State Board of Education members will hear public testimony Tuesday on science curriculum standards that teach students to discredit evolution. They will discuss potential amendments to the standards Wednesday.
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
Politics
School choice bill pitches savings accounts, tax credit scholarships
Sen. Larry Taylor on Monday filed Senate Bill 3, which pushes education savings accounts and tax credit scholarships to subsidize private school tuition and other education expenses.
Posted in
Public Education
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls for House, Senate vote on school choice this session
At a “National School Choice Week” rally Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott urged the Legislature to take a vote on school choice legislation this session.
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Public Education
Thousands of school choice advocates expected to rally at Texas Capitol
Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will headline Tuesday’s rally, marking the start of a protracted battle this session over whether Texas should allow parents to pay for private school with taxpayer money.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas Senate takes first step toward school finance overhaul
The Senate has tasked a new budget working group with coming up with ways to overhaul the state’s school finance system.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
How should Texas teach students to interact with police?
Texas’ top criminal justice lawmakers are considering sending community leaders into public schools to teach ninth graders how to interact with police.
Posted in
Public Education
Federal officials plan second round of investigation on Texas special ed
Continuing its investigation into whether Texas capped special education services, federal officials will visit Texas districts and schools the week of Feb. 27.
Posted in
Politics
Expecting spike in special ed students, advocates push for better services
Texas is expected to increase the number of public school students receiving special education services, and disability rights advocates are aiming to improve the overall quality of those services.
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Politics
Texas educators criticize discrepancies between new A-F and past ratings
Educators argue the preliminary A-F grades contradict past distinctions they have received from the state. Proponents of the new rating system say it more accurately represents how schools are doing.
Posted in
Politics
Bills would continue graduation committees for students who failed STAAR
State Sen. Kel Seliger and state Rep. Dan Huberty have filed bills that would keep individual graduation committees, which allow students to graduate even if they fail required exams. The law creating these committees will expire in September.
