Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Trump proposes major changes to Head Start rules
The Trump administration is proposing broad changes to Head Start, the federal early childhood program for low-income families. Critics warn the changes could weaken classroom standards, especially in states like Texas where student-to-teacher ratios could rise sharply.
Steven Barnett with Rutgers University’s National Institute for Early Education Research joins the Standard with more.
Texas pauses new data centers during statewide audit
Texas is on track to become the nation’s largest data center market, but Gov. Greg Abbott has paused new development while state agencies review the industry’s energy use, water demands, financing and local impacts.
The moratorium comes amid growing concern about how rapidly these facilities are expanding. Houston Public Media’s Natalie Weber reports.
Camp Mystic records show revenue drop and family payments
New bankruptcy records show Camp Mystic’s revenue fell sharply after last year’s deadly July Fourth flood. The filings also show that members of the Eastland family, which operates the camp, continued receiving payments during the past year. The Texas Newsroom’s Lucio Vasquez reports.
Harris County Flock cameras fuel privacy debate
Harris County has expanded its use of Flock Safety license plate readers. Supporters say the cameras help solve crimes, while critics raise concerns about surveillance, data misuse and privacy. Many cameras have also become targets of vandalism. Houston Public Media’s Sonia Kinyua reports.
Trump vaccine order leaves Texas school rules unchanged
President Trump has ordered changes to federal childhood vaccine recommendations, including fewer routine shots and separating some vaccines that have long been administered together. But the executive order does not automatically change vaccine requirements for Texas schools.
Terri Langford, who covers health services for The Texas Tribune, joins the Standard with more.
‘Voices of the Rio Grande Valley’ returns with a second volume
A creative nonfiction anthology centered on the Rio Grande Valley is back with a second volume, continuing its mission to elevate stories told by people who know the region firsthand. The project pushes back against outside narratives by highlighting personal histories, family memories and everyday life in South Texas. We revisit “Voices of the Rio Grande Valley” as Volume 2 arrives.
Hydrilla surges again in Lake Austin
Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant once nearly eradicated from Lake Austin, has returned in large amounts this summer.
Some residents are calling for the lake to be lowered to help control the growth, but past efforts to eliminate the plant also created ecological tradeoffs. KUT News’ Alexandra Hart reports:
Border wall could cut access to Porvenir Massacre site
A historic marker in Presidio County commemorating 15 Mexican Americans killed in the 1918 Porvenir Massacre could soon become harder to reach because of new border wall construction. Descendants and historians worry the project could restrict access to a site tied to one of Texas’ darkest chapters.
Texas Monthly senior editor Peter Holley joins the Standard with more.
