On this week’s TribCast, Alexa talks to Ross, Aliyya and Emma about the state’s bad relationship with data and the latest pingponging guidance on how and when schools can reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.
Public Education
Explore The Texas Tribune’s coverage of public education, from K-12 schools and funding to teachers, students, and policies shaping classrooms across Texas.
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Reopening Texas Schools
Custodians, cafeteria workers and bus drivers also fear returning to Texas schools
Texas schools employ almost as many support staff members as they do teachers, often in hourly or part-time jobs with low pay. The state has offered limited guidance on how to protect them on the job.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas attorney general says local health authorities cannot “indiscriminately” shut down schools
After Paxton’s guidance, the Texas Education Agency reversed course and announced that the state won’t fund schools that remain closed under a local public health mandate.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas families now have until Aug. 21 to apply for food aid to make up for school meals
The families of more than 20% of the 3.6 million eligible school children across the state have yet to apply for federal aid under the Pandemic EBT program.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas fifth and eighth graders won’t have to pass STAAR test to move on to the next grade
Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday that Texas students must take the state standardized test next spring, but fifth and eighth graders can graduate without passing it.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Harris County orders schools closed until Sept. 8
The order could extend further, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.
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Coronavirus in Texas
As school reopenings falter, some Texas parents hire private teachers. Others can only afford to cross their fingers.
With the safe reopening of schools this fall in doubt, parents with the resources are setting up “learning pods” or seeking other options. But the do-it-yourself approach to education threatens to leave behind students of color and poorer families.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Analysis: Coronavirus spreads to the Texas state budget
Now that the first official estimate of the coronavirus’ effect on the Texas economy is out, the hard work starts. Legislators have to figure out which parts of the state budget to cut and which parts to keep.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Harris County officials recommend, not mandate, that school districts stay closed to in-person instruction until October
On Tuesday, Tarrant County joined the list of other officials, including those in Dallas, who are mandating delayed school reopening.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Some Texas high schools can start football, volleyball practices as soon as Aug. 3
Bigger schools — those with a 5A or 6A designation — will have to wait until September.