public education

Houston school district asks federal judge to put the brakes on likely state takeover

by Aliyya Swaby

Houston ISD lawyers told a federal judge the education commissioner is exceeding his authority, and asked for a preliminary injunction stopping him from booting out the elected school board of the state's largest district.

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State-ordered study finds STAAR not too hard for young readers

by Aliyya Swaby

Questions about the reading and writing tests arose after some education advocates pointed to studies showing passages were written above elementary and middle schoolers' grade levels.

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Fort Worth teacher who asked Trump to deport students said her tweets were protected by the First Amendment. Texas officials agreed.

by Davis Rich and Chase Karacostas

Commissioner of Education Mike Morath wrote that Georgia Clark did not waive her First Amendment rights when she signed her contract with Fort Worth ISD.

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Feds order Texas Education Agency to pay fired special education director more than $200,000

by Aliyya Swaby

The U.S. Department of Education found that Laurie Kash's disclosures about how the TEA awarded a contract were "contributing factors" in her termination.

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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.

Texas education officials face local resistance to Houston ISD board takeover

by Aliyya Swaby

Houston ISD parents and residents made it clear Thursday night that they don't want the state to replace their elected school board.

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Watch: Conversations on the future of urban Texas

by Texas Tribune Events Staff

We're livestreaming our two-day event in Houston exploring the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Texas' largest cities.

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Masters of Education Policy student Chloe White testifies in support of a proposed addition to a high school African American studies course to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) state standards before the State Board of Education during a meeting in Austin on Nov. 13, 2019

Texas education board likely to approve African American studies course in 2020

by Aliyya Swaby

"We will be passing this," said Pat Hardy, a Republican on the Texas State Board of Education.

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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.

After state takeover news, Houston ISD clams up, leaving parents and teachers scrambling for insight

by Aliyya Swaby

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.

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Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Matt Wells looks on before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium in Tucson on Sept. 14, 2019.

Texas Tech football coach defends his role in Utah State sexual assault scandal

by Shannon Najmabadi

A federal lawsuit filed this month alleges Coach Matt Wells failed to respond to sexual assault allegations.

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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.

This school district has been at risk of state takeover for years. Some blame white flight.

by Aliyya Swaby

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.

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Texas education officials recommend replacing Houston ISD's elected school board

by Aliyya Swaby

A Texas Education Agency final investigative report, sent to lawmakers Wednesday evening, recommends the state appoint new leaders of Texas' largest school district.

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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.

Texas, like nation, sees little progress in national report card

by Aliyya Swaby

Texas saw a significant decrease in eighth-grade reading scores and stagnant results in other measures.

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Students in class at Bowie High School in Austin.

Austin ISD sex ed battle could be preview of state-level debate

by Aliyya Swaby

Austin ISD's contentious board meeting comes months before the State Board of Education revises its curriculum standards on sex education.

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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.

Texas House panel considers fixes for glitches in school finance law

by Aliyya Swaby

Educators and advocates pointed out several errors in the massive school finance law passed in May that have resulted in confusion for school districts.

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House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announces committee chairs at the state capitol. Jan 23, 2019.

With a lame-duck speaker, Texas House confronts the work of the interim

by Emma Platoff and Alexa Ura

For the next 14 months, the powerful committee chairs who called for House Speaker Dennis Bonnen to step down will be asked to carry out his will — and every decision the speaker makes will be viewed in the shadow of demise.

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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.

Texas is spending millions to bring the "portfolio model" to its schools. The strategy has led to teacher strikes in other states.

by Aliyya Swaby

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.

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Students cross a bridge at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus in Brownsville.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to provide free tuition for students with household incomes under $75,000

by Stacy Fernández

The tuition assistance program is expected to cover tuition and fees for about half of UTRGV students in the 2020-2021 academic year.

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Hear how this Texas school district found itself at risk of returning to a segregated past

by Aliyya Swaby and Alexa Ura

A new audio series, a collaboration between The Texas Tribune and 1A, explores why students of color in Longview ISD still don't have the same educational opportunities as white students.

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JoAnn Zavala, pre-K bilingual teacher at Hemphill Elementary, leads a short period of exercise on Sept. 5, 2019.

Texas is paying more for full-day pre-K. But some school districts are delaying.

by Aliyya Swaby

How are Texas school districts using state pre-K funding to expand educational options for 3- and 4-year-olds? It depends where you look.

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Kate Yetter teaches 5th grade writing at Ogden Elementary in San Antonio. On the left is Amaya'Jaslene Jones and on the right is Ignacio Romo (cq). 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.

Texas lets struggling schools partner with nonprofits or charters for improvement. But many got Fs this year.

by Aliyya Swaby

Four public schools being run by private organizations under a partnership must drastically improve their state ratings over the next couple of years or else face forced closure.

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