Patrick Michels
Patrick Michels, a former Observer staff writer, is a reporter at the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Articles by Patrick Michels
Auctions of Juvenile Treatment Space to End Following Observer Story
Trade group: ‘The perception is the problem, so we’re not going to do it anymore.’
In El Paso, Two Democrats Back a Republican for the Texas House
Democratic infighting marks third Margo-Moody race.
Faking the Grade: The Nasty Truth Behind Lorenzo Garcia’s Miracle School Turnaround in El Paso
Lorenzo Garcia boosted test scores by banishing low-scoring students. We may never know how many he lost.
In Juvenile Justice, Community Probation Doesn’t Always Mean Kids Are Close to Home
After years of reform focused on placing kids in probation programs near home, advocates worry about transfers to county facilities hundreds of miles away.
Traumatized Girls Get Inadequate Therapy from County Probation, Group Finds
Texas Criminal Justice Coalition survey finds many girls need better trauma counseling at county facilities. State officials call the report flawed, saying it doesn’t account for progress at local probation departments.
Why High-Cost Tutoring Programs Are Great for Business, But Lousy for Students
UT researcher Carolyn Heinrich on why cheaper is better for afterschool tutoring mandated by No Child Left Behind
How Much Did *Your* School Lose This Year?
Settle in with this side-by-side look at school district budgets with and without the Legislature's 2011 cuts.