In the Headlines

Latest education news

Below are links to articles produced by newspapers, TV and radio stations in Texas and across the country to provide you with a snapshot of what's happening in education.

Wednesday, Dec. 20

• Struggling to find teachers close to home, some Texas schools are looking overseas for help (Texas Tribune)
• Carroll ISD allows chaplains as counselors – if they’re qualified (KERA)
• A story of student loan forgiveness, 20 years in the making (NPR)

Tuesday, Dec. 19

• A Texas high school is piloting the state’s first-ever Asian American studies course. Could politics stand in its way? (Texas Tribune)
• A Pflugerville teacher is using a grant to make the arts more accessible to her students (KUT)
• Irving ISD will close two schools as student enrollment falls (KERA)
• ‘We didn't make the rules:' Texas school finance law gives some districts a big advantage (Texas Public Radio)

Monday, Dec. 18

• Texas’ debate over school chaplains escalates school board culture wars (Texas Tribune)
• Why changes are coming to FAFSA and how it will affect financial aid for college (PBS NewsHour)

Friday, Dec. 15

• School districts face financial challenges adhering to state-mandated school safety requirements (KTBX)
• New partnership provides free tablets, internet for Brownsville ISD students (KRGV)
• How do you discipline an in-school overdose? In some districts, you don't (NPR)
• ‘College for all’ has failed America. Can the education system be fixed? (Fortune)

Thursday, Dec. 14

• Crowley ISD expands cultural curriculum with Native American studies course (KERA)
• Houston ISD board to consider hiring uncertified school counselors (Houston Public Media)
• Fort Worth ISD allows chaplains to volunteer, not replace mental health counselors (KERA)
• Whitehouse ISD special needs students treated to shopping trip with Mostyn Moreno Foundation (Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Wednesday, Dec. 13

• A Texas law seeks to get quality resources into classrooms. Advocates are split on if it will work. (KUT)
• Spring Branch ISD closing two elementary schools, cancelling charter school partnership (Houston Public Media)
• A Missing Link in the ‘Science of Reading’ Conversation (Education Week)
• Eanes ISD approves affordable housing partnership for teachers (KXAN)
• Clear Creek ISD approves exception to new state safety bill (Community Impact)
• Two Abilene schools to become STEM campuses (Big Country Homepage)

Tuesday, Dec. 12

• I’m a Texas homeowner. When will I see my tax cut? (Texas Tribune)
• Austin ISD struggles to make ends meet despite property wealth (KUT)
• She started college at 12. Now 15, this North Texas prodigy is headed to medical school (KERA)
• Coppell ISD students team up with elementary kids writing letters to Santa (CBS Texas)
• Katie Weber wins KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Randolph Field ISD (KENS)
• Tyler ISD Board approves acceptance of chaplains as volunteers (KLTV)
• Keller, Grapevine-Colleyville ISDs approve policies for chaplains to serve in schools (NBC DFW)
• With Uvalde in mind, former New Caney school to become active-shooter training facility (Houston Landing)

Monday, Dec. 11

• Texas superintendents say lack of school safety funding may lead to budget cuts (Texas Tribune)
• New parent group pushes back on Texas book bans (KERA)

Friday, Dec. 8

• Property tax cuts, boosts to retired teacher pensions look safe after election challenges (Dallas Morning News | subscribers)
• Texas claims in filings that challenges to 2023 election are invalid, results are final (Texas Tribune)
• Houston ISD clarifies strict absence policy after widespread confusion among administrators and teachers (Houston Public Media)
• $15-a-month hotspots to replace HISD's free Verizon partnership (Houston Chronicle)
• Fort Worth ISD weighing potential campus closures as thousands of students have departed district (NBC DFW)
• Edinburg CISD educates students on dangers of fentanyl (KRGV)
• Bryan ISD updating their Bilingual programs to accommodate to rising numbers of Hispanic students (KAGS)

