INSANE: Mike morath | Vintage Vibes

Houston Democrats push for guardrails on school takeovers

A commission led by area lawmakers recommended raising the bar for when the TEA chief can intervene and setting guardrails for state appointees during a takeover.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 9

When a rural Texas school district struggled with growth, charter schools filled the void

The state has limited how much money it gives to fast-growing school districts, creating million-dollar gaps between what is owed and what's given.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 8

Texas Democrat who championed A-F trigger law says he’s trying to fix schools

Advocates say takeovers help students in underperforming schools, while opponents argue communities lose control of their children’s education.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 26

Austin mayor releases plan to prevent Texas from taking over the school district

Kirk Watson, a former state legislator, says a parent petition could stop the Texas Education Agency from taking over Austin ISD.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 9

Here’s what Greg Abbott, Gina Hinojosa say about education priorities in Texas governor’s race

From school takeovers to college affordability, the Democrat and Republican are rolling out their education priorities ahead of November’s election.

The Texas Tribune · Aug 27

What to know about state takeovers as Texas wrestles with the future of Austin public schools

More districts across Texas are at risk of intervention by the state’s education commissioner. Here’s what that means for public schools.

The Texas Tribune · Aug 25

The Takeover Tab: State-Imposed Superintendent Buyouts Cost School Districts Big Bucks

And, critics of TEA takeovers say, those costs are just the beginning of expenses that come with state intervention but without state recompense.

Texas Observer · Aug 13

Black-majority schools in Texas receive more Fs than A ratings, leaving parents with tough choices

Black Texas families weigh whether to send their children to schools with more academic resources — but potentially fewer of their values.

The Texas Tribune · Aug 10

Texas students saw slight gains in math, stalled progress in reading, STAAR results show

Elementary and middle school students attending Texas public schools showed small gains on state math exams but remained relatively flat in reading.

The Texas Tribune · Jun 16

Will New School District Takeovers Follow the Model—and ‘Chaos’—of Houston ISD?

The state education agency took over four additional districts this spring, installing leaders linked to Houston’s state-imposed superintendent, Mike Miles, including two who worked for his former charter school network.

Texas Observer · Jun 3