MIKE MORATH

Gov. Greg Abbott retweeted allegations from an education researcher that included a letter from NISD's superintendent that was altered.

Northside ISD officials on Monday defended their actions after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott indicated the district would be under investigation amid allegations that staff felt pressured to vote in Saturday’s bond election.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Northside ISD will be investigated by Education Commissioner Mike Morath and the Attorney General’s Office after leaked emails suggested that staffers were pressured to vote in Saturday’s bond election.

The Region One Education Service Center Board of Directors voted to choose Daniel King, fromer PSJA ISD superintendent, as the area’s new executive director earlier this month.

School districts are not required to adopt the agency’s recommendations but can use them as guidance as they develop new procedures or alter their policies for selecting or removing library books.

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Education Agency to create a task force to examine the state’s teacher shortage problem. In a letter to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath on Monday, Abbott said the task force should investigate why these shortages exist, recommend policy changes to the state education agency and consider more flexibility in […]

Comal ISD Superintendent Andrew Kim and East Central ISD Superintendent Roland Toscano and will be part of the 28-member panel.

The task force will meet monthly for one year to discuss potential solutions for the statewide teacher staffing shortages.

Teaching demands during the pandemic have exacerbated the nation’s teacher shortage. Abbott wants a task force to investigate.

The task force will investigate the challenges teacher shortages create for schools and find solutions to fill the increasing vacancies.

Remote learning in the State of Texas is something not funded by the state; however, in a...

Gaps in student learning because of pandemic disruptions could impact students in the long term.

For the second time in two years, the South San iSD board is under investigation by the state for interfering with the superintendent's job.

In many of Texas’s rapidly growing exurbs, such schools have been fast-tracked to keep pace with exploding student populations.

The state updated its public health guidance for public schools Thursday, requiring stricter Covid case notification requirements.

It's not just Texas cities battling the governor, now it's kids, too.

Disability Rights Texas filed the lawsuit on behalf of 14 child plaintiffs saying the ban violates federal anti-discrimination law under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The TEA released new health guidelines for schools more than a week after legislators sent a letter to Gov. Abbott and Commissioner Morath, urging them to reconsider mask mandates in schools and funding for virtual learning due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Read the top business and community news from the past week from the Central Texas area.

Last week, the district notified parents it wouldn't alert them about COVID-19 cases.

Abbott says it's up to parents to decide if children wear masks in schools.

The letter, spearheaded by Rep. Vikki Goodwin, called upon Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath to permit school districts to enact mask mandates and provide virtual learning options.

Texas House legislators are urging Gov. Greg Abbott to reconsider mask mandates in schools and funding for virtual education due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Students' STAAR scores dropped significantly this year, particularly in math. Educators say that's why students need to be back in class.

The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to undo years of improvement for Texas students meeting grade requirements in reading and math, with students who did most of their schooling remotely suffering "signifi[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

The drop was more significant in districts that had most of their instruction online,...

The drop was more significant in districts that had most of their instruction online, compared to districts with more in-person classes.

Districts across the state saw significant drops in student performance on the STAAR tests, according to preliminary results.

Texas' largest charter school network's CEO and chief operating officer are no longer employed after an audit pointed to misuse of resources.

The Southside ISD board of managers gained two new elected trustees appointed by the state, as the district transitions back to local control.

As budget decisions loom for school districts across Texas, state leaders are holding on to federal funds intended for public schools to use in addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas will fully fund school districts that have seen student attendance drop during the pandemic, as long as they maintain or increase the rate of students learning in person, Gov. Texas funds its public schools based on the number of students who attend, whether they are learning in person or virtually. As of this January, 56% of Texas public school students were learning in person. AdThe Texas State Teachers Association said the announcement may have a catch. AdBetween October and January, nearly 3,000 students returned to public schools, according to a state survey.

Feb. 18, 2021. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneWhen the winter storm hit Texas last week, the overhead sprinklers across the hall from Valerie Malone’s first-grade classroom broke and flooded rooms on both sides. School districts must look to insurance and federal emergency relief agencies to fund repairs and losses, with the state as a final resort. Those costs could be significant, especially as districts are already paying extra to educate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin ISD estimated its schools suffered $15 million worth of damage from the storm, according to a KUT report. More importantly, some students learning in person may not be able to go back to their normal classrooms for weeks, if at all.

click to enlarge Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas TribuneCots and bags with items at Reilly Elementary School in North Austin. When the winter storm hit Texas last week, the overhead sprinklers across the hall from Valerie Malone’s first-grade classroom broke and flooded rooms on both sides. School districts must look to insurance and federal emergency relief agencies to fund repairs and losses, with the state as a final resort. Austin ISD estimated its schools suffered $15 million worth of damage from the storm, according to a KUT report. More importantly, some students learning in person may not be able to go back to their normal classrooms for weeks, if at all.

