The Week in the Rearview Mirror

GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott called for upping the quality of pre-K programs before funding a universal, all-day pre-K like what his Democratic rival, Wendy Davis, has advocated. The Davis campaign attacked Abbott for saying that expanding pre-K without keeping the program accountable would be a "waste."

Gov. Rick Perry is encouraging state transportation commissioners to tap Joe Weber, Texas A&M's vice president of student affairs, to be the next executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation. Transportation commissioners last month interviewed four candidates in executive session.

Two of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's top political aides left his campaign amid internal conflict about the direction of his re-election bid. The shake-up comes two months before Dewhurst, a 12-year incumbent who received 28 percent of the vote in March's Republican primary, will face challenger Dan Patrick in a May runoff.

The first shots in the November contest for comptroller have been fired with Democrat Mike Collier taking his Republican rival, Glenn Hegar, to task for advocating the replacement of the property tax with a consumption tax. Collier said the result would be a huge increase in sales tax.

Congress again failed to pass a permanent fix to a Medicare formula that perennially threatens to cut reimbursement rates to physician. Lawmakers passed another temporary, 12-month patch, but Texas' congressional delegation said afterward they are closer than ever to a lasting solution on this perennial issue.

Surpassing the 5 million mark, student enrollment in Texas public schools has hit a new record, according to the Texas Education Agency. And Hispanic enrollment continues to mark the majority.

Disclosure: At the time of publication, Texas A&M University was a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. (You can also review the full list of Tribune donors and sponsors below $1,000.)