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Mike Morath

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.

by Josephine Lee

Keep Reading

Fort Worth ISD Parents Fear the Same Chaos that State Takeover Has Brought to Houston ISD

by Josephine Lee

A Wave of School District Takeovers Could Be Coming. Some Past Interventions Ended with More Failing Schools.

by Josephine Lee

Will a STAAR-Crossed Legislature Finally Enact Real Testing Reform? 

by Josephine Lee

Three people gather at a winter-time protest, wearing cold-weather clothes, to protest the Houston ISD takeover. Two hold signs that read "Stop the Takeover" while another is holding a sign that says "Starr Does NOT Define Me". Mar 06, 2023

The State’s Houston ISD Takeover Is Unfair, Racist, and Wasteful

Texas policymakers keep moving the goalposts in the middle of the game to pursue their political agenda, no matter the cost to students.

by Ruth Kravetz

Save Texas Schools rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, February 25. opt-out movement Jun 22, 2016

Here’s Every Way This Year’s STAAR Test Screwed Texas Schools (So Far)

From deleted answers to missing test books, Texas’ new test vendor almost left us pining for Pearson. Almost.

by Patrick Michels

Ben Becker and Scott Placek May 23, 2016

Parents Sue TEA, Want Troubled Test Scores Tossed

by Patrick Michels

Inside this month's print issue

‘Riding Shotgun’

The Observer has forayed into podcasting with the story of the dubious capital conviction of Charles Flores.

Keep Reading

The Magazine

Save Texas Schools rally at the Texas Capitol, Saturday, February 25. opt-out movement Apr 20, 2016

Test Score Woes in Lewisville Could Signal More STAAR Trouble Across Texas

School district will spend over $50,000 to check for more erroneous scores.

by Patrick Michels

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings Mar 19, 2014

Hot for Charter: Inside the Radical Play to Reinvent Dallas Schools

Business leaders and Mayor Mike Rawlings say making Dallas ISD the state's first "home-rule charter" is its best bet for progress, but critics see a blatant power grab.

by Patrick Michels

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