Edward McKinley

Austin

Austin Bureau Reporter at Houston Chronicle

Austin Bureau Reporter at The San Antonio Express-News

Austin Bureau for @HoustonChron and @ExpressNews. Mizzou Mafia 🐯 + Minnesotan.

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Articles

Exclusive: How Texas' 'disability penalty' has stripped billions from schools

1 week ago | houstonchronicle.com | Edward McKinley

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Texas students with disabilities leave their classrooms to receive specialized help, from weekly speech therapy to daily, hours-long one-on-one tutoring. State education officials are required by law to scale back regular classroom funding they send districts for the amount of time a student receives special services, reducing school funding by more than $1 billion.
Gov. Greg Abbott announces ceremony to sign landmark private school voucher bill

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Edward McKinley

Gov. Greg Abbott will sign Texas' new $1 billion school voucher program into law at a ceremony this weekend, he announced Wednesday morning. The event will take place at the governor's mansion on Saturday at 2 p.m. Joining the Republican governor will be Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, bill authors Sen. Brandon Creighton and Rep. Brad Buckley.
Public schools could see surge in demand for special ed evals under voucher bill

2 weeks ago | houstonchronicle.com | Edward McKinley

Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican legislators have pitched vouchers as an escape hatch for students with disabilities struggling in public schools, who will get up to $30,000 a year to spend on private education. But the program could also prove a major strain on public schools, which are saddled with the time-consuming and costly task of evaluating whether interested students qualify for special education services.
Texas lawmakers at odds over how to boost public school funding

2 weeks ago | houstonchronicle.com | Edward McKinley

The Texas House and Senate have each supported billions in new investments for public schools, but their strategies and bottom-line amounts remain far apart as lawmakers from each chamber head to the negotiating table in the closing weeks of session.
Texas lawmakers at odds over how to boost public school funding and teacher pay

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Edward McKinley

The Texas House and Senate have each supported billions in new investments for public schools, but their strategies and bottom-line amounts remain far apart as lawmakers from each chamber head to the negotiating table in the closing weeks of session.
What to know about Texas' private school voucher bill headed for Abbott's desk

2 weeks ago | houstonchronicle.com | Isaac Yu |Edward McKinley

A $1 billion private school voucher program is headed to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who made the issue a top priority and has said he plans to sign the legislation into law. Under the final bill agreed to by top Texas lawmakers, parents will be able to access thousands of dollars in state funds to pay for private education or homeschooling for their kids. Here’s what we know so far about how it will work:Article continues below this adWho is eligible?
Texas Senate approves private school voucher bill and sends it to Greg Abbott

2 weeks ago | houstonchronicle.com | Edward McKinley

The Texas Senate on Thursday voted to advance the $1 billion private school voucher bill to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he will sign it into law and make Texas the biggest state to adopt the controversial policy. Under the final bill agreed to by top Texas lawmakers, parents will be able to access thousands of dollars in state funds to pay for private education or homeschooling for their kids.
Texas Senate set to send school voucher bill to Abbott's desk: 'Ready to sign'

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Edward McKinley

Texas Republicans' sweeping private school voucher plan could be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk as early as next week. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday that he'd urge the Texas Senate to accept the statewide voucher bill passed by the Texas House on Thursday, instead of trying to negotiate a compromise that includes some of the changes favored by senators. "I've fought for school choice for my entire legislative career," Patrick wrote on X.
Why some Texas lawmakers felt forced to back Gov. Abbott's school vouchers plan

3 weeks ago | houstonchronicle.com | Benjamin Wermund |Edward McKinley

Pearland Republican Jeff Barry has long been skeptical of school vouchers, but on Thursday morning he voted to create what could become the largest voucher program in the nation. Barry, a freshman House lawmaker, said it felt like he had no choice.
Texas House approves $1B school voucher plan, marking major victory for Abbott

4 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Edward McKinley

The Texas House early on Thursday approved a far-reaching school voucher program, agreeing to send $1 billion of taxpayer dollars to families for private and often religious education. The 86-63 vote, which came around 2 a.m., marks the first time the chamber has backed vouchers in decades. It all but ensures that they will become reality in Texas, likely transforming education in the state for decades to come. Only two Republicans, state Reps.