Thursday, Dec. 7

• Abbott mum on another special session as he charges into voucher opponents’ primary battles (Texas Tribune)
• More North Texas school districts to require clear backpacks (KERA)
• Who doesn't get abuse training in Texas schools? Sometimes, it's kids needing protection the most (Texas Public Media)
• From ‘I feel like I’m in prison’ to ‘I’m actually learning,’ Houston ISD students have mixed feelings about Mike Miles’ reform program (Houston Public Media)
• The Revised AP African American Studies: What’s Been Changed and Why (Education Week)
• A Black Texas student has been suspended once again for his natural hairstyle (NPR)

Wednesday, Dec. 6

• Texas Legislature adjourns fourth special session — leaving vouchers, school safety and elections bills unfinished (Texas Tribune)
• Moody Foundation pledges $1 billion in 'cradle to career' education grants (Daily News)
• Mike Miles: 52 HISD schools would have received F's under blocked TEA rating system (Houston Chronicle)
• Leander ISD board approves creating district police department (FOX 7 Austin)
• Katy ISD weighs hiring religious chaplains as counselors (Houston Chronicle)
• Students around the world suffered huge learning setbacks during the pandemic, study finds (PBS NewsHour | AP)

Tuesday, Dec. 5

• Uvalde School Shooting: “Someone tell me what to do” (Texas Tribune)
• With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday (Texas Tribune)
• Pflugerville student will head to the National Spanish Spelling Bee after a local win (KUT)

Monday, Dec. 4

• After school voucher bill falls apart, supporters and opponents get ready for future fights (Texas Tribune)
• Keller ISD outlines possible staff cuts, increased class sizes as budget shortfall looms (KERA)
• Texas Senate passes its own school safety funding bill, but little time remains to get it across the finish line (Texas Tribune)
• San Antonio ISD gives students at closing schools priority in choice schools lottery (Texas Public Media)
• New Uvalde school shooting documentary and investigation reveal details of law enforcement’s flawed response (Texas Tribune)

Friday, Dec. 1

• Tax cuts, teacher pension increases at stake after misinformation-led challenge to 2023 election (Texas Tribune)
• Texas judge orders release of Uvalde shooting records, but DPS could still delay (Texas Tribune)
• How non-certified teachers are working out in Fort Bend ISD (KHOU)
• Waco ISD teachers training on how to control bleeding as part of investment in school safety (Waco Tribune-Herald)
• ‘We’re all upset about it’: Spring Branch ISD announces more budget cut proposals (Click2Houston)
• Chapel Hill ISD uses student-run bistro for CTE culinary program training (KLTV)
• Leander ISD parents push back against attendance zone changes (KXAN)

Thursday, Nov. 30

• Texas teachers are struggling financially. The school voucher war killed a salary raise. (KUT)
• After school choice rejected, some state lawmakers still want to pass bill to boost funding for schools, teachers (CBS Texas)
• SBOE Approves Instructional Materials and Explores Adopting TEKS-based Ethnic Studies Course (Focus Daily News)
• Federal appeals court questions Texas’ new school library regulations (Texas Tribune)
• Can architecture help students’ mental health? This Fort Worth designer says yes (KERA)
• What Slogan Would You Use to Recruit Teachers? Educators Weigh In (Education Week)
• Coal-producing West Virginia is converting an entire school system to solar power (PBS NewsHour | AP)

Wednesday, Nov. 29

• TEA launches special investigation into San Antonio-based charter network Great Hearts Texas (San Antonio Express-News)
• Greg Abbott begins offensive against school voucher opponents, endorsing first House primary challenger (Texas Tribune)
• Fort Worth charter school focuses on trauma-informed curriculum. What does that mean? (KERA)
• Rethinking the way teachers assign student grades (The Washington Post)
• Dallas ISD receives mini library to boost access to multicultural, bilingual books (KERA)
• Free COVID tests headed to nation's schools (NPR)
• ChatGPT Is Writing Better School Essays Than Students, Study Finds (Tech Times)

