Public education

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

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. Full Story 

Snubbed by Texas lawmakers, local officials look to children for help to avoid a census undercount

by Troy Closson

Hoping to avoid an undercount of thousands of Hispanic and black Texans, Dallas, Harris and Hidalgo counties believe getting children engaged can bring families to participate in the 2020 census. Full Story 

Texas schools with more student poverty got the most Ds and Fs in state ratings

by Aliyya Swaby and Mandi Cai

At the same time, hundreds of high-poverty schools received A grades, including many in South Texas. Those are just some of the takeaways from this year's ratings. Full Story 

Analysis: In Texas education, finding and fixing problems is hard. And slow.

by Ross Ramsey

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 

Texas put billions more into schools. Is that enough to help this high-poverty school district break out?

by Aliyya Swaby

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 

Analysis: Cheating Texas kids out of a better future

by Ross Ramsey

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 

Three Texas school districts face state penalties after getting failing grades. Look up your campus' A-F grade here.

by Aliyya Swaby, Mandi Cai and Chris Essig

Houston ISD, the state's largest school district, is among those that could have its school board taken over by the state, due to consecutive low ratings of one of its schools. Full Story 

Texas tried to incentivize school districts to work with charters. Districts are turning to local nonprofits instead.

by Aliyya Swaby

Not many school districts are partnering with charter schools, in some cases because they know it wouldn't be politically palatable in their communities. Full Story 

Texas just made it easier to punish students who harass teachers. Will the law be misused?

by Aliyya Swaby

The change has re-upped a perennial debate over how to help teachers manage aggressive or violent student behavior — without increasing the chances that the state's most disadvantaged kids will be disciplined and then drop out. Full Story 

Analysis: The extraordinary adventures of H. Ross Perot

by Ross Ramsey

Lots of Texans have great stories and interesting experiences. But some — like Ross Perot — pack more tales into a lifetime than most of us. Full Story 

At Houston forum, 10 presidential candidates address thousands of educators

by Aliyya Swaby

Weeks after state lawmakers wrapped up an education-focused legislative session, Texas teachers heard Democratic presidential hopefuls share their plans to reshape public education nationally. Full Story 

With conflicting budget estimates, will Texas teachers get the pay raises they anticipated?

by Aliyya Swaby

Many school districts are seeing smaller gains from the state's school finance law than they predicted. Teachers are fighting to get bigger raises anyway. Full Story