Laura Isensee

Education Reporter

Laura Isensee covers education for Houston Public Media, including K-12 and higher education. Previously, she was a staff reporter at The Miami Herald and contributed to South Florida’s NPR affiliate. Her work has also appeared in The Dallas Morning News, Reuters and Clarín in Argentina. Laura has won awards for her work in print and radio, including best specialty/beat reporting from the Texas AP Broadcasters Association in 2014.

A native Houstonian, Laura graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she majored in Spanish and Plan II, a liberal arts honors program. She earned her master’s in journalism from Columbia University. Her radio stories have aired on national programs, such as NPR’s All Things Considered and Here & Now. She enjoys dancing, biking and exploring new places. You can follow her @lauraisensee on Twitter.

Education News

Back-to-School Kicks Off First Full Year for Houston Schools’ Interim Superintendent

Posted on August 28, 2018 · News 88.7 asked Grenita Lathan how long she’d be willing to lead the district without a permanent contract.

News

Houston Schools’ Superintendent: Budget Remains Biggest Challenge for New School Year

Posted on August 27, 2018 · In advance of back-to-school, News 88.7 sat down with Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, who's served in the role since March, and talked about the biggest challenges for the Houston Independent School District.

News

Advocacy Group Says If Texas Won’t Monitor Special Ed Alternative Schools, It Will

Posted on August 24, 2018 · The Harris County Department of Education maintains that it’s taken its own corrective action and only physically restrains students in an emergency.

News

Texas Education Agency Refuses to Monitor County’s Alternative Special Ed Schools Directly

Posted on August 22, 2018 · What happened to Evan Johnson triggered a state investigation, exposing what some call a loophole in how state administrators keep an eye on some special needs students in Harris County.

News

Santa Fe Students Start New School Year with Emotional First Day since Shooting

Posted on August 20, 2018 · "There’s nothing that could have truly prepared me for going back in a classroom setting," a student says

In-Depth

Audio Diary: Santa Fe Graduate Kennedy Rodriguez Reflects on Advocacy after Shooting

Posted on August 20, 2018 · Rodriguez, 18, graduated from Santa Fe High in June and is about to start her freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin

News

Santa Fe Schools Open Doors with Heightened Security

Posted on August 20, 2018 · The Santa Fe school district also plans to have mental health teams on campus throughout the year.

News

UPDATE: Houston School District Removes Controversial Mural

Posted on August 17, 2018 · A new quote, attributed to Malala Yousafzai, is now on the hallway. It reads: "Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It's you who can change the world."

News

Houston Schools Avoid State Sanctions, Education Commissioner Defends New Report Cards

Posted on August 15, 2018 · Worthing High was one of 10 Houston schools that had to improve -- or they’d be closed or trigger a state takeover of the whole district, because of the state law known as HB 1842.

News

Houston School Board Votes to Avoid Teacher Salary Freeze

Posted on August 10, 2018 · Houston district administrators now have to find about $5 million in the $2 billion budget to pay for the plan

News

Rice Archive Catalogs Fort Bend Advocate’s Efforts to Preserve Convict Leasing History

Posted on August 7, 2018 · "A lot of people don’t know about this history, so future historians will be interested to learn how did greater awareness of this history come about and what did it take?," Rice professor Caleb McDaniel said

News

Over Half of Houston Schools Report Zero Incidents of Bullying, Below National Research

Posted on August 3, 2018 · National studies indicate that between 22 and 30 percent students in grades K-12 are involved with or experience bullying in some way

News

Exit Interviews with Outgoing HISD Administrators Reveal Culture of Fear

Posted on August 2, 2018 · Outgoing top employees said they left because of a lack of trust, concern about the district's future and instability and negativity from the school board.

News

Houston Educators Push Back Against Proposed Salary Freeze

Posted on August 2, 2018 · The Houston school board is expected to vote on the compensation plan at its meeting next week

News

Storytelling Offers Early Ed Teachers, Students Way to Heal from Harvey

Posted on July 30, 2018 · One strategy: a different kind of play center to evoke memories and stories from the storm