Public charters fight uphill battle for facilities funding
Charter schools, seeking more state money, want the public to know that they're public schools, too. 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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![Children from charter and private schools all over Texas turned out for the 85th legislative session's National School Choice Rally on Jan. 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
School leaders ask House not to cut state aid program in finance fix
School districts urged House lawmakers on Tuesday not to create winners and losers as they work to revamp the state's public school funding system. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, at a House Education Committee meeting on March 7, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
House leader announces $1.6B school funding plan
The top public education policymaker in the Texas House unveiled a $1.6 billion plan on Monday that he described as a first step to overhauling the state’s beleaguered school funding system. Full Story
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![State Rep. and Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, speaks at a press conference unveiling the school finance bill on March 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
After Huberty's comments, school choice advocates lobby state Republican Party
House Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty's comments about school choice legislation being a "dead" issue this legislative session have angered Texas supporters of the voucher-like programs. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Humble, chairman of the House Education Committee, at at Texas Tribune event on Feb. 28, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Unlikely allies: some homeschoolers fighting to kill school choice bill
Rural conservatives and homeschoolers are joining forces with public education advocates against Senate Bill 3, which pushes private school choice. Their state senators are not all on the same page. Full Story
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![School board member Corinne French and homeschooling advocate Nicki Truesdell were surprised to find themselves on the same side of the debate around private school choice in Texas.]()
Credit: Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune -
Texas school districts struggle to recruit bilingual certified teachers
As more students enroll in bilingual education programs in schools across Texas, districts have budgeted for a smaller workforce of bilingual certified educators, according to data in the Tribune's Public Schools Explorer. Full Story
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House budget proposal would defund Gov. Abbott's pre-K program
The House has proposed cutting all funding for a pre-K grant program that Gov. Greg Abbott has discussed as a priority this legislative session — setting the stage for a battle in the Legislature. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs House Bill 4, which adds funding for pre-kindergarten, into law at the Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center in Austin on May 28, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas parents: Help us understand your school choices
As we examine school choice proposals before the Legislature, The Texas Tribune wants to hear directly from families who would be affected by changing state and national policies. Full Story
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![Students enter a classroom at one of the 11 Houston-area campuses of Yes Prep, a public charter school system serving 7,000 low-income students.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s what the Texas school choice bill means in plain English
Last week, state Sen. Larry Taylor filed the leading school choice bill of the legislative session. But what would Senate Bill 3 actually do? We've annotated the text to explain in plain English how the bill would impact Texas families. Full Story
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In preliminary vote, State Board of Education keeps controversial evolution standards
A day after hearing from scientists begging them to remove controversial language from science standards that some say opens the door to creationism, State Board of Education members took a preliminary vote Wednesday to do the opposite. Full Story
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![State Board of Education member Barbara Cargill attends a meeting of the board on Feb. 1, 2017, in Austin.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune
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