Stories by Becky Fogel, KUT
Austin Community College will offer free tuition to high school grads
The Austin Community College District Board of Trustees on Monday approved a pilot program offering free tuition to local students graduating from high school. Eight board members voted in favor of the program, with one abstaining. The board’s vote comes…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Apr 3, 2024
Austin-area schools overwhelmingly reject hiring chaplains as counselors
State Rep. James Talarico, an Austin Democrat, praised school boards across Texas on Thursday for rejecting a Republican-led effort to let religious chaplains provide mental health services to students. “We are here to celebrate an important victory in the fight against…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Mar 4, 2024
Austin-area school board president abruptly resigns and leaves meeting
Del Valle ISD’s board meeting kicked off with a major announcement on Tuesday: Board President Rebecca Birch said she was resigning, effective immediately. She had served on the board for nearly 12 years and spent more than half of that…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Feb 22, 2024
5 questions with Austin ISD’s new superintendent, Matias Segura
Lee esta historia en español About one year after Matias Segura became the Austin Independent School District’s interim superintendent, he now has the permanent job. The school board unanimously voted to appoint him to the role. Austin ISD has not…
AISD • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Feb 6, 2024
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An Austin-area food bank wants students to get healthy meals, so it opened a food pantry at a school
The Central Texas Food Bank is launching a new program to establish food pantries in schools and opened its first location on Wednesday at Creedmoor Elementary, a Del Valle Independent School District campus. “We are super excited to be a flagship and…
Public Health • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jan 25, 2024
CEO of Austin-based BookPeople 'ecstatic' over decision blocking law that restricts library books
The CEO of BookPeople said she is “ecstatic” the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday blocked a Texas law that sought to restrict which books are available in school libraries. “I’m so, so happy that they upheld the lower court’s…
Courts • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Jan 18, 2024
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Austin ISD will post superintendent job instead of conducting a national search
The Austin Independent School District is scrapping previous plans for a nationwide search to find a permanent superintendent. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to post the job starting Friday. School boards have the power to hire…
AISD • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Nov 20, 2023
Will new science textbooks in Texas accurately depict climate change? Some worry they won’t.
The Texas State Board of Education is slated to vote today on which new science textbooks to approve for use in public schools. Some public education advocates are worried the Republican-controlled board will sign off only on materials that water down information about…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Nov 17, 2023
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Austin ISD hits key milestone to reduce backlog of special education evaluations
The Austin Independent School District this week met a key requirement outlined in a state-ordered plan to improve its special education services. The Texas Education Agency’s corrective action plan required Austin ISD to complete all overdue special education evaluations for which…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Nov 6, 2023
Rural schools near Austin say they feel left behind as governor pushes for vouchers
For Randy Willis, public schools are crucial to rural communities. “I think the rural schools are the heart of Texas. They’re the backbone of Texas,” he said. Willis is the executive director of the Texas Association of Rural Schools, which represents…
Education • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Oct 26, 2023
Austin-area school districts want a Travis County judge to block changes to how Texas grades them
A Travis County judge is considering whether to block the Texas Education Agency from making changes to the A-F accountability rating system, which evaluates school performance. Seven school districts, including Del Valle ISD, sued Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath in August. Since…
Courts • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Oct 13, 2023
Austin ISD may still face conservatorship under the state's alternative special ed plan
Austin Independent School District has released the plan that the Texas Education Agency proposed to improve special education services in the district. Interim Superintendent Matias Segura announced Wednesday that the TEA had presented the district an alternative to a special education…
AISD • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Sep 1, 2023
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