“It’s not opting out of the STAAR test. Texas has said fifth and eighth grade students who don’t pass required STAAR exams this year may move up to the next grades. But high school students must pass five subject-specific courses by the time they graduate, a requirement that will not be waived this year. “This is about STAAR testing and forcing students to come in for STAAR testing. “I think the TEA has tried to create some flexibility with the STAAR test.

Join The Texas Tribune at noon Central time Feb. 11 for a live interview with Texas education commissioner Mike Morath, moderated by Tribune CEO Evan Smith. In this role, he heads the Texas Education Agency, which oversees pre-kindergarten through high school education for more than 5 million Texas students. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. This conversation is presented by Lone Star College and Texas State Technical College and supported by Harmony Public Schools, Educate Texas, Philanthropy Advocates, TEXAS 2036 and Pastors for Texas Children. Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite Texas Tribune events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.

Evan Smith, CEO of The Texas Tribune. (Audio unavailable. Click here to listen on texastribune.org.) In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Sen. Larry Taylor, chair of the Senate Education Committee, about whether it’s possible to fully fund last session's school finance bill, learning loss, broadband access, the STAAR test and what he really thinks of Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

Credit: Alejandra Casas for The Texas TribuneThe 2019 Texas legislative session ended on a high for public education, with more money spent on schools than had been in more than a decade. State officials haven’t announced what they plan to do with the $5.5 billion in additional federal stimulus dollars Texas was awarded for public education. Currently, 26% of secondary school students and 17% of elementary school students are failing one or more classes, according to Superintendent Brian Woods. Dan Patrick and the Senate’s lead budget-writer, state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, released statements welcoming the news and mentioning the Legislature’s commitment for public education funding. Eva DeLuna Castro, state budget analyst for the progressive think tank Every Texan, thinks the state could likely be climbing out of the economic recession for years.

Texas school superintendents and education advocates are asking the state not to cut funding next semester for districts seeing enrollment declines because of COVID-19. But as January approaches, the reprieve is nearing its end, and school administrators say they're about to fall off a funding cliff. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said at a conference last week that he was still considering what to do next. Texas recently decided to allow school districts to require remote learners posting Fs to return in person. About 40% of the enrollment decline is in pre-K and kindergarten, which are optional for Texas students, Morath said.

Texas public school students will still take the STAAR test this spring, but the state will not rate schools and districts based on their results, the Texas Education Agency announced Thursday. In normal years, Texas rates its schools and districts on a scale from A through F, based in large part on the scores students receive on the standardized tests. But he said in November that he was reviewing exactly how those student scores would be used to rate schools and districts. Last spring, Texas applied for and received a waiver from the federal government allowing it not to administer the STAAR test. Usually, student scores on the test determine whether high school students can graduate, whether some elementary and middle school students can move on to the next grade, and whether schools can remain open.

Pexels / PixabayA bipartisan group of 68 Texas House representatives signed a letter calling on the Texas Education Agency to cancel the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam or at minimum not use student scores to rate schools or districts this school year. “Absent the STAAR test, you’re not going to have a valid, reliable view of grade-level mastery of student skills,” he said. Last spring, Texas applied for and received a waiver from the federal government allowing it not to administer the STAAR. Texas has already committed to allowing elementary and middle school students who fail the exams this spring to move up to the next grade, with district permission. The Texas State Teachers Association, which has been calling for a suspension of STAAR testing since June, quickly came out in support of the legislators’ letter.

“Absent the STAAR test, you’re not going to have a valid, reliable view of grade-level mastery of student skills,” he said. Last spring, Texas applied for and received a waiver from the federal government allowing it not to administer the STAAR. Texas has already committed to allowing elementary and middle school students who fail the exams this spring to move up to the next grade, with district permission. Usually, student scores on the test determine whether high school students can graduate, whether some elementary and middle school students can move on to the next grade, and whether schools can remain open. The Texas State Teachers Association, which has been calling for a suspension of STAAR testing since June, quickly came out in support of the legislators’ letter.

AUSTIN – The Texas Education Agency announced Wednesday that it is committed to funding remote learning for families who choose the option for the entire 2020-2021 school year. Reminder to ALL TX Families: Every parent in our state still has the option to choose remote learning for their child—and TX leaders remain committed to fully funding remote instruction for any TX family that wants that option for their child during the entire 20-21 School Year. pic.twitter.com/COuM13fT3M — Texas Education Agency (@teainfo) July 29, 2020According to a statement by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, to generate funding for remote instruction, school systems must also provide daily-on campus instruction for families that want to come onto the campus. “Over the past month, TEA announced a funding waiver framework that fully funds schools for remote instruction for the entire year for any family that requests remote instruction,” Morath said in a statement. For more information, read TEA’s overview of remote instruction below:

After that, school instruction can remain remote for an additional four weeks, if needed, with a board-approved waiver request to the agency. Previously, school districts were only allowed a three-week online-only transition period. Several San Antonio school districts had already made the decision to start the year online, including San Antonio Independent School District, North East Independent School District and Northside Independent School District. Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said teachers are seeking more assurances from the state. Meanwhile, districts must receive full state funding.”Under the guidance, schools are required to comply with the governor’s mask order.

Local school boards in areas with a lot of community spread can also delay the start of the school year. That's on top of a previous promise to reimburse all school districts for up to 75% of their pandemic-related expenses, using money from a federal grant awarded to Abbott's office. It was unclear last week whether Texas would let those local mandates stand or overrule them. And many Texas school superintendents in areas with rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have already made the decision to keep classrooms closed, without a local health order, and continue with online learning this fall. This past spring, Texas school districts struggled to get set up for remote learning, with many lacking enough computers and WiFi hotspots to send out to students.

Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneTexas will give school districts more flexibility to keep their school buildings closed to in-person instruction this fall as coronavirus cases continue to rise, Gov. Public health guidance released last week indicated that school districts had to stay virtual for up to three weeks after their start dates, so they could get their safety protocols ironed out before bringing more students to campus. Public health experts have warned that reopening school buildings in areas where cases are rising precipitously will result in entire communities becoming infected. The political conflict on when to reopen schools has left teachers and parents terrified and uncertain about the best decisions for themselves and their families. But Abbott stopped short of saying in a separate television interview state officials would cancel next springs administration of the state standardized test.

SAN ANTONIO The Texas State Teachers Association is urging state officials to slow down the reopening of campuses, as back to school season is just around the corner. With districts considering a wide array of options for the upcoming school year, the Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria says schools must reopen with caution to prevent another spike in COVID-19 cases. At the end of June, local school districts were still locking down calendars for the 2020-21 school year. Candelaria has said no school campuses should reopen until the pandemic begins to subside. Some local school districts will have variations of intersessions and virtual learning.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will participate in a dialogue for reopening schools on Tuesday afternoon. Trump scheduled the White House event to press his case for reopening schools. President Donald Trump has insisted that schools and colleges return to in-person instruction as soon as possible. The Texas State Teachers Association on Tuesday lambasted the reopening of campuses amid the surge. The Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria said schools must reopen safely, but should only do so when the pandemic begins to subside.

AUSTIN, Texas Texas public school districts haven't finalized their plans for a return to the classroom, but they know the state will resume its high-stakes standardized testing for millions of students. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told the state Board of Education on Tuesday that the annual State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, also known as STAAR, will return in the 2020-2021 school year. Days later, the federal government waived its standardized testing requirements. The STAAR test begins in third grade and can stop poor-performing students from advancing to the next grade or graduating high school. Standardized testing should be the last priority for students, educators and policy makers.

Texas collected the data from school districts in early May, and districts have until July 16 to update their numbers. And about 15.5% of economically disadvantaged students were not fully engaged during school closures, compared with less than 5% of higher-income students. The majority of Texas public school students are Hispanic and low-income. This year, Texas fully funded them as long as they promised they were teaching students remotely while their buildings were closed. School districts will continue to receive funding for students they teach virtually in the upcoming school year, state officials announced last week.