Tuesday, Nov. 28

• Dallas’ new lessons aim to keep kids on track, but some worry about limiting teachers (Dallas Morning News)
• Pearland education board member claims controversial curriculum is TX-approved, TEA says it's not (ABC 13)
• School choice impasse could be primary election issue in Texas (KEYE)
• Conroe ISD parents want fewer school days, more 4-day weekends, survey shows (The Courier)
• Winnsboro ISD to release school early Friday in support of football regional finals (KLTV)
• More Districts Are Building Housing for Teachers. Here’s What to Know (Education Week)

Monday, Nov. 27

• School voucher fallout leaves Texas Legislature with no clear sense on next steps (Texas Tribune)
• Texas has approved new science textbooks, but advocates say they fall short on climate change (KUT)
• PragerU video questioning human-caused climate change shown to Houston ISD students (Houston Public Media)
• An effort to prepare West Texas students to work in the oil and gas industry is expanding (Texas Tribune)
• How has Mike Miles reshaped Houston ISD so far? Here's a recap of the biggest changes (Houston Chronicle)
• Two-thirds of schools struggle with high absenteeism after pandemic (The Washington Post)
• Linda Pistun on girls in science and setting her sights on Mars (PBS NewsHour)
  
• 'It's akin to a Super Bowl': Texas State to host first presidential debate in 2024 (KUT)
• Opinion: School shows are a magical part of the holidays (NPR)
• Biden’s plan to raise salaries for Head Start teachers could leave fewer seats for children (PBS NewsHour)

Friday, Nov. 17

• “Our public school system is our town”: Why this rural Republican is voting against school vouchers (Texas Tribune)
• Will new science textbooks in Texas accurately depict climate change? Some worry they won’t. (KUT)
• Keller ISD faces a $27 million budget deficit. Now they're pushing lawmakers for funding (KERA)
• Teaching Economics (Taylor’s Version) (Education Week)
• Education Department opens school probes over alleged antisemitism, Islamophobia (NPR)

Thursday, Nov. 16

• The Texas House will vote on school vouchers Friday. Here’s what to expect. (KUT)
• The evidence on school vouchers that'll please nobody (NPR)
• Texas education board debates how climate change will be discussed in new textbooks (Texas Standard)
• Northwest school board allows chaplains to volunteer. Here’s what they can and can’t do (KERA)
• Houston ISD sets new student achievement goals as board struggles to gain public trust (Houston Public Media)
• Edgewood ISD becomes the fourth San Antonio school district to approve school closures in 2023 (Texas Public Radio)
• Kennedale ISD receives school safety grant tied to an Uvalde-inspired bill (KERA)
• Spring Branch ISD board meeting shuts down after hundreds gather to protest closing charter schools (Houston Chronicle)
• Samsung donates $1 million to help Taylor ISD with new career and technical education center (KXAN)

Wednesday, Nov. 15

• Texas Board of Education opposes depiction of climate change, evolution in new science textbooks (Houston Chronicle)
• San Antonio ISD will close or merge about 15% of its schools for “academic and financial sustainability” (Texas Tribune)
• How might education savings accounts impact special needs students? (CW 39)
• School voucher critics protest for second day outside Rep. Lynn Stucky’s office (KERA)
• Tyler ISD board unanimously votes to name Legacy field house after former coach (KLTV)
• McAllen ISD hires first superintendent who’s a product of local schools (MyRGV)
• Liberty Hill ISD to consider new high school bell schedule (Community Impact)
• Harlandale ISD receives $1.5 million grant to strengthen anti-bullying efforts (News4SA)

Tuesday, Nov. 14

• Texas teachers poll reveals 75% of educators have considered leaving the profession (Spectrum News)
• "We can't wait on the legislature": Cedar Hill voters approve pay hike for teachers (CBS Texas)
• Stacked Houston ISD committee considers requests for uncertified teachers and longer school year through “innovation” status (Houston Public Media)
• Fort Worth-area teachers make how much? New report details top-paying school districts (KERA)
• Houston ISD adopts plan to increase STAAR scores by 15 points in 5 years (Community Impact)
• San Antonio ISD trustees approve recommendation to close 15 schools (Texas Public Media)

Read the latest Texas education headlines posted by texasisd.com