The Texas Senate backed bills that would subsidize private school tuition and study the state’s school finance system.
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.
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Immigration
After Texas “human trafficking crime,” Lt. Gov. Patrick lauds sanctuary city law
Amid the deaths of nine people in San Antonio, state and federal officials used social media and formal statements to tout a new anti-“sanctuary city” law, human trafficking legislation and U.S.-Mexico border security.
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Health care
Texas Senate panel approves teacher bonuses, retirement benefits
The Texas Senate Finance Committee approved a bill Saturday that would put one-time influxes of money toward the Teacher Retirement System and teacher bonuses, and require districts to fund $1,000 in teacher pay raises.
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Public Education
Senate committee passes bills on private school choice and school finance study
The Texas Senate Education Committee passed a bill that would create a “private school choice” program to subsidize private school tuition for kids with special needs, and a bill to study the school finance system.
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Public Education
Abbott adds school finance, retired teacher benefits to special session
In what seems to be an overture to the House, Gov. Greg Abbott added two new education-related issues to his special session call Thursday: school finance reform and increased benefits for retired teachers.
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Public Education
Texas teachers voice opposition to education-heavy special session
The day before the start of this summer’s special legislative session, educator groups rallied at the Texas Capitol, demanding more state resources and fewer unfunded mandates.
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Public Education
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes millions for teacher bonuses and retirement
Days before the special session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick rolled out a specific plan to give retired and long-term teachers up to $1,000 in additional bonuses, using money from the Texas Lottery over the long-term.
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Public Education
House education leaders won’t budge on school finance, private school choice
Rep. Dan Huberty, chair of the House Public Education Committee, said he plans to file a bill during the special session to reform school finance — and to continue to reject “private school choice.”
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Public Education
Gov. Abbott signs bill overhauling A-F school, district ratings
A bill overhauling a future system to grade Texas schools and districts on an A-F scale is now law.
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Public Education
Straus needles Texas Senate on public education funding, “bathroom bill”
Speaking to hundreds of educators ahead of a special session packed with education bills, House Speaker Joe Straus chastised the Senate for underfunding school finance reform.
