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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.
Educators and advocates found it hard to concur on the Senate's version of House Bill 22, either finding it too restrictive and tied to standardized tests or not quite strict enough. Full Story
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A House Public Education Committee hearing became heated Tuesday when Chairman Dan Huberty had a harsh exchange with a witness speaking against a bill that would let high school students who fail required state tests graduate, with the approval of a special committee. Full Story
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A Senate committee passed the House’s major school finance reform bill, after adding a controversial provision subsidizing private school tuition for special needs students — a move unlikely to go over well in the House. Full Story
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With a major bill for students with disabilities flying to the governor's desk, special education advocates are looking ahead to smaller bills that might not survive the upcoming deadlines for legislation to pass. Full Story
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The House passed Senate Bill 7, which would penalize principals and superintendents who purposely hide incidents of teachers having sexual or romantic relationships with students. Full Story
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The Texas House passed a bill that would overhaul the controversial A-F system for grading schools, now set for implementation next school year. Full Story
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The Senate passed a bill extending the opportunity for students to graduate even if they haven't passed their required exams by going before a graduation committee. Full Story
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House Bill 1335 by Rep. Ron Simmons would give students with disabilities online accounts of state money to use for private school tuition and certain homeschooling expenses, such as textbooks and curricula. Full Story
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The Texas Senate voted to give charter schools state money to build facilities, with a caveat: traditional public schools get a little extra, too. Full Story
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The House Public Education Committee heard a bill that would pare back the number of required standardized tests, in line with the wave of legislation limiting high-stakes testing in public schools. Full Story
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