Houston ISD, the state’s largest school district, is among those that could have its school board taken over by the state, due to consecutive low ratings of one of its schools.
Aliyya Swaby
Aliyya Swaby was the public education reporter for The Texas Tribune, where she worked from 2016 to 2021. Previously she worked at the hyperlocal nonprofit New Haven Independent, where she covered education, zoning and transit for two years. After graduating from Yale University in 2013, she spent a year freelance reporting in Panama on social issues affecting black Panamanian communities. She was an Education Writers Association finalist in 2017 for beat reporting and a Livingston Awards finalist in 2019 for a series on school desegregation.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas tried to incentivize school districts to work with charters. Districts are turning to local nonprofits instead.
Not many school districts are partnering with charter schools, in some cases because they know it wouldn’t be politically palatable in their communities.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas just made it easier to punish students who harass teachers. Will the law be misused?
The change has re-upped a perennial debate over how to help teachers manage aggressive or violent student behavior — without increasing the chances that the state’s most disadvantaged kids will be disciplined and then drop out.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
At Houston forum, 10 presidential candidates make their pitches to thousands of educators
Weeks after state lawmakers wrapped up an education-focused legislative session, Texas teachers heard Democratic presidential hopefuls share their plans to reshape public education nationally.
Posted in
Public Education
With conflicting budget estimates, will Texas teachers get the pay raises they anticipated?
Many school districts are seeing smaller gains from the state’s school finance law than they predicted. Teachers are fighting to get bigger raises anyway.
Posted in
Guides
Are the billions Texas lawmakers committed for schools and lower property taxes sustainable?
An attempt to raise the sales tax to pay for state leaders’ ambitious goals failed, raising questions about long-term effects of the property tax limitations in the school finance bill.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas lawmakers boosted special education funding this year, prompting hope for more from advocates
The Legislature committed about $223 million to pay off a federal financial penalty and will study the possibility of overhauling special education funding in 2021.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas lawmakers approve $1.1 billion from state savings to fix teacher pension fund
Senate Bill 12 would increase state, teacher and school district contributions to the pension fund over the next six years and give retired teachers a $2,000 supplemental check.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House, Senate pass school finance bill mandating teacher raises and cutting taxes
The $11.6 billion school finance and property tax reform bill is now poised to head to Gov. Greg Abbott.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Teacher raises and all-day pre-K: Here’s what’s in the Texas Legislature’s landmark school finance bill
The $11.6 billion legislation is on a path to the governor’s desk and includes property tax cuts, a hike in per-student funding and money to ease the state’s reliance on the “Robin Hood” program.
