Gov. Greg Abbott advocates for state takeover of Houston ISD’s school board in scathing tweet
Abbott criticized the district's leadership as a "disaster." Full Story
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Aliyya Swaby
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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.
Past Contributions
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at the Resurgent Gathering of conservative party activists in Austin on August 3, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas school finance panel approves final report to lawmakers
The Texas Commission on Public School Finance — created last year to scrutinize the way the state funds K-12 education — finalized a report on Wednesday that includes more than 30 recommended improvements. Full Story
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![Commission member Todd Williams of Dallas, left, meets with TEA Commissioner Mike Morath and State Sen. Royce West at the Texas Commission on Public School Finance on Jan. 23, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas has failed to close educational gaps for kids of color. In Edgewood ISD, the fallout has lasted generations.
Edgewood ISD has faced consistent problems in preparing its students for college and the workforce. The district's struggles shine a light on Texas’ long record of neglecting schools that educate mostly students of color. Full Story
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![Carlos Lopez is a freshman at The University of Texas studying Biochemistry, while also holding down a part time job at HEB. He graduated high school from John F. Kennedy, a small school on the west side of San Antonio and feels unprepared for what he has experienced at UT. He studies at the Student Academic Center on campus, December 7, 2018. Although he feels his public education underprepared him for UT and an advisor suggested changing his major, he does not want to give up.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott's proposal would provide more tax relief than new school funding
His pitch is one of a long list of recommendations a state school finance panel will send to lawmakers later this month. Full Story
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![State Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, l, chats at the lunch break with chairman Justice Scott Brister at the Texas Commission on School Finance meeting on Jan. 23, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Richardson ISD's student demographics have significantly changed. The makeup of its school board hasn't.
Only one person of color has ever served on the Richardson ISD board. Now, he's suing the district over its method of electing school board members, alleging it denies people of color a fair say in who represents them. Full Story
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![Karen Hill (sp?) in her home in the Hamilton Park subdivision of Dallas. Her father, A. Maceo Johnson was a school teacher and had other prominent career rolls in education and served on the Dallas Civil Service Commission.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
San Antonio ISD is innovating to integrate its schools. Is it leaving some behind in the process?
To stem the exodus of students to private and charter schools, San Antonio ISD is redesigning dozens of schools that now offer popular educational programs. Families and educators at those schools are thrilled, but people at other schools feel left out. Full Story
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![Brian Sparks is the principal at Lamar Elementary School in San Antonio. He helps out with cafeteria duties on the first day of school.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
It took this Texas school district 48 years to desegregate. Now, some fear a return to the past.
Though students of color in Longview ISD still don’t have the same educational opportunities as white students, a federal judge dismissed a longstanding desegregation court order. Will the district succeed without it? Full Story
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![Longview beats rival Lufkin 35-28 for the season opener at Longview High School, August 31, 2018. Earlier this year the 1970 federal segregation order was lifted for Longview ISD.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Texas may have again illegally reduced special education funding
Disability rights advocates have dug up documents appearing to show Texas spent $41.6 million less on kids with disabilities in 2017 than the year before, raising the prospect of yet another federal financial penalty. Full Story
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5th Circuit upholds feds' $33 million penalty for Texas decrease in special education funding
The three-judge panel effectively upheld the U.S. Department of Education's decision to withhold $33 million from Texas in a future special education grant, calling the state's argument "unpersuasive." Full Story
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![Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins leaves the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018.]()
Credit: Cheryl Gerber for The Texas Tribune -
Behind closed doors, Greg Abbott’s office has pitched a plan to fix Texas school finance
The pitch includes capping increases in districts' property tax revenue and financial incentives to improve school performance. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a rally at the Capitol for school choice January 24, 2017. Both Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick spoke in favor of expanding school choice options. Students, educators, activists and parents marched on the south lawn to show their support for expanding school choice options during National School Choice Week.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune