Melissa Manno

San Antonio

Education Reporter at The San Antonio Express-News

education reporter @expressnews / call me, beep me at [email protected]

Articles

S.A. private school tuition is on the rise. What would a $10K voucher cover?

2 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.
Gina Ortiz Jones draws on military, childhood in race for San Antonio mayor

2 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

As dozens of older San Antonians swayed to lively conjunto music, Gina Ortiz Jones performed her own kind of dance, weaving between rows of folding chairs, canes and walkers to introduce herself to attendees. Jones said she's been to the city's annual Tejano Conjunto Festival before, but this year's visit was different. It was an opportunity to convince the seniors that she should be their next mayor.
After inciting panic, Judson ISD decides not to close three more schools

3 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

Less than a week after sparking community panic by discussing the closure of three neighborhood schools, the Judson Independent School District board has decided to keep the campuses open - at least for now. At a lengthy and passionate board meeting on Wednesday night, trustees unanimously voted against closing Judson Middle School, Candlewood Elementary School and Franz Leadership Academy.
Harmony charter network gets $25M to expand to 'every corner of Texas'

4 weeks ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

Harmony Public Schools, one of the largest charter networks in Texas, has secured a $25 million grant to advance its rapid statewide expansion. The grant is the largest ever awarded by the Charter School Growth Fund, a Colorado-based nonprofit that aims to broaden the footprint of high-performing charter schools nationwide.
Judson ISD"s new board puts school closures back on the table

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

Under pressure to reduce a record budget deficit, Judson Independent School District's newly elected board is considering closing three more schools - a move that has sparked emotional pleas from students, parents and staff. In a board meeting that exceeded eight hours Thursday night, trustees voted 4-3 to have administrators review information on the proposed closures of Judson Middle School, Candlewood Elementary School and Franz Leadership Academy.
San Antonio mayoral candidates discuss fixing childcare shortage

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

San Antonio mayoral candidates Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos took the stage Wednesday evening to discuss their visions for improving early childhood and youth development, a challenge they both said was vital to San Antonio's future. The forum allowed the candidates to talk about how they'd promote educational success, mental health and long-term economic mobility ahead of the June 7 runoff.
S.A. school districts struggling to meet soaring demand for special education

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

As a little kid, Sophia Munson loved to perform. She would often steal her mother's high heels and dance around the living room like it was a stage, singing Spice Girls songs into whatever nearby object resembled a microphone. She was always filming silly videos with her older brother, riding her bike or goofing around with her friends. She was also an avid swimmer and dreamed of becoming a star cheerleader in high school.
Texas school districts warn of dangerous TikTok challenge. Here's what to know.

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

Texas school districts are sounding the alarm about a dangerous new social media trend that has sparked flames in classrooms nationwide. Known as the "Chromebook challenge," the TikTok trend involves teenagers jamming objects, such as pencils, tin foil and paper clips, into the USB ports of their school-issued Chromebooks to make the device smoke or spark. The experiment causes the devices to short-circuit, and in some cases, catch fire.
Gina Ortiz Jones faces backlash for dodging media

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno

For San Antonio mayoral candidate Gina Ortiz Jones, election night was a mostly private affair. Jones, 44, was the only major candidate not to host a public watch party after polls closed Saturday. Outside her campaign headquarters, reporters waited for an opportunity to ask the potential city leader questions about her candidacy and the runoff. But once the final votes were counted, Jones had other plans.
Results are in. Here's the latest on local school board races.

1 month ago | expressnews.com | Melissa Manno |Scott Huddleston

Unofficial results are in for the May 3 election, and voters largely favored leadership changes at local school districts grappling with record budget deficits, declining enrollment, staffing shortages and rising student violence. Newcomers won seats in Judson, Northside and San Antonio Independent School Districts, though several incumbents were reelected. Article continues below this adThe election was on the same day Gov. Greg Abbott signed a $1 billion private school vouchers bill into law.