Replacing STAAR Tests

The Texas House approved a proposal to replace the high-stakes end-of-year STAAR test with shorter instructional assessments throughout the year to reduce disruptions to teaching time and help schools measure student progress at more frequent intervals.

The STAAR test is widely disparaged by families and educators who argue it has an outsized impact on annual school and district accountability ratings. The new tests would be factored with other criteria.

The House proposal would require test results to be weighted against standardized test scores across the country, while also offering some positive incentives. It would take effect as soon as this fall.

The Senate proposal would delay rollout until 2028 and give the commissioner of education wide latitude in determining accountability ratings. It would also require school board members in districts that receive F ratings two years in a row to stand for reelection.

Fox Attacks Four People in San Marcos

Four people in San Marcos are being treated after they were attacked by a fox on a city trail Sunday. Two of the victims were bitten by the animal.

Officials are still looking for the fox. They warn that it could have rabies, considering foxes aren’t typically aggressive toward humans. The Purgatory Creek Natural Area remains open, but visitors are urged to avoid the trails.

“He fought with it, like kicking it, punching it, for like four minutes straight,” a park visitor said in describing a conversation with one of the victims. “He told us he had to get rushed to the hospital.”

Mavs, Spurs Land Top Two Draft Picks

The NBA Draft lottery was held Monday night. The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs were awarded the first two picks.

The lottery gives the 14 teams that didn’t make the playoffs a shot at landing the No. 1 pick in the draft, assigning higher odds to teams with the worst season records. The Mavericks had a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery.

The Mavericks are expected to draft Duke’s 6-foot-9 phenom Cooper Flagg, who could provide an immediate impact on both ends of the court after the departure of Luka Doncic this season.

The Spurs, meanwhile, are reportedly considering trading their second overall pick for 30-year-old Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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➤ Attorney General Ken Paxton is launching an investigation into General Mills, accusing the company of misrepresenting some of its products as “healthy” despite containing petroleum-based food colorings. Paxton announced a similar investigation into Kellogg’s last month. (More)

➤ Comanche: Three beloved rodeo horses died after receiving hundreds of stings from Africanized bees on Friday. Two people were also treated by first responders. (More)

➤ Austin: The police department made an arrest last week in connection with an Oct. 14, 2023, homicide, achieving a 100% homicide clearance rate for the year. It’s the first time since 2005 that the department has hit that mark. (More)

➤ Waco: The Ellis County District Attorney’s Office will serve as special prosecutor in the ongoing investigation of McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara, who is accused of assigning a deputy to work at his Bosqueville farm during work hours over a three-year period. (More)

➤ Fort Worth ISD: Superintendent Karen Molinar released a proposal to close or consolidate 18 schools amid declining enrollment and an outstanding $17 million budget deficit. The board of trustees is expected to vote on the plan later this month. (See Details)

➤ Austin: The Texas House approved a bill that would allow mothers to use HOV lanes, even when driving alone. The bill was initially drafted to apply to pregnant women. “I think HOV lanes are stupid anyway,” said the bill’s author. (More)

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➤ Mikael Granlund got his first career playoff hat trick, scoring all three goals in the Dallas Stars’ 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday night. The Stars now lead 3-1 in the second-round series of the NHL playoffs. (More)

➤ The Texas Longhorns won the SEC’s annual All-Sports Trophy this year, honoring the best overall athletics program in the conference. Texas joined the SEC last July. (More)

➤ Police have opened an investigation into death threats directed at Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., who gave up seven earned runs in one-third of an inning during Saturday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results:  MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAB | Soccer

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➤ The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has agreed to purchase an 88,970-square-foot building used since 2004 by a local news organization. The terms of the sale have not been disclosed. (More)

➤ American Airlines is testing a new process at its DFW hub to reduce passengers’ missed connections by temporarily delaying certain flights. (More)

➤ Ingrasys Technology USA, a subsidiary of Taiwan-based tech manufacturer Foxconn, purchased a 1.02 million-square-foot industrial park in Houston for $142 million and is planning a $20 million expansion. “Project Eagle” is expected to create 600 new jobs. (More)

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➤ Joe Jonas held an impromptu concert at the Fort Worth Stockyards on Saturday for about 1,000 fans. A local vendor gave him a 40X cowboy hat to wear for the show. (See Photos)

➤ Bibiana Gonzalez, a 24-year-old Oak Cliff woman, received a new car from Paris Hilton after her previous ride was destroyed in a fire. Gonzalez posted a video on social media showing how her purple Paris Hilton cup survived the blaze. (Watch Video)

➤ The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department posted a photo on social media yesterday showing three squirrels “splooting”—lying outstretched on the ground to dissipate body heat. “Splooting season came early this year,” read the post. (See Photo)

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Are you a fan of HOV lanes?

1. Love them
2. Hate them
3. Don’t care

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you think this summer will be hotter, cooler, or about the same as average?

1. Hotter: 48%
2. About the same: 41%
3. Cooler: 11%

Why was the Texas Capitol built with pink granite?

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