Daily News

The latest education news headlines of interest to TASB members:

Thursday, September 15

• Federal judge fast-tracks lawsuit challenging Gov. Abbott's ban on school mask requirements, Houston Chronicle
• Texas school districts sued over mask mandates push back, AP News
• Texas school district that included masks in dress code hit with restraining order, ABC News
• Dallas ISD Marks 50 Years Since Landmark Desegregation Ruling, CBS DFW
• She's Been Teaching For 18 Years. She Says This Year Is Her Most Stressful Yet, NPR
• SISD schools earn awards for commitment to military-connected students, KTSM
• Temple ISD partnering with local farmers for more nutritious meals, KXXV
• Disability Rights Texas files lawsuit against Gov. Greg Abbott, TEA over mask mandate, KHOU 11

Wednesday, September 15

• School bus driver shortages causing delays for students in North Texas school districts, Dallas Morning News
• A Texas school district doesn’t require masks. The state is suing the district anyway., Click 2 Houston
• Here’s how in-person teaching is playing out across the U.S., New York Times 
• U.S. Department of Education Announces Return-to-School Road Trip to Spotlight Safe Return to In-Person Learning, US Department of Education

Tuesday, September 14

• Here’s why parents may see inconsistent COVID-19 case numbers for schools, Dallas Morning News
• Nicholas live updates: After making landfall overnight, Nicholas downgraded to tropical storm, Texas Tribune
• Governor Abbott Holds Briefing On Tropical Storm Nicholas, Issues Disaster Declaration For 17 Counties, Office of the Texas Governor

Monday, September 13

• The delta variant is wreaking havoc on most of Texas — but not El Paso. Here’s why, Texas Tribune
• Diboll ISD to recognize Suicide Prevention Month with training, walk, Lufkin Daily News
• Gov. Abbott signs bill allowing school districts to offer virtual learning, KXAN
• Tropical Storm Nicholas 2021: Here's a list of school closures for South Texas, Corpus Christi Caller Times

Friday, September 10

• Gov. Greg Abbott signs law enabling virtual learning expansion in Texas during pandemic, Dallas Morning News
• U.S. Department of Education approves grant funding for school districts facing state punishment for mask mandates, Community Impact
• Biden administration extends vaccine mandate to large U.S. companies, Texas Tribune
• Teenager Gets Statewide Honors for Volunteer Projects, NBC DFW
• Study Finds 1 In 8 Texas Households Struggles To Get Food In Texas, KUT
• Fort Worth ISD’s mask mandate starts next week after court ruling, Dallas Morning News
• Some Houston-area districts still can't hire enough teachers and staff, weeks after schools reopened, Houston Chronicle

Thursday, September 9

• The pandemic’s toll on educators has made Texas’ teacher shortage worse, Texas Tribune
• Austin-area school districts weigh options for reinstating virtual learning, KXAN
• Texas parent says school officials not providing "transparent" information about positive COVID-19 cases, CBS News
• Central Texas superintendent gets behind the wheel in response to school bus driver shortage, KWTX
• Copperas Cove schools awarded for supporting military families, students, KXXV

Wednesday, September 8

• Gov. Greg Abbott calls special legislative session for redistricting, other conservative priorities starting Sept. 20, Texas Tribune
• Grocer Gets Students Stocked and Ready for the Classroom, NBC DFW
• Dallas Students Experiencing Homelessness Have A New Place To Go — And It’s Not One Size Fits All, KERA News
• Before the legislation is even signed, Texas’ new voting rules are challenged in two federal lawsuits, Texas Tribune
• Texas pediatric COVID hospitalizations hit record high over the weekend, Houston Chronicle 
• COVID cases in Galveston County schools higher than first semester of 2020, Galveston News

Tuesday, September 7

• Enrollment is open for Texas Tuition Promise Fund, The Paris News
• At least 45 districts shut down in-person classes due to COVID-19 cases, affecting more than 40,000 students, Texas Tribune
• Expert: The pandemic's next stage is endemic COVID. Here's what that would look like., Houston Chronicle
• Texas’ second special session of the year is over. Here are five things you need to know., Texas Tribune
• New voices: program aims to connect Latino parents with Houston ISD leaders, Houston Chronicle

