Flooding closes Decatur HS through Wednesday

Decatur High School will be closed Monday through Wednesday after Friday’s torrential rains flooded portions of the building. One of the drains on top of the school collapsed sending water cascading into the building and flooding an area from the main entrance to near the gym, according to Decatur ISD Superintendent Judi Whitis. view article  

Columbus ISD closed today after threat made against school on social media

COLUMBUS, Texas (KTRK) --  Columbus ISD is closed today after the district became aware of a threat on social media, school officials say.   A message posted on the district's website says that the administration received word about the threat just before midnight.   "Columbus ISD takes the safety of our students and employees very seriously and it is our top priority.  view article  

Onalaska