Author | Lightnews

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 1d

With the state takeover process getting started in Fort Worth ISD, I talked to parents and students in Houston about what the intervention was like there, an what to expect here. All of them said they were worried for Fort Worth. Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

‘Scared for Fort Worth’: As FWISD takeover looms, Houston families share concern

A state takeover of Fort Worth ISD would be the second largest in state history. Parents and students in Houston share their experience.

www.star-telegram.com

1 2 1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 3d

This has been an incredible series to watch, unless you're a fan of either of these teams, in which case I suspect you aren't having very much fun at all.

1 1

Reposted by Silas Allen

Patrick Claybon @patrickclaybon.bsky.social · 3d

There's fortitude.... then there's mossing your teammate at the track in the bottom of the 9th of game 7 in the World Series after coming in the game 9 pitches ago

5 65 800

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 3d

This game.

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 12d

The Texas Education Agency is taking over Fort Worth ISD. It's the second-biggest district takeover in the state's history.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

State will take over Fort Worth ISD, replace school board, commissioner says

Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced the takeover Thursday morning, which comes after one school received five straight F ratings.

www.star-telegram.com

1 2 1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 14d

The pride of Randolph County, Missouri

1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 15d

The number of teachers who use AI in the classroom is growing fast, both in Texas and across the country. But school districts are struggling to keep up. Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

More teachers use AI in the classroom. Texas school leaders say they need a plan

More than half of Texas teachers use AI in the classroom, a new report shows. But they often don’t have any training on how to use it well.

www.star-telegram.com

1

Reposted by Silas Allen

Katherine Knott @knottkatherine.bsky.social · 25d

Here's what we know about today's mass layoffs

Ryan Quinn @ryanequinn.bsky.social · 25d

More Education Dept. Employees Fired (and HHS employees in these shutdown-related layoffs, though we don't know whether any were at NIH. If you know, please DM me or email [email protected] )

Trump Fires More Education Dept. Employees

The Trump administration threatened to lay off federal workers because of the government shutdown. An unspecified number of employees got pink slips Friday.

www.insidehighered.com

1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · 25d

It's been five years since school shutdowns ended, and districts are still dealing with chronic absenteeism. I talked to officials in the Fort Worth school district about why it's such a challenge and what they're doing about it. Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Too many kids are missing school in Fort Worth. District says it has a plan

Five years after the end of school shutdowns, too many kids still miss too much school. FWISD officials say they have a plan to help.

www.star-telegram.com

1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Oct 1

How will the government shutdown affect schools? Depends on how long it lasts. Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Texas schools could face challenges due to government shutdown. Here’s why

If the shutdown lasts more than a few days, the problems could grow.

www.star-telegram.com

2

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Sep 18

Texas is going after teachers who celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk. Can they do that?

Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Can teachers really be fired for social media posts about Charlie Kirk? What to know

After Charlie Kirk’s death, the TEA warned teachers about “reprehensible” posts. What does free speech allow?

www.star-telegram.com

1

Reposted by Silas Allen

Fort Worth Star-Telegram @star-telegram.com · Sep 10

The district is grappling with limited funds and declining enrollment, but officials say no decisions have been made about closures.

Grapevine-Colleyville parents worried about possible school closures

The district is grappling with limited funds and declining enrollment, but officials say no decisions have been made about closures.

bit.ly

1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Sep 10

When schools shut down at the beginning of the pandemic, there was a spike in the number of families who homeschooled. Most people expected that would normalize once the pandemic ended. But that hasn't happened.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

More Fort Worth parents switch to homeschooling 5 years after start of pandemic

Experts thought the rise in homeschooling might slow down after a few years. So far, it hasn’t happened. Here’s why some local families choose to homeschool.

www.star-telegram.com

1 2

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Sep 2

Gift link:

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/f...

Aledo ISD violated special education laws, state investigation finds

The investigation began after parents and teachers came forward with complaints about the district’s special education program.

www.star-telegram.com

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Sep 2

Texas Education Agency investigators found that a Fort Worth area school district violated federal law in its dealings with students in its special education program.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/f...

Aledo ISD violated special education laws, state investigation finds

The investigation began after parents and teachers came forward with complaints about the district’s special education program.

www.star-telegram.com

1 1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Aug 28

Texas Ed Commissioner Mike Morath was in Fort Worth this morning, ahead of a decision on whether he'll take over the district.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Texas education commissioner Mike Morath visits Fort Worth ISD campuses

The visits were part of the commissioner’s process for deciding if the agency will take over the district.

www.star-telegram.com

1

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Aug 19

DON'T DO IT

A screenshot from a Duolingo German lesson in which Vikram says "I like newspapers and want to become a journalist."

1 3

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Aug 7

The Fort Worth school district is set to close 18 schools over the next few years due to declining enrollment. We looked at how groups of parents at two campuses pushed back against school closures, and why one group was successful and the other wasn't. www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Did parental activism, or lack thereof, save or doom certain Fort Worth schools?

With schools facing closure, some families rallied hard for their campuses. Others were quieter. Did that sway Fort Worth ISD’s decisions?

www.star-telegram.com

2

Reposted by Silas Allen

Joshua Eaton @joshuaeaton.bsky.social · Aug 1

FOIA exemptions.

ekko astral @ekkoastral.bsky.social · Jul 31

quote this post with one thing you hate that the government made up

miri says: it’s made up by the government

3 16 100

Reposted by Silas Allen

Chris Becker @chrisbecker.bsky.social · Jul 18

Also, sign up for PBS Passport! You pay what you want, money goes to your local station, and you get access to tons more great programming on-demand. help.pbs.org/support/solu...

8 180 290

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Fort Worth school district says it has $10 million in federal funding tied up in the Trump administration's education grant funding freeze.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

Federal education funding freeze leaves millions in limbo for Fort Worth schools

Fort Worth ISD leaders are reviewing what positions and contracts will be affected by the funding freeze.

www.star-telegram.com

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · Jul 10

The Fort Worth school district is closing a bunch of schools due to enrollment declines. I looked at one neighborhood where enrollment is dropping even as the kid population is increasing to see what's going on.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

More kids live in this Fort Worth ZIP code. So why are public schools shrinking?

The trend illustrates one of Fort Worth ISD’s biggest challenges: When presented with options, many families are looking elsewhere.

www.star-telegram.com

1

Reposted by Silas Allen

Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · Jun 10

CNN’s reporter on scene in Los Angeles: I’m being detained..

840 6.2K 16K

Silas Allen @silasallen.bsky.social · May 19

Two years into a state takeover, Houston ISD is seeing higher test scores, but also a lot of turmoil. I looked at what it can tell us about where Fort Worth may be headed.

www.star-telegram.com/news/local/e...

1

Reposted by Silas Allen

Raffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · May 14

If you are not originally from Texas, but practice law here, a good thing to do is occasionally say things like "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered" or "that man's got less sense than a peach orchard goat."

70 27 530