Texas education officials face local resistance to Houston ISD board takeover
Houston ISD parents and residents made it clear Thursday night that they don't want the state to replace their elected school board. Full Story
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![Sister Mama Sonya, a community education activist, protests against Texas Education Agency's takeover of Houston's independent school district at Wheatley High School on Nov. 14, 2019.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
After state takeover news, Houston ISD clams up, leaving parents and teachers scrambling for insight
The state's announcement that it will seize control of its largest school system has been met with notable silence from Houston ISD administrators and local elected officials. Full Story
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![Erin Pickens, a 4th grade teacher for Buffalo ISD, helps a student in her classroom in Buffalo on March 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
State to take over Houston ISD by replacing school board and superintendent
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath informed Houston ISD of those plans in a letter Wednesday. He also sent letters saying the state would take over Shepherd and Snyder ISDs. Full Story
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![TEA Commissioner Mike Morath testifies before the House Public Education Committee at the state capitol.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
This school district has been at risk of state takeover for years. Some blame white flight.
In a 2003 lawsuit, Hearne Independent School District officials said the state's failure to stop white students from transferring to a nearby district contributed to their academic struggles. Full Story
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![Hearne Elementary School principal Stephanie Heinchon assists 11-year-old sixth grade students, from left, Gabriel Ramirez, Jesus Munoz and Lane Endsley, with Science classwork, Sept. 16, 2019. Heinchon frequently visits classrooms and engages with students on campus.]()
Credit: Angela Piazza for The Texas Tribune -
Texas education officials recommend replacing Houston ISD's elected school board
A Texas Education Agency final investigative report, sent to lawmakers Wednesday evening, recommends the state appoint new leaders of Texas' largest school district. Full Story
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Credit: Tom Woodward for The Texas Tribune -
Texas, like nation, sees little progress in national report card
Texas saw a significant decrease in eighth-grade reading scores and stagnant results in other measures. Full Story
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![Tayden, along with the rest of the classroom, watches the students walk in as JoAnn Zavala welcomes them in on Sept 5, 2019 at Hemphill Elementary.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House panel considers fixes for glitches in school finance law
Educators and advocates pointed out several errors in the massive school finance law passed in May that have resulted in confusion for school districts. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, listens to testimonies on the Texas Education Agency's uses of House Bill 3 and House Bill 22 during a House Public Education Committee hearing on Oct. 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas is spending millions to bring the "portfolio model" to its schools. The strategy has led to teacher strikes in other states.
The approach is intended to quickly cut down on the number of low-performing schools in the state. So far, Texas has seen mixed results. Full Story
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![Corina Pannabecker (cq) teaches first grade at Ogden Elementary in San Antonio. Bexar County's school districts are among the most segregated in the state, with boundary lines historically drawn to consolidate resources. San Antonio ISD is working to create more socioeconomic and racial diversity through public school choice measures.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding -
Analysis: In Texas education, finding and fixing problems is hard. And slow.
Arguments over standardized tests in Texas public schools obscure another problem with accountability: Why does it take so long to respond when educators think a school isn't educating its students? Full Story
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Credit: Tom Woodward for The Texas Tribune -
Texas put billions more into schools. Is that enough to help this high-poverty school district break out?
A new superintendent at the helm of Edgewood Independent School District is trying to move the schools beyond their reputation of struggle and dysfunction. Full Story
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Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Cheating Texas kids out of a better future
A school in Texas can fail to meet state education standards for four years before the state shuts it down. A lot of students can go without the education they're due in four years' time. Full Story
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Credit: Jeff Heimsath forThe Texas Tribune -
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. Full Story
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![Jaculyn Zigtema, special education director for Whitehouse ISD, speaks during a Texas Education Agency hearing on special education funding in Richardson on April 16, 2018.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Feds will visit six Texas school districts this week to monitor special education
The visits are part of the U.S. Department of Education's ongoing oversight of Texas' special education programs after an investigation last year showed the state had violated federal special education law. Full Story
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![Vanessa Tijerina addresses the panel about her 13-year-old special needs child who has been denied special education for four years on December 13, 2016. U.S. Department of Education officials held a meeting in Edinburg on their tour of Texas to hear community members' experiences with special education, continuing an investigation of whether Texas is capping services for students with disabilities.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
Texas grades school districts on an A-F scale. Explore your district's grades here.
The changes to the new rating system — which gives districts a letter grade in three categories: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps — were finalized during the 2017 legislative session. Full Story
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![Bonham Elementary School in San Antonio on May 9, 2018.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
We’ve updated our Texas Public Schools Explorer with 2017-18 data
Use our Texas public schools database to learn more about the state’s 1,200 districts and 8,759 public schools, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses. Full Story
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![Ogden Elementary in San Antonio on April 30, 2018.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
State monitor orders Houston school trustees to halt superintendent search, according to reports
The directive came the same day that Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath expanded a conservator's oversight of Houston public schools. And it followed on the heels of Gov. Greg Abbott advocating for the state to take over the district. Full Story
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![Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath speaks to the State Board of Education members during a meeting in Austin on Jan. 29, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Watch our event on the future of Texas public education
We're livestreaming our two-day event in Austin diving into the most pressing issues facing students and educators across Texas. Full Story
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Watch: A conversation on school segregation
On Feb. 26, we sat down for a conversation about the impact of school segregation on public education in San Antonio, moderated by the Tribune's Aliyya Swaby. Full Story
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San Antonio ISD is innovating to integrate its schools. Is it leaving some behind in the process?
To stem the exodus of students to private and charter schools, San Antonio ISD is redesigning dozens of schools that now offer popular educational programs. Families and educators at those schools are thrilled, but people at other schools feel left out. Full Story
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![Brian Sparks is the principal at Lamar Elementary School in San Antonio. He helps out with cafeteria duties on the first day of school.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas education board moves to reinsert Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller into curriculum
The day after backing the motions on Clinton and Keller, the State Board of Education voted to keep Moses in high school U.S. history standards. Full Story
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![Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and author and political activist Helen Keller (1880-1968).]()
Credit: REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein: Clinton/Public domain: Keller