“School districts, what they have to do if they lose a student, [is] be smart about how they allocate their resources and maybe that’s one less fourth grade teacher,” Steve Lecholop, a TEA deputy commissioner, said in a call with a parent that was secretly recorded.
education
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas senators seem open to major change in state’s public education funding formula
Senators in the finance committee asked questions Monday about the pros and cons of basing the amount of money that schools get per student on enrollment instead of attendance. Districts say the change could mean millions in additional funding.
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Public Education
Texas Supreme Court clears way for state’s education agency to take over Houston ISD
The decision from the state’s highest court would allow the TEA to move forward with its plan to replace Houston ISD’s school board members over low academic scores.
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T-Squared
T-Squared: Introducing our spring 2023 fellows
Tribune fellows have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in all aspects of the operation of a modern news organization.
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The Texas Tribune-ProPublica Investigative Unit
A Texas superintendent ordered librarians to remove LGBTQ-themed books. Now the federal government is investigating.
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has opened what appears to be the first-of-its-kind investigation into the Granbury Independent School District after it banned school library books dealing with sexuality and gender.
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Public Education
More Texans turn to home schooling after the pandemic showed them what learning outside of schools could be like
Some new home-schoolers disagree with how race and sex are taught at schools. Others cite safety concerns after the Uvalde shooting and poor academic outcomes.
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Criminal Justice
In wake of the Uvalde shooting, hoax active-shooter calls keep parents and police on edge
An increase in fake active-shooter reports since the beginning of the school year has intensified parents’ anxieties and required an additional law enforcement response.
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Public Education
A Granbury mom’s campaign to ban library books divided her town — and her family
Weston Brown thought he had fully come to terms with his mother’s anti-LGBTQ beliefs. Then he saw the video of her speaking at a school board meeting. “I couldn’t stay quiet about that.”
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Public Education
It’s not just COVID-19: Why Texas faces a teacher shortage
Texas schools have long had too few teachers. The pandemic made the situation worse — but issues like low pay, poor benefits and polarizing statewide politics all have an impact, too.
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Public Education
Rural Texas districts struggling to attract teachers are switching to four-day school weeks
The switch to four-day school weeks is popular among smaller school districts that don’t always have the finances to attract or retain teachers with pay increases.