AUSTIN, Texas Texas State Teachers Association President Noel Candelaria announced Tuesday that the state needs to mandate that students and teachers wear masks on school campuses this fall. Greg Abbott and Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath are refusing to order school districts to mandate mask requirements. In their haste to reopen schools in the midst of a deadly pandemic, Gov. The Texas Education Agency has prepared a list of guidelines, many of them good, for school reopenings, but safety remains first and foremost for educators and students, Candelaria said. The governor needs to be a leader and take the initiative on this critical health and safety issue.Related: Draft documents show Texas planning few mandatory safety measures when public schools reopen in fall

The Texas American Federation of Teachers and The Texas State Teachers Association are cautioning against Education Commissioner Mike Morath’s return-to-campus plan, saying the safety of students and staff should take priority. On Thursday, Texas Education Agency spokesperson Frank Ward told the Texas Tribune that school districts will not be required to mandate masks or COVID-19 tests. Texas students will return to school campuses this fall, Gov. Greg Abbott tells lawmakersMorath’s plan states that parents uncomfortable with the at-campus format can choose to keep them at home. “It will be safe for Texas public school students, teachers, and staff to return to school campuses for in-person instruction this fall,” Morath said.

Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneTexas students will be returning to public schools in person this fall, Gov. Greg Abbott told state lawmakers Thursday morning. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath has determined it will be safe for students to return to their campuses this fall. The TEA will release additional guidance for school districts next Tuesday. According to state lawmakers on the 11 a.m. call with Abbott, school districts will be able to also offer instructional alternatives for students.

State officials told school districts in March there would be no financial penalties for attendance declines, as COVID-19 fears spread and school districts were required to close their buildings. Texas school districts can see how much they can expect to receive on the Texas Education Agency's website. School districts have spent a state total of about $392 million on COVID-19 expenses. School districts in Texas are funded based on student attendance, meaning the statewide school closures could have been a major financial hit. But the pandemic has decimated the state's sales tax and oil revenues, concerning school officials who want to know what they should expect long term.

Public schools statewide should remain closed until May 4, Gov. Previously, local school superintendents announced schools would remain closed through April 24, with students scheduled to return to campus on April 27. The order is an extension of Abbotts previous executive order that closed schools through April 3. The State of Texas reported 3,266 cases of coronavirus and 41 fatalities, according to data posted Tuesday afternoon by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Bexar County had 168 confirmed coronavirus cases and six deaths, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported Monday night.

San Antonio-area public schools on Tuesday prolonged their closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the city and county shelter-in-place order.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's public health emergency declaration requires all school districts to close through at least April 3. However, on Tuesday most of the area's 19 independent school districts have now extended that date through April 24.Districts around the Alamo City will continue offering free breakfasts and lunches for curbside pickup during the closures. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current.

Local superintendents plan to evaluate school closures on a two-week basis, Toscano said, adding families should be planning for the long term. Toscano said San Antonios superintendents had discussed a decision by Dallas ISD made earlier this week to close schools indefinitely. While they felt parents should know that longer-term closures could be expected so they could arrange child care, the school leaders saw a disadvantage in declaring an indefinite time frame. Succeeding in each area is easier in the short term than in the long term, Woods said. The district is working to acquire wireless hotspots that could accompany any devices loaned to students, Woods said.

As of Monday, students were scheduled to return to classrooms in most traditional public school districts next Monday in San Antonio. The letter grades are largely based on the results of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exams. The TEAs accountability manual states that a not rated grade, which can be assigned when STAAR results are missing, does not break the chain of consecutive years. That means that parents and educators at Ogden Academy could face similar pressure for improved STAAR results in 2020-21. Closures could disrupt the timeline state officials, school districts, and teachers use to determine how much a student should know by when.

Even so, not all Texas schools have resources to conduct online classes, and many low-income students may not have broadband access. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. A free press means accountability and a well-informed public, and we want to keep our unique and independent reporting available for many, many years to come. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current. Every reader contribution is valuable and so appreciated, and goes directly to support our coverage of critical issues and neighborhood culture.

This comes as hundreds of school districts announced they would suspend classes for at least a week, with concerns about COVID-19 spreading through their communities. Morath suggested superintendents consider telling parents sooner rather than later that closures would stretch beyond a few weeks. The extended school closures would be a burden for low-income and working parents, who would more likely struggle to keep their children home for long periods of time. The State has already said school districts with prolonged school closures due to coronavirus concerns may avoid financial penalties, as long as they can prove they are teaching students remotely. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has called for the state to cancel the test, since school districts have limited classroom instruction.

SAISD Schools will slowly disappear as non-profits are given the green light to take overHello SAISD Parents,Well, here we go again. Texas has once again changed the policies when it comes to the non-profits taking over public schools. This past week Mike Morath, head of TEA, announced that non-profits will now have more control over the schools. The most significant dilemma that we face as parents is that these non-profits are taking over our SAISD schools, but are they qualified to help our students? The most important thing to remember is that as these non-profits take over, public education will slowly disappear.

SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Education Agency has appointed a new conservator to Harlandale ISD and lowered its accreditation status to “accredited-warned” following an investigation in 2017. In a letter to the district, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said that he appointed Judy Castleberry as conservator. Morath, though, decided to not proceed with the appointment of a new board of managers. School board president Ricardo Moreno told KSAT 12 News the issue will be addressed further at the next meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The investigation was launched in 2017 after allegations surfaced over how the district handled certain contracts, nepotism and violation of the Open Meetings Act.

During the review on August 7, 2019, the district presented a complete record of text messages in which TEA was not in possession during the investigation, preliminary report, or final report, Morath wrote. Morath appointed Judy Castleberry, who previously served as a conservator in South San ISD, as Harlandales conservator. With the appointment of a conservator, Harlandale ISD becomes the third San Antonio-area district under state supervision. Edgewood ISD was governed by a board of managers and is transitioning back to elected governance and Southside ISD is currently governed by a board of managers. TEA began investigating Harlandale ISD in 2017 after complaints alleged nepotism, issues with the districts procurement process, financial mismanagement, and dysfunctional governance.

Hello SAISD Parents,First, I would also like to say, "Happy New Year" and welcome to the 2020 school year. Yet as the new year starts, it seems that the Texas Educational Agency is adding more responsibilities to our teachers. Then the state has given the head of Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, the power to rule over all districts in Texas, so in some sense, he's now the "Dictator" and all of us to include parents, teachers, principals all whom are at his mercy. Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency; Photo: TwitterIt seems that as parents, we must direct our children towards finding a school that will offer them a degree or career all by the time they graduate. I want to ask all my parents to ask your children, "what makes you want to go to school every day?"

Hello SAISD Parents,First, I would also like to say, "Happy New Year" and welcome to the 2020 school year. Yet as the new year starts, it seems that the Texas Educational Agency is adding more responsibilities to our teachers. Then the state has given the head of Texas Education Agency, Mike Morath, the power to rule over all districts in Texas, so in some sense, he's now the "Dictator" and all of us to include parents, teachers, principals all whom are at his mercy. Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency; Photo: TwitterIt seems that as parents, we must direct our children towards finding a school that will offer them a degree or career all by the time they graduate. I want to ask all my parents to ask your children, "what makes you want to go to school every day?"

Nearly six months have elapsed since Texas Education Agency officials notified the Harlandale Independent School District community of a looming State takeover after a TEA investigation found school board dysfunction, financial mismanagement, and issues with procurement practices. With TEA silent on Harlandales future, rumors frequently circulate at board meetings that TEA has decided to reverse course and a board of managers will no longer be replacing the elected board of trustees. On Thursday, a TEA official indicated otherwise, emailing board of managers candidates with a message to stand by. Adjacent to Harlandale ISD, South San Antonio ISD community members await the results of a State investigation into board dysfunction. TEA officials opened the investigation in April and have not delivered any updates since.

click image Facebook / Harlandale ISDFollowing years of allegations of shady business deals and nepotism in Harlandale ISD, the Texas Education Agency has announced plans to remove the district's superintendent and board of trustees.The late Tuesday announcement means superintendent Rey Madrigal , who has held the position since being named interim superintendent in 2012, will be out of a job. Changes for Harlandale come after an investigation found violations related to "contracting practices, contract procurement, nepotism and the Open Meetings Act," said TEA commissioner Mike Morath in a letter.The district, which serves a portion of the city's South Side, will also suffer a lower accreditation status. Harlandale ISD will now be marked as "accredited-warned. ""Given the critical nature of the findings, I am appointing a board of managers to the district to exercise the powers and duties of the district's board of trustees," Morath's letter reads.TEA will appoint a new superintendent as well as a conservator, Judy Castleberry, to "oversee the financial management of the district." The TEA-selected board of managers will be made up of community members.

SAN ANTONIO - The Texas Education Agency on Tuesday notified the Harlandale Independent School District that it plans to remove Superintendent Reynaldo Madrigal and the school board and lower the district's accreditation status to accredited-warned. A new superintendent will be appointed and a conservator will be assigned to oversee the financial management of the district, among other duties. School board president Ricardo Moreno issued the following statement regarding TEA's decisions:"The District has only recently received the notice by TEA and has not had the opportunity to thoroughly review it. Also, we will set a board meeting for next week to allow the board the ability to address the TEA notice and what appropriate measures to take next. You can read the TEA letter by clicking here.