The Texas Education Agency found that checks mailed to Miles’ charter school network in Colorado were eventually deposited into the network’s Texas account.

Public education advocates opposed the new charters, which would launch in Arlington, Austin, Big Spring and Manor.

A state lawmaker and Houston residents urge the Texas Education Agency to investigate whether the state-appointed superintendent improperly sent public funds to out-of-state charter schools.

The state had been investigating IDEA Public Schools since 2021 and raised questions on its spending on things like a luxury driver and private jet.

State Rep. John Bryant said Democrats will need to work together to block the “school choice” bill in October.

School officials in San Antonio announced earlier this week that they are looking at closing about 20% of their campuses while Plano school officials are starting those discussions.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has embraced Senate Bill 8, which will get its first committee hearing Wednesday. But House Speaker Dade Phelan hasn’t made school choice legislation a priority.

This comes two days after Gov. Greg Abbott voiced his most explicit support yet of a new school choice policy at a Parent Empowerment Night event in Corpus Christi.

For the first time, Abbott makes it clear which policy he supports. Bills that would allow parents to get state money to send their kids to schools outside of the state’s public education system have been floated previously, but top lawmakers believe the policies will pass this session.

Rural school leaders in Texas have been able to stave off the legislative priority of some of the state’s most prominent Republicans. But private school officials hope this year will be different.

Two Republicans joined Democrats to veto the charter school application, including a Republican board member who lost reelection to a candidate endorsed by a PAC with financial ties to Heritage’s board chair.

Typically political allies, two of the state’s top Republicans have endorsed different candidates in six GOP primary runoff races.

Student and staff COVID-19 cases declined after districts reported their highest levels in January since the pandemic began. But the data is incomplete and likely an undercount.