Leila Darwiche

Chicago

Data Reporter at The San Antonio Express-News

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Articles

STAAR results reveal gains, setbacks for San Antonio's youngest students

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno |Leila Darwiche

San Antonio elementary and middle school students outperformed the high schoolers on this year's STAAR test, with major gains in reading and science - but lagging math and social studies scores signal they're still recovering from setbacks during the pandemic. Every year, Texas students in grades three through eight take standardized tests to measure their proficiency in core subject areas.
Despite late scare, Jones easily won mayor's race because of party politics

1 week ago | expressnews.com | Molly Smith |Leila Darwiche

Democratic voters received frantic text messages and phone calls last Saturday urging them to cast their ballot for Gina Ortiz Jones in the mayoral runoff. "It's Election Day in San Antonio and we need your help to stop MAGA Republican Rolando Pablos from taking over our city," read one of the texts. But any fear that Democrats had heading into the day evaporated as soon as polls closed and early voting returns showed Jones winning 52% of the vote.
How did your San Antonio district fare on the STAAR end-of-course exams?

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Leila Darwiche
San Antonio high schools fell behind in reading, math on STAAR exams

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno |Leila Darwiche

San Antonio school districts fell behind in reading and math on this year's STAAR end-of-course exams, reflecting ongoing challenges in adapting to a new test format and closing pandemic-related learning gaps. Every year, Texas high school students must pass five tests - covering Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II and U.S. History - to graduate.
How did your San Antonio neighborhood vote in the runoff? Search our map.

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Leila Darwiche

On Saturday, voters chose Gina Ortiz Jones over Rolando Pablos to be San Antonio's next mayor, giving her a winning margin of over 12,000 votes. The former Air Force undersecretary polled at more than 54%, according to unofficial results from the Bexar County Elections Department. Jones garnered the strongest support from the city's center, a Democratic stronghold that tends to vote farther to the left than the rest of San Antonio.
S.A. private school tuition is on the rise. What would a $10K voucher cover?

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno |Leila Darwiche

Texas families will soon receive thousands of dollars in state funds to help cover the cost of private education, but they'll still need to pay out of pocket for San Antonio's more exclusive schools. Under the state's new $1 billion school voucher plan, which was signed into law in May, Texans can apply for a taxpayer-funded school voucher of around $10,000 to send their children to private school.
Here's how Gina Ortiz Jones, Rolando Pablos can become San Antonio's next mayor

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Molly Smith |Leila Darwiche

Gina Ortiz Jones won more than one in every four votes cast in the May 3 city election by pulling support on San Antonio's East, West and South sides - which counts as a feat in a race with 26 other mayoral candidates clamoring for attention. She carried the majority of voting precincts, including a few on the more conservative North Side. The former Air Force undersecretary and two-time Democratic candidate for Congress is facing Rolando Pablos in the June 7 runoff election for mayor.
See how your neighborhood voted in the San Antonio May election

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Leila Darwiche

For the first time since 2009, San Antonio residents cast ballots in a mayor's race with no incumbents. After Saturday's results, the crowded field of 27 candidates dwindled to two, Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos, who will advance to the June 7 runoff. Four council seats were also open due to term limits and mayoral ambitions of incumbents in Districts 4, 6, 8 and 9. All but District 4 will advance to the June runoff.
Live updates on May 3 local elections

1 month ago | expressnews.com | JJ Velasquez |Leila Darwiche |Molly Smith |Megan Rodriguez

San Antonio will elect a new mayor for the first time in eight years tonight. All 10 city council seats are also on the ballot as voters head to the polls, which will close at 7 p.m. Follow along as we provide up-to-the-minute news on the May 3 local election. Elsewhere, Boerne voters are deciding whether to reelect an incumbent mayor, college and school districts have floated bond measure and trustees are vying for board seats.
Can a Republican win the mayor's race in blue San Antonio?

2 months ago | expressnews.com | Molly Smith |Leila Darwiche

Hours before the start of early voting on Tuesday, the Bexar County Democratic Party unleashed a 30-second video attacking mayoral candidate Rolando Pablos ' connection to Gov. Greg Abbott. "Greg Abbott and his friends are putting $2 million into his campaign," the video says. "Makes you wonder who would Pablos be working for if elected, Greg Abbott or Abbott's rich friends?"Pablos blasted the ad as an attempt to insert partisan politics into a race for a nonpartisan office.