/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/aa7d1adf427005179c4f14f9cfd58b39/we-the-texans-pointer-art.jpg?w=860&resize=860,0&ssl=1 "Listed below are the most important tales from our knowledge visuals group in 2024")
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As in years previous, The Texas Tribune’s knowledge visuals group labored on a number of the most necessary tales this 12 months. Our knowledge journalists helped cowl a consequential election, reported on the impacts of unaffordable housing, appeared on the state’s try and construct a wall alongside the southern border and way more. Listed below are a few of our greatest tales this 12 months.
Elections and voting traits
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/aa7d1adf427005179c4f14f9cfd58b39/we-the-texans-pointer-art.jpg "Listed below are the most important tales from our knowledge visuals group in 2024")
Each different 12 months, we play a important position in masking elections in Texas. Earlier than the March primaries, designer/ developer Yuriko Schumacher defined how solely a fraction of voters resolve who wins elections and runs the state, utilizing visuals that metaphorically present voters as small fish in a giant pond.
She additionally helped with our voter guides for the primary and normal elections.
Senior developer Carla Astudillo put collectively probably the most complete election outcomes pages within the state throughout each the main and normal elections. She additionally tracked how a lot Ted Cruz and Colin Allred raised for his or her normal election showdown.
After the primaries, former fellow Andrew Park analyzed turnout. Equally, after early voting within the normal election, Yuriko visualized turnout traits and did the identical after Election Day.
Carla and Yuriko created charts for a post-general election story that in contrast how Donald Trump and Cruz carried out. Dan Keemahill, knowledge reporter for the Texas Tribune/ ProPublica Investigative Unit, visualized sharp will increase in Republican assist over time in border counties.
Border wall
Yuriko examined how a lot of a proposed border wall the state has constructed alongside the Texas/Mexico border. The group that labored on this story discovered the state has spent billions of {dollars} over the course of three years constructing a barrier that’s nonetheless far wanting its objective.
Reasonably priced housing
We additionally took large swings masking housing issues in Texas. Within the spring, Andrew helped reply if Republican efforts to lower property taxes have been profitable. Carla, for months, gathered and analyzed zoning knowledge from 11 cities throughout the state to assist report on Texas’ rising housing disaster.
Essentially the most visually bold was a narrative displaying how dominant single-family housing is throughout Texas cities.
A very powerful Texas information,
despatched weekday mornings.
Public schooling
Training was one other subject we lined intimately this 12 months. Dan, together with different reporters on the investigative unit, reported on college districts who have been violating a marketing campaign finance disclosure legislation. Dan and the group additionally confirmed the affect of pro-voucher billionaires as lawmakers put together to doubtlessly vote for pro-voucher laws subsequent 12 months, whereas Carla confirmed who the brand new pro-voucher Home members can be.
In the summertime, Yuriko charted the decline in STAAR scores in math and science. And Elijah examined state knowledge and located a pointy enhance in uncertified lecturers put up pandemic.
In the meantime, schooling knowledge developer Rob Reid has been engaged on constructing schooling knowledge sources that may assist push our Texas faculties protection in groundbreaking methods. His first focus is analyzing public college finances knowledge and understanding how native faculties finances and spend the cash they’ve obtainable to them.
Excessive climate
Over the spring and summer time, as Texas confronted excessive climate, the group helped visualize the impacts. Yuriko and Andrew confirmed the scope of the flooding in East Texas in Could. This impressed a extra complete story on climate extremes in Texas. After Hurricane Beryl hit Houston, former fellow Elijah Nicholson-Messmer tracked CenterPoint energy outages every day.
In the summertime, with assist from specialists, Yuriko comprehensively analyzed a number of huge datasets for a narrative displaying the state has seemingly been undercounting heat-related deaths. In the meantime, Carla charted how tourism progress within the Large Bend area has created water points for native residents.
