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Aliyya Swaby was the public education reporter for The Texas Tribune, where she worked from 2016 to 2021. Previously she worked at the hyperlocal nonprofit New Haven Independent, where she covered education, zoning and transit for two years. After graduating from Yale University in 2013, she spent a year freelance reporting in Panama on social issues affecting black Panamanian communities. She was an Education Writers Association finalist in 2017 for beat reporting and a Livingston Awards finalist in 2019 for a series on school desegregation.
The $11.6 billion legislation is on a path to the governor's desk and includes property tax cuts, a hike in per-student funding and money to ease the state's reliance on the "Robin Hood" program. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced they have finalized the details of the three bills that will accomplish their top policy goals. Full Story
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Starting teacher pay in Buffalo is thousands below the state average, and it's hard to attract people from outside the small town. The district's superintendent hopes school finance reform will help. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott and other legislative leaders endorsed the sales tax increase, intended to help fund ongoing cuts to school district taxes. But it has been effectively killed this session. Full Story
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The chambers will need to negotiate how to give teachers pay raises, whether to adjust how students take standardized tests and how to provide long-term property tax relief for Texans. Full Story
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The visits are part of the U.S. Department of Education's ongoing oversight of Texas' special education programs after an investigation last year showed the state had violated federal special education law. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen did not close the door on passing a sales tax swap with a simple majority instead of the current approach requiring two-thirds support of lawmakers and voter approval. Full Story
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The Senate Education Committee approved the school finance bill in a hurried meeting Wednesday. The full Senate is now expected to vote on the legislation Friday. Meanwhile, a House panel advanced a proposal to let voters decide whether a sales tax increase should fund property tax relief. Full Story
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The bill differs in significant ways from the version the House approved this month. Full Story
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The chambers will have to negotiate exactly who will pay to shore up the pension fund and how big the one-time additional check will be for retirees. Full Story
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