A new Texas law requires posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. We’ll look at the looming legal battle.
Where do Texans stand on how well state legislators are doing their jobs? What about how well the president is doing his job? A new poll by the Texas Politics Project offers a look.
The Mexican flag, long flown at restaurants and at cultural events, is more recently making a prominent appearance in protests. We’ll talk about perspectives on symbolism and cultural expression.
And: Once a company town built around sugar production, Sugar Land is now seeking to preserve its complex history with the city’s acquisition of the Imperial Historic District.
education
A special Texas Standard for kids, live from Abilene
Texans under the age of 18 make up almost a quarter of the state’s population, so we’ve put together a show with them in mind. We’re joining you today from Abilene and the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival.
We begin with a conversation about politics: We’ll hear from some Texas teens who make their voices heard, even though they can’t yet vote.
Checking in with our go-to tech expert about kids and technology – some tips for engaging them while avoiding some of the pitfalls.
Other familiar voices on the show will be insect expert Wizzie Brown, who is answering kids’ questions about bugs, and commentator W.F. Strong, who shares a conversation about growing up in Texas with his 10-year-old daughter.
Houston startup eyes two-hour flights across the Pacific
The 89th Legislature is history. We’ll look at what lawmakers accomplished and what was left to do.
We continue our series on an adult literacy program in Texarkana that does much more than help people get an education – and why it could be a model for other parts of the state.
A Houston-based aerospace company successfully tests a hypersonic engine and hopes to one day fly passengers from the U.S. to Asia in just two hours.
And: Popular images of gunslingers are pretty on target, according to the new book “The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild.”
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
As Texas ranks near the bottom in high school attainment, a Texarkana nonprofit has a solution
Texas lawmakers have approved additional funding for public schools, including more money for teachers.
Some San Antonio school districts have found a way to help struggling students catch up following the pandemic. What can we learn from those efforts?
Texas ranks near the bottom when it comes to adults with a high school education. As the Standard’s Sarah Asch reports, a literacy program in Texarkana offers a solution.
Despite headline-grabbing moves by companies like Tesla and Oracle, tech employment in Texas’ biggest cities is slipping.
And: Global oil production is ramping up. What that means for summer travel.
New institute aims to immortalize the sounds of Texas music
A bill banning all products with THC is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Is this the end of the state’s hemp industry?
Lawmakers are also revisiting efforts to reform or replace the STAAR test.
An investigation finds that some people in Central Texas are stuck behind bars beyond the 90-day limit without being indicted – only to have their charges dropped.
From Tejano to Texas country, the sounds of the Lone Star State are getting a new home at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Plus: We’ll go behind the scenes of the new podcast “Better Outside,” hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
State parks are expanding efforts to improve accessibility
As the school year winds down, Texas lawmakers cramming for their final days at their desks are focused on education – and what some had hoped would be an increase in state spending per student may be shifted to teacher pay raises.
Consumer Reports investigates a tip that sale prices at Kroger aren’t showing up at the checkout, with consumers taking the hit.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has rolled out motorized track wheelchairs to improve access at state parks.
Plus: A 15-minute film from Waco, “The Heart of Texas,” has already made a mark at festivals and is now headed to Cannes.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Central Texas art studio centers artists with disabilities
A bill would make it possible for criminal offenders as young as 15 to be sent to state prisons for adults.
Why hopes for a big increase in per-student funding for Texas public schools may have slipped away for this legislative session.
Also at the Capitol: The loud bang of a wooden mallet is supposed to keep lawmakers in check. But it’s a symbol of power, too. What’s the story behind the use of the gavel?
For decades, a quiet but growing movement has supported artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Standard’s Sean Saldana visits a progressive East Austin studio helping redefine what inclusion in the art world can look like.
Plus: Texas musician Carrie Rodriguez joins us to talk about her new collaboration with Calexico.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Bring out those fancy dresses, quinceañera season is upon us
Tacos of Texas podcast host Mando Rayo talks about what to expect at one of these celebrations – and, of course, what might be on the menu.
This episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast was originally aired live on the Texas Standard on May 8, 2025.
It’s the time of year for fancy dresses, limo rides, and all the photos. Yes, it’s prom season, but in Texas, that also coincides with another tradition: quinceañera season.
These celebrations of young women are prominent across all parts of Texas and typically include a big party and, of course, lots of food.
Texas Renaissance Festival ordered to sell land, assets following lengthy legal battle
Texas Catholics, now almost a third of the state population, are celebrating the selection of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from America.
Gov. Gregg Abbott has just signed into law a school voucher plan, but some Texans are continuing to push back.
A judge orders the sale of the Texas Renaissance Festival, following a civil court trial over a purchase deal that fell through in 2023.
Fans can get an early look at this summer’s “King of the Hill” reboot at the ATX TV Festival.
And: the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
Farmers in Texas face mounting losses as lawmakers propose relief
An $8 billion funding bill for public schools has passed the Texas House. But is it enough? Where lawmakers stand on education spending.
After a string of weather disasters, a bill could bring financial relief to impacted farmers.
