Aimed at acquainting taxpayers with Texas public schools, this collection presents 14 illustrated articles describing examples of strong elementary and secondary school programs in districts across the state. The first three articles report on Wichita Falls' successful elementary reading instruction program; Houston's magnet schools, which offer specialized academic programs and promote desegregation; and Plains' learning resources center, which addresses a broad range of student and community interests. Next, an itinerant special education van servicing the Panhandle, a free enterprise economics course in Pine Tree High School, and rapidly growing Fort Bend's change management program are discussed. The articles following cover microcomputer education in Klein, El Paso's district planetarium, and stiffened promotion and graduation requirements in Dallas. Gifted and talented education in McAllen, an international baccalaureate program in Houston, and Cypress-Fairbank's freshman study skills program are also described. The final two reports are devoted to the restoration projects of Jefferson's Junior Historians and computer-assisted bilingual education in Mission. (MJL)