowing rescoring requests and ensuring scoring reports specify whether essays were graded by humans or computers. 

Texas increases higher education funds by $4.3 billion

During the 88th legislative session in Texas, higher education institutions received a $4.3 billion increase in state-allocated funds, totaling $13.7 billion for the 2024 fiscal year. This funding aims to address college affordability and meet the state's growing demand for higher education.

Teachers are missing more school, and there are too few substitutes

The pandemic has increased teacher absences across the United States, leading to challenges for school districts already facing shortages of substitutes. Factors contributing to increased teacher absences include a heightened focus on mental health, childcare responsibilities, and general exhaustion among educators. While some districts have raised substitute pay to attract more candidates, others are exploring innovative solutions like assigning permanent substitutes to school buildings.

What Is age-appropriate use of AI? 4 Developmental stages to know about

Educators face the challenge of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) literacy into K-12 education amidst uncertainties about when and how to introduce students to AI technologies. Young children need guidance in understanding its limitations, and upper elementary grades can learn problem-solving skills while avoiding an overreliance on AI for answers.

Few teachers learn about ‘Science of Reading’ in their Prep Programs. Some colleges are working on that

The landscape of literacy instruction in teacher preparation programs is evolving with a greater emphasis on evidence-based reading instruction. Organizations like the Hunt Institute are working with states to transform teacher preparation programs, but the responsibility for learning evidence-based literacy instruction primarily rests on educators themselves. Teachers are seeking additional training and resources to enhance their understanding of evidence-based literacy instruction.