, Author at Texas 2036

School Closures Put Digital Divide in Spotlight

April 6, 2020

With Texas public schools closed for at least the next month, whether a student has reliable internet access at home is becoming even more critical. Unfortunately, millions of Texans lack reliable broadband access. Statewide, 2 million Texans do not have access to a high-speed broadband connection. This lack of access hits rural Texas especially hard...

Straight Talk Texas #2: A Conversation about Education

April 3, 2020

Grab a front row seat for conversations by state and policy leaders on topics that matter both now and in the future. Straight Talk Texas #2: Straight Talk Texas #2: A Conversation about Education Date: April 3, 2020 Former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings talks with J Puckett, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston...

What Today’s Texas Unemployment Claims Data Shows

April 2, 2020

The new unemployment claims data released today reveal what we all knew was coming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the downturn in oil prices: a tremendous strain on the Texas economy and on the health and lives of many, many Texans. To put these numbers in context: Texas jobless claims dwarf the...

Lone Star Prize Is Good News For Texans with Good Ideas

April 2, 2020

Here’s some good news — and it may lead to even more good news. The Lone Star Prize is a new statewide competition that invites Texans to submit ideas to improve health care, protect the environment, or help the workforce in Texas. The winner gets a $10 million grant to help make their idea a reality. The prize...

The Energy Sector Can Help America Rebound. Will Texas Be Ready?

April 1, 2020

A recent opinion column in the Houston Chronicle provides plenty of reason for optimism when we consider how Texas and the Texas economy will rebound from the crisis induced by COVID-19. The piece by David Foster notes that Texas has the largest energy workforce in the country — more than 607,000 people working in “the production...

Straight Talk Texas #1: Conversation with Margaret and Tom about health care in Texas

March 31, 2020

Grab a front row seat for conversations by state and policy leaders on topics that matter both now and in the future. Straight Talk Texas #1: Conversation with Margaret and Tom about health care in Texas. Date: March 31, 2020 Former Secretary of Education and current President and CEO of Texas 2036 Margaret Spellings talks...

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