In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to former state Rep. Pete Gallego about his first year as the president of his alma mater, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for higher ed as the state comes out of the pandemic.
education
Posted in
Public Education
School nurses have become crucial in battling the pandemic, but Texas doesn’t require districts to have them
With more students going back to classrooms and no more statewide mask mandate, nurses say their jobs are set to become even more challenging.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Millions of Texans still don’t have broadband access. Some lawmakers are trying to change that.
Although much of the attention is focused in the lack of infrastructure in rural areas, large numbers of urban residents also don’t have broadband subscriptions.
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Public Education
Texas schools won’t lose state funding this academic year for coronavirus attendance declines
School districts must keep or increase the rate of students learning in person in order to avoid losing funds, Gov. Greg Abbott and education officials announced Thursday.
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Higher Education
Student files class-action lawsuit against UT-Austin, saying online education last year wasn’t worth the tuition
The suit claims that the quality of classes dropped and argues the tuition should have too.
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Winter Storm 2021
Texas schools still tallying storm costs, and some won’t reopen soon
School districts report flooded classrooms and gyms, and teachers have lost supplies and learning materials. The damage is further disrupting a school year already upended by the pandemic.
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Graphics and data reporting
We’ve updated our Texas Public Schools Explorer with 2019-20 data
Use our database to learn about Texas public school districts and campuses, including hundreds of charter schools and alternative campuses. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state waived accountability ratings for the 2019-20 school year.
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Winter Storm 2021
Texas students slammed again as storm scrambles already chaotic school year
The pandemic had already destabilized parents, teachers and students. Now the winter storm’s damage to buildings is preventing schools from even serving as lifelines for students in need of shelter and food.
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Point of Order
Point of Order: The disconnect
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Rep. Trent Ashby about his bill to create a state broadband plan — a long-overdue effort to address our digital deficiency at a time when school, work and health care have all moved online.
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Public Education
Many Texas students can skip STAAR tests this year, but high schoolers might have to show up to graduate
There will be few consequences if parents worried about the health risks of in-person testing keep their elementary and middle school students in virtual learning at home. But high schoolers still must pass certain exams to graduate.
