The Core Blog

Austin ISD is under threat of state takeover, and this is driven by the state’s decision to assign failing grades to two deeply economically segregated 1 schools for five years in a row under the state’s accountability system. In 2024-25, 92% of Burnet Middle School’s students and 98% of Webb Middle School’s students were economically disadvantaged. More than half the teachers at both schools had five or fewer years of experience. 2 The segregation of

I kicked off the summer by following the evidence. In May, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the 10th Annual American Society of Evidence-Based Policing Conference. For two days, law enforcement, researchers, and academics gathered to discuss the latest policing practices and advancements. I learned about innovative ways police across the country are recruiting and retaining officers, deploying new technology, and implementing targeted crime-prevention strategies. But more than anything, I was reminded that the

After 17 months of outreach and debate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council released its Final Report on Thursday, May 7th. Despite the administration’s threats to dismantle the agency, the Council recommended keeping FEMA intact at the federal level while passing more responsibilities to states, nonprofits, and individuals. If enacted, this plan would reduce the number of disasters that will qualify for federal assistance, lower the percentage of costs that the federal government

This past February, Nashville’s very own Southern Movement Committee, in collaboration with the John Lewis Center for Justice, hosted the first annual Mountaintop Summit on co-governance and democracy building. This two-day event was hosted at the historic and illustrious Fisk University, a Historically Black College & University located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, and featured programming that brought together local community members, state representatives, organizers, and various coalition members from across the U.S. The

Texas Appleseed is celebrating our 30th anniversary this year! In honor of this milestone, we asked our staff to reflect on their favorite memories and achievements over the last 30 years. And, we take a look ahead to what tech advancements — a mix of amusing and impactful ideas — the next 30 years might bring us. Ann, Director, Fair Financial Services Project Year Started at Texas Appleseed: 1999 Something I’m proud of: When I

With the new school year underway, students, parents, teachers, and faculty are navigating a new public school landscape altered by a number of bills that the Texas Legislature passed earlier this year. As an educator for six years and a current law student, I believe that Senate Bill 12 has a particularly disparate impact on vulnerable families and imposes an additional burden on teachers that restricts our ability to teach effectively. One provision of SB

With over 600,000 job vacancies in Texas and an unemployment rate hovering around just 4% as of June 2025 1, Texas employers are hungry for talent. Yet outdated and inaccurate background checks are quietly sidelining qualified job applicants, creating unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, education, and economic stability. More than 9 million Texans have a criminal record, including many who were arrested but never convicted 2. Today, background checks still often list arrests that resulted

In the weeks since the Guadalupe river and Big Sandy Creek overflowed their banks, support has poured into Central Texas. Volunteers came from across the country, helping with search and rescue, mucking out houses, and supplying resources. Now, as those volunteers have largely returned home, residents are left to figure out how to rebuild after catastrophic loss. As many turn to the FEMA Individuals and Households Program (IHP) — which helps disaster survivors with housing

Texas Appleseed is mourning the loss of life caused by the tragic flooding over the July 4th weekend, along with the rest of Texas. As we were preparing to publish this post, we were tracking new weather threats in the Hill Country, with many of the same communities that previously suffered damage again facing the risk of additional flooding. Our hearts are with the Texas communities that continue to suffer. As a child, my experiences

The official end of the regular legislative session, sine die, occurred on June 2. We know that through the legislative process great strides can be made to improve the lives of Texans. We also know that it can lead to some setbacks and disappointments. In partnership with a number of coalitions, advocacy partners, legislators and staff members, we have bright moments to share about Texas’ 89th legislative session. Below are bills related to our work

Since July 2023, prisons in Texas and across the nation have entered a new era. Students are now eligible to receive Pell Grants to finance their education while incarcerated. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) believes this avenue to funding one’s education could allow an estimated 760,000 new students to become eligible for financial aid. In Texas, over 60,000 individuals currently confined in Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities could now be eligible to

I first heard about the school-to-prison pipeline framework in the class Introduction to Social Work during my first semester at St. Edward’s University. The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) refers to the policies and practices that push out historically underserved students from their classrooms and toward the juvenile and criminal justice system. I was shocked to learn about this happening in our schools. The next semester, I took an entire course dedicated to exploring the history of