The latest Texas Education Agency news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas' education commissioner announced on Friday that the state would suspend a law that requires fifth- and eighth-graders to pass end-of-year math exams to advance to the next grade level. Full Story
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For-profit teacher certification companies are flourishing in Texas. But as the industry grows, so do questions about the state's ability to control the quality of training the programs provide. Full Story
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In the second year of a new school accountability system, nine out of 10 Texas districts met state standards, according to ratings released by the Texas Education Agency on Friday. The 2014 ratings show a slight decline from last year. Full Story
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In December, the Texas Education Agency moved to shutter six charter school operators under a new law. Nearly 10 months later, three of those schools remain open — fighting a process they say is overly simplistic. Full Story
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As Texas education officials announced the third year of record-breaking high school graduation rates on Tuesday, critics continued to raise questions about the method the state uses to calculate them. Full Story
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Many unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in Central America remain in Texas, and public school administrators face the challenge of providing an education for them. Full Story
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With the launch of a new initiative on Monday, the Texas State Technical College System could help revolutionize how colleges align their curriculum with workforce demands and help their students match up better with employers’ needs. Full Story
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Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams told federal education officials the state would take an additional year to pilot a new teacher evaluation system based in part on student standardized test performance. Full Story
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UPDATED: Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams told State Board of Education members Wednesday that said that when he approved a charter school's expansion into the Dallas area, he was following the spirit of a 2013 law. Full Story
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Stacked up against other states, Texas public schools could win the best-bang-for-your-buck competition. The state spends less than most others, and its students perform better than many. But the commitment to fiscal restraint has come with its own burdens for teachers. Full Story
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Over the last decade, Texas students have made steady progress on a number of academic measures. But in recent years, that improvement has begun to stall. Full Story
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State legislatures are scrambling to renounce Common Core standards as a grassroots movement builds against them. But their most vocal and earliest opponent was Texas. Full Story
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Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams has effectively overruled a vote by the State Board of Education to deny an Arizona-based charter school's expansion into the Dallas area. Full Story
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Inadequate supervision from the state has led to "grossly deficient" English language instruction for Texas public school students, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. Full Story
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A new state policy that ties teacher evaluations to student performance on standardized tests is drawing criticism from a range of sources. It is likely to be a topic of discussion Wednesday at a Texas House Public Education Committee hearing. Full Story
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Seven teachers, backed by the Houston branch of the American Federation of Teachers, are suing the Houston school district over a new approach tying standardized test results to pay and employment decisions. Full Story
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House Bill 5, which reduced standardized testing in public high schools, also included a provision aimed at easing the pressure of high-stakes exams for students in lower grades. But it may not be having the intended effect. Full Story
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Starting in the 2014-15 school year, eighth-graders in Texas public schools will be required to have graphing calculators or tablets for STAAR assessments. Some poorer school districts are concerned that the mandate ignores fiscal challenges they're already facing. Full Story
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UPDATED: Instead of making Mexican-American studies an official high school course, the Texas State Board of Education settled on a tentative compromise that would leave the decision whether to offer it to school districts. Full Story
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After questions were raised about language in a policy proposal that appears to call for the biannual testing of pre-kindergarten students, Greg Abbott’s campaign is clarifying his early education plan, saying he is not calling for such tests. Full Story
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