With funding tighter than the previous legislative session, lawmakers are not expected to inject much more money into public education. For now, some are backing a plan to increase money to all school districts through the general appropriations bill.
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
Texas lawmakers focus on friendship on legislative session’s first day
With pomp and circumstance inside the Capitol and protests and prayer rallies outside it, the Texas Legislature kicked off its 85th session on Tuesday.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas’ most populous districts see As through Ds in new ratings
The 10 most populous districts in the state received more Ds than As in the new A-F rating system, according to a preliminary report out to educators Friday. By comparison, the 10 biggest charters saw more As and a smattering of Fs.
Posted in
2016 Year in Review
School finance, testing fiasco topped 2016 education news
School districts lost a court case that could have forced the state to reform its school finance system, and federal officials toured Texas to investigate claims that special education services were arbitrarily capped.
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Politics
Texas electors cast 36 votes for Trump, 1 for Kasich and 1 for Ron Paul
All but two of Texas’ 38 electors voted Monday to officially put Donald Trump in the White House, with one elector casting a ballot for Ohio Gov. John Kasich and another voting for a fellow Texan, former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.
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Politics
Texas schools will soon get a first peek at their grades
The state’s new system of grading public schools and districts from A to F is barely starting to kick in, and many educators are already intent on killing it.
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Public Education
South Texans claim school districts withheld special ed
Rio Grande Valley parents and educators told federal and state officials Tuesday that school districts lacked knowledge and resources to get students special education services that comply with federal law.
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Politics
Feds, TEA to tour Texas for public comment on special ed
U.S. Department of Education and Texas Education Agency officials will hit five Texas cities to ask the public about their experience with special education, part of an ongoing investigation of the state’s services.
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Politics
Educators say parental rights bill could harm trust with students
State Sen. Konni Burton filed a bill that would broaden the requirements for what school officials have to share with parents, but LGBT activists say it could force educators to out gay or transgender students.
Posted in
Public Education
Beeville schools first to require computer science for all students
Every single teacher in Beeville ISD must now incorporate computer science into the curriculum, the first initiative of its kind in Texas.