Friday, September 3

• TEA: School districts in Texas can require students to stay home if household member has COVID, Houston Chronicle
• September 2: Public Health Guidance, TEA
• Texas lawmakers OK funding for virtual learning, but not for all students, Austin American Statesman
• North Texas schools suddenly switch to virtual learning as COVID-19 cases surge, Dallas Morning News
• 6 Strategies To Make Classrooms Safer As The Delta Variant Spreads, NPR
• A tougher bill aimed at keeping critical race theory out of Texas schools heads to Gov. Abbott, Dallas Morning news
• GOP bill targeting how race, slavery and history are taught in Texas schools heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, Texas Tribune
• Inside Or Outside? Where Students Eat Lunch Is One Of The Biggest Challenges For Austin ISD Principals, KUT
• Texas Public School Volunteers Earn SBOE’s 2021 Heroes for Children Award, TEA
• Texas Legislature adjourns second special session after passing more of Gov. Greg Abbott’s priorities, Texas Tribune

Thursday, September 2

• Texas schools dealing with 'major operational issues' due to COVID-19 outbreaks, TEA says, Fox 4 KDFW
• Texas Legislature approves expansion of virtual learning, sends bill to Gov. Abbott, Texas Tribune
• National Survey Finds Severe And Desperate School Bus Driver Shortage, NPR
• New Resource Details Evidence-Based Strategies to Address Impact of Lost Instructional Time by Using American Rescue Plan Funding, US Department of Education
• Democrats sue to keep Abbott, Republicans from redistricting in special session this year, Dallas Morning News

Wednesday, September 1

• School Mask Mandates Will Be Decided by Courts, Not TEA, Commissioner Says, NBC DFW
• Hays CISD Hires More Nurses To Handle Contact Tracing, Asks Abbott To Give Districts Right To Mandate Masks, KUT
• Not every school district is testing students for COVID-19 anymore, KXAN
• GOP's so-called critical race theory bill advances as bill to restrict transgender student athletes stalls in House committee, Texas Tribune
• Republican bill tightening Texas election laws is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, Texas Tribune

Tuesday, August 31

• Texas lawmakers’ compromise could create a mask mandate option where parents can opt out, Dallas Morning News
• Medically at-risk students get San Antonio education lifeline - with or without state's help, San Antonio Express News
• Education Dept. Announces Civil Rights Investigations Into 5 States' Mask Mandate Bans, NPR
• The hard-fought Texas voting bill is poised to become law. Here's what it does, Texas Tribune
• Texas is one step closer to funding virtual learning, but could leave out many students of color, Texas Tribune

Monday, August 30

• Texas House moves to fund limited virtual learning as delta variant thwarts return to normalcy in schools, Texas Tribune
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott can’t enforce mask mandate ban, he argues in court, Texas Tribune
• Retired Texas teachers closer to getting a “13th check” after House endorses legislation, Texas Tribune
• Q&A: Region 10 Executive Director Gordon Taylor discusses services, challenges for area school districts, Community Impact
• Texas House passes new voting restrictions as Democratic hopes of killing the legislation wane, Texas Tribune
• Analysis: The partisan debate over voting laws is a prologue to redistricting, Texas Tribune

Friday, August 27

• Dallas ISD joins suit challenging Abbott’s mask mandate ban as Fort Worth ISD tries to require masks, Dallas Morning News
• Fort Worth schools OK mask mandate, but legal battle prevents implementation for now, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
• As kids head back to school, battles over masks are pitting parents against governors, National Geographic
• Children's Mental Health Gets Millions In Funding From The Biden Administration, NPR
• Texas House advances new voting restrictions as Democratic hopes of killing the legislation wane, Texas Tribune
• After A Bitter Fight, The Texas House Passes A Restrictive Voting Bill, NPR
• Texas lawmakers supported a statewide vaccine mandate a decade ago. Now skepticism abounds about the COVID-19 vaccine, Texas Tribune

Thursday, August 26

• Texas governor issues order banning local vaccine mandates, AP News
• COVID-19 confusion: Here’s what schools are required to tell parents when coronavirus hits a campus, Dallas Morning News
• 9 new laws that take effect Sept. 1 in Texas, KSAT San Antonio
• San Marcos and Hays CISD aim to help students earn up to 60 college credit hours, Community Impact
• New Guidance Reaffirms Importance of Full Implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic, US Department of Education
• Parents and Teachers Want to See Big Changes Come Out of the Pandemic, Survey Says, Education Week