Civic engagement or illegal electioneering? How a school voting project became a conservative target
Powerful conservatives have taken several shots over the past few months at an educational advocacy group aiming to promote voting. Full Story
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![Austin ISD school buses at the terminal near John H. Reagan High School on July 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
More than half of Texas public school students are in districts where teacher certification isn’t required
Districts often say they will only hire uncertified teachers for career and technology courses. But because there are no state restrictions, some experts are concerned that uncertified educators will teach core classes. Full Story
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Texas denied thousands of students special ed services. Does the policy go back to George W. Bush's presidency?
The Texas Education Agency created a policy in 2004 that led school districts to deny special education services to thousands of students. Some educators and officials say that cap started with the federal government. Full Story
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![Then-U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 30, 2005.]()
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Texas board considers Mexican-American studies course, after two failed attempts at a textbook
The State Board of Education is considering creating standards for an official Mexican-American studies course after two failed attempts to approve a textbook for the subject. Full Story
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![Carolina Hernandez, a student in the Houston ISD, spoke during a news conference at the Texas Education Agency on Nov. 15, 2016, about a proposed Mexican-American studies textbook that educators and activists have criticized. As Hernandez spoke, she glanced at a box holding 15,000 petitions against the textbook.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
In report, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott boasts economic growth, record unemployment
Gov. Greg Abbott released his second "Report to the People of Texas," which chronicles the state's victories in 2017. But it skims over a few major challenges Texas faced during the past year. Full Story
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Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas panel set to discuss school finance fix. Can they iron out lawmakers’ disagreements?
The Texas Commission on Public School Finance will meet for the first time this week as it develops legislative recommendations for overhauling the state's beleaguered system for funding public education. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Huberty (left), R-Houston, and state Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Education Agency releases plan to reform special education
The Texas Education Agency released a preliminary plan for reforming special education, addressing federal concerns about the state's failure to serve students with disabilities. Full Story
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![Jean Gearhart gives a tearful statement with her husband Troy Gearhart to the panel about her special needs child. U.S. Department of Education officials held a meeting in Edinburg on their tour of Texas to hear community members' experiences with special education.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
Texas attorney general says it's illegal for schools to bus kids to polling places in some cases
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an official, nonbinding opinion Wednesday saying school districts cannot provide transportation to get students to polling places unless the trip serves an educational purpose. Full Story
![Austin ISD school buses at the terminal near John H. Reagan High School on July 26, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price / The Texas Tribune -
After special education contract fiasco, Texas official considered for Massachusetts job
Penny Schwinn, who oversees Texas Education Agency policy on special education, is a finalist for Massachusetts education commissioner — a month after a special education contract she spearheaded took a nosedive. Full Story
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![Penny Schwinn is responsible for overseeing the TEA Assessment and Accountability Division, as well as Standards and Programs.]()
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Special education caps were the Texas Legislature's idea, educators say
In the wake of a federal report finding Texas was failing its kids with disabilities, educators say the state is to blame and that Texas legislators first suggested cutting back special education services to keep costs low. Full Story
![Jean Gearhart gives a tearful statement with her husband Troy Gearhart to the panel about her special needs child. U.S. Department of Education officials held a meeting in Edinburg on their tour of Texas to hear community members' experiences with special education.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
Feds say Texas illegally failed to educate students with disabilities
A U.S. Department of Education investigation concluded Thursday that Texas violated federal law by failing to ensure students with disabilities were properly evaluated and provided with an adequate public education. 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 schools weathered Hurricane Harvey, political strife in 2017
Take a look back at our 2017 public education coverage and read about how the Texas Legislature failed to overhaul the school finance system, how several Texas students and teachers are still recovering from a devastating hurricane, and more. Full Story
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![LaVeta Rodriguez, director of the Little Lights Learning Center stands among the unused cribs, toys and equipment in the baby room at the center in Rockport on Oct. 25, 2017. The school was damaged during Hurricane Harvey and has yet to re open.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune -
How many Texas eighth-graders from 2005 went on to college?
Use our Texas Higher Ed Outcomes Explorer to track the educational milestones of every student who started eighth grade in a Texas public school between 1997 and 2005. You can see figures broken down by county, ethnicity and other factors. Full Story
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Texas education agency faces mounting questions over canceled special education contract
Now that the Texas Education Agency has terminated a controversial no-bid contract aimed at improving special education services, critics are questioning how a relatively unknown Georgia company got the job in the first place. Full Story
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Amid state cuts, a high school football coach got a $20,000 raise. His district says he's earned it.
As state cuts to public education become more common, school communities must frequently debate where and how to trim their limited budgets without harming students or teachers. Full Story
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![Carthage High head football coach and athletic director Scott Surratt received a $21,400 raise this year, while the district faced a nearly $7 million shortfall. School officials say Surratt paid for his own raise by bumping ticket sales and earning championship prize money.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Education Agency ends controversial no-bid special education contract
After pushback from special education advocates, the Texas Education Agency is terminating a no-bid contract with a company to analyze thousands of personal records of students with disabilities — and reviewing agency contract processes. Full Story
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Texas lawmaker questions education group's tactics for getting out the vote
A state lawmaker is seeking a legal opinion on whether an educator group is encouraging improper use of public funds to get out the vote. Teachers say they are modeling civic engagement for their students within legal limits, and the letter is motivated by a backlash against public education. Full Story
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![State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, gives a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday night, August 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Disability rights advocates call for Texas to halt education data mining contract
Disability rights advocates are urging the Texas Education Agency to hit pause on a contract with a company to mine data on how schools are serving students with disabilities. Full Story
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Without recovery funds, more than 50 Texas day cares close after Harvey
A number of Texas day care centers are in rough shape after Hurricane Harvey, adding one more challenge for parents trying to get back home and find work — they're unable to find a safe place to leave their children. Full Story
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![Jacqueline James looks over at infants playing in the only building in her child care center that did not suffer severe damage from Hurricane Harvey.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Education Agency back in the headlines over special education firing
The TEA says it fired its new special education director because she didn't reveal that she had been accused of covering up sexual abuse allegations in a previous job. Laurie Kash believes she was fired because she uncovered an illegal agency contract. Full Story
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![Laurie Kash was fired from her position as the Texas Education Agency's special education director after months on the job.]()
Credit: LinkedIn profile page