About the Entry

Highlights from Aliyya Swaby’s coverage of education in Texas include long-standing funding challenges, the school choice debate, as well as the educational fallout from the worst natural disaster to hit the state in recent memory.

• Texas has more kids eligible for free summer meals. Why is the state feeding fewer?
• When school’s out, rural Texas towns struggle to feed their hungry kids
• Texas made a school district take in more students. But will it help fund them?
• In beleaguered La Marque schools, Hurricane Harvey stirs up old anxieties
• With retired teachers’ health care at stake, legislators clash on fixes
• Unlikely allies: Some homeschoolers fighting to kill school choice bill
• Texas school districts cut costs to avoid closure as state funding cuts loom

Entry Credit

• Aliyya Swaby, Public Education Reporter, Texas Tribune

Comments from the Judges

“Human angles to policy stories are strong, and dull subjects like funding formulas are surprisingly interesting thanks to the reporter’s ability to use local stories to illuminate these policies.”

“A great beat reporter. She is covering a wide range of topics and her ability to explain complicated topics is exceptional. She also makes the subjects of her stories come alive and goes beyond the stereotype images.”

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