Spend a day with Isabel Suarez, an 18-year-old Pflugerville High School senior who’s taking on the challenges of virtual school as well as tutoring her two younger siblings during the pandemic.
Aliyya Swaby
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.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
After an indoor reception for Texas education officials, many attendees weren’t told of COVID-19 diagnoses
Within two weeks of an informal reception honoring retiring State Board of Education members, at least three members tested positive for COVID-19. No one told many of the other attendees or the hotel.
Posted in
Reopening Texas Schools
Texas students will still take STAAR tests in 2021, but schools won’t be rated on them
State lawmakers had previously asked the Texas Education Agency to seek a federal waiver to cancel the standardized tests.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
At least three Texas Board of Education members test positive for the coronavirus after in-person meeting
One of the board members said the state needs to be more cautious about getting back to normal — especially with a new legislative session set to begin next month.
Posted in
Reopening Texas Schools
Many Texas families say remote learning isn’t working and they want it fixed
A summer of delay and inconsistency from state political and education leaders left Texas schools little time to prepare for an academic year with millions of students learning from home. Now many of those kids are failing through no fault of their own.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas education board approves new sex ed policy that does not cover LGBTQ students or consent
Most Republicans voted against proposals to teach middle and high school students about consent, sexual orientation or gender identity. The board will take a final vote Friday.
Posted in
Politics
68 members of the Texas House call for STAAR exams to be canceled this year
The state has yet to decide how the STAAR exam will be administered and used to rate school districts as the pandemic continues.
Posted in
Reopening Texas Schools
In this San Antonio classroom, a teacher divides her time between “roomies” and “zoomies”
Third grade teacher Abigail Boyett is responsible for simultaneously educating 10 students in person and 11 at home. It’s a challenge many Texas teachers face this fall as schools adapt to the pandemic.
Posted in
Public Education
Texas schools still failing special education students, federal review finds
The state isn’t showing that it is ensuring students with disabilities, especially those with dyslexia, are getting the extra help they need, federal education officials said, echoing findings from a 2018 investigation.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Republicans maintain majority on Texas education board
Democrats targeted three seats on the Republican-dominated board and won one of them this week. Republicans won the other two seats.