On Wednesday, TEA officials confirmed that school districts wouldn’t be penalized for barring students on campuses if local health officials mandated that schools stay closed, as long as remote instruction is offered.
Stories by Texas Tribune fellows
The Texas Tribune welcomes a group of student fellows into our newsroom each spring, summer and fall. Here is a sampling of their work. Learn more about the fellowship program here.
Posted in
COVID-19 Recession in Texas
Texas’ June unemployment rate falls to 8.6%, but experts warn unemployment could worsen next month
Texas’ June unemployment rate fell to 8.6% — but experts say the improvement may be short-lived with recent surges in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Distilleries, wineries shuttered by Gov. Greg Abbott’s bar shutdown say they should be exempted
Distillery, winery and some restaurant owners say their businesses are different from traditional bars, which Abbott closed after COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations began to climb in June.
Watch: Julián Castro and Joaquin Castro on coronavirus in Texas, Democrats’ chances in November and the fall school semester
We sat down for an interview with the Castro brothers to discuss the federal and state response to the coronavirus, its tougher effects on Blacks and Latinos, and the possibility of Texas going Democratic.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Julián and Joaquin Castro criticize Gov. Greg Abbott for reopening Texas too soon
Julián Castro said Abbott made three consequential mistakes: reopening the state too early, not pushing hard enough to get adequate testing or contact tracing, and banning local officials from requiring masks in the earlier months of the pandemic.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Three Texas House incumbents — Dan Flynn, Anna Eastman and J.D. Sheffield — lose in primary runoffs
Two other incumbents — Democrats Lorraine Birabil and Harold Dutton — were also on the ballot Tuesday.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Candace Valenzuela among runoff winners as Texas congressional battleground races take shape
Other notable winners Tuesday night included Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls and Austin attorney Mike Siegel.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the U.S. And during the pandemic, an estimated 659,000 Texans lost their health care.
The pandemic-driven economic downturn has left more than 5.4 million Americans with no job and no insurance. Texas has one of the largest shares of this increase.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Masks, gloves and plastic shields: What voting during a pandemic looks like across Texas
This year’s primary runoff election in Texas is different from any before it. The Texas Tribune sent photographers to see what it was like.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin says it will keep “The Eyes of Texas” as school song, but will rename buildings as Black students call for change
Last month, student athletes at the University of Texas at Austin said they would forgo recruiting and donor events if campus and athletic leaders failed to implement their demands, which were aimed at supporting students of color.