Most Texas schools showed improved academic performance for the first time in four years. That’s according to the advocacy group Children at Risk, which just released its annual index of school performance. The improvements mark a shift in post-pandemic school performance, and offer hope that schools are recovering from the disruption. In other news, while you expect to hear Dallas' outdoor warning system during a severe weather event, the sirens don’t always signal danger at other times. The city’s office of emergency management tests the sirens on the first Wednesday of the month at noon. The city does not conduct a test if the weather is bad, which included a cancellation of the test on Wednesday; Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, seeking about $11 billion to defray state spending on border security, didn’t come empty handed to Wednesday’s Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, telling the President that Texas can provide billions in assets to help the administration secure the border, enforce immigration laws and deport immigrants; And a 2,000-acre ranch roughly 90 miles southwest of Dallas has hit the market with an asking price of nearly $23.5 million. Lone Spring Ranch in Bosque County could be a private family retreat or the ideal spot for agricultural and cattle operations. Located on State Highway 144 about four miles north of Meridian, the ranch includes multiple residences, improved pastures, livestock facilities and a diverse landscape.

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