A new book, “Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take,” examines a shift in trust over federal guidance. Author Dr. Jerry Avorn joins with more.
In the not-too-distant future, iPhones may not be made in China. Omar Gallaga has the latest on talk of a shift in production.
Also: Taco podcaster Mando Rayo shares cookbook picks that put an accent on Tex-Mex flavors.
After yearslong fight, school voucher bill clears Legislature
A measure long sought by Texas Republicans is now on its way to the governor’s desk: A voucher-like plan to use public dollars to pay for private education. We’ll get details from Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom.
A massive plan was once proposed to keep Texas from running out of water in the late 1960’s… Voters said no. How the debate has resurfaced decades later.
And a big win for opponents of local marijuana decriminalization moves in Texas.
Could SpaceX’s Starbase become an actual city?
Almost half of all Texas counties don’t have a hospital or birth center that provides obstetric care. A look at the challenges and what’s being done to support pregnant people across rural Texas.
How some Houston fourth graders are calling for changes at school by petitioning for reusable lunch trays and learning how to make their case to lawmakers.
More than just a launch site? The countdown is on for local residents to decide whether join a new town called Starbase.
Texans looked good at the Masters, but there was another narrative that had golf fans glued to their chairs. Golf journalist Kevin Robbins with the drama.
Carl Settles Jr.
In this episode of Black Austin Matters, hosts Lisa and Rich sit down with Carl Settles—founder and executive director of E4 Youth and creator of What Once Was. Carl opens up about the powerful influence of his parents, and his unique journey as both an All-State football player and student director of the choir while at Judson High School, to his passion for teaching, storytelling, technology, and the arts. He opens up about the future of E4 Youth and why it’s so crucial for young people to embrace and tell their own stories. Carl also talks about his love of music and the deeper meaning behind “putting the couch through the window.”
Deadly floods swamp South Texas, shatter records
Torrential rain in South Texas leads to dangerous flooding, trapping people in their homes. How the Rio Grande Valley is recovering.
A new DEI directive led the Pentagon to purge certain historical figures from web pages. Why that decision has now been reversed.
Some churches are looking to re-purpose buildings and land to help residents who need affordable housing.
As measles cases surge in West Texas, some parents are giving children dangerous amounts of vitamin A, wrongly believing it can cure or prevent the disease.
Plus: What are the best ways to protect the state’s dwindling water supply? From recycling to desalination.
Rediscovering Texas farm worker history through photos
President Trump signs an order effectively dismantling the education department. What does it add up to for education in Texas?
The Las Vegas Sands Corp. folds, for now, on its push for a resort casino in Irving. We’ll hear why and what it says about the industry’s attempts to cash in on Texas.
Also, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
Plus, a new cookbook challenges the notion that you’ve got to have meat for traditional Mexican dishes.
And after our series on the Texas Farm Workers Union, a listener comes forward with photos – adding faces to an almost forgotten story.
Controversies and resignations at the Texas Lottery Commission
An appeals court upholds a decision to remove the judge who pushed the state to improve conditions for foster children. What happens now?
A controversial lottery win leads Texas to ban third-party apps selling tickets.
A federal court has blocked the SAVE plan, a Biden-era initiative aimed at lowering – and in some cases, erasing – student loan debt for millions. What it means for those enrolled.
And: Lawmakers consider a bill that would increase housing by converting vacant office space into places to live.
Why El Paso Mexican food hits different
In this bonus episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast, Mando Rayo, taco journalist joins the Texas Standard, to talk about El Paso’s unique flavors.
The programming featured in this bonus episode was originally aired on the Texas Standard in February, 2024.
As we gear up for the next season of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you! Visit kut.org/tacosurvey to send us your thoughts about what you’d like to hear on the next season of the show. And stay tuned for Season CINCO of Tacos of Texas.
¡Vamos!
ICYMI: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2025 State of the State Address
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke in front of a crowd of lawmakers and supporters to deliver his State of the State Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 from Arnold Oil’s corporate headquarters in East Austin. He named his list of emergency items, which are the only issues lawmakers can pass bills on in the first 60 days of the session. This is a recording of a live presentation of the address from the Texas Standard and The Texas Newsroom.
‘It impacts all of us’: A Day Without Immigrants
Earlier this week, folks in several industries participated in an event called “A Day Without Immigrants.” The focus was to highlight the contributions immigrants make every day, including to the economy.
Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast spoke with Texas Standard about the protest and the contributions of the immigrant workforce. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.
Texas Senate passes bill creating school voucher-like program
A bill to let families use taxpayer dollars to cover private school tuition was approved by the Texas Senate, but the debate over the bill’s not done. Next stop: the Texas House.
El Paso has still not recovered from government vacancies dating back to the height of COVID, with growing concerns about how that’s affecting basic services in one of Texas’ biggest cities.
The WNBA season may be months away, but teams are making big moves – signing free agents, making trades and shaking up coaching staffs ahead of 2025.
Spring gardening season is around the corner, but experts say now is not the time to trim your oak trees. February marks the start of oak wilt season, a deadly disease that can devastate trees across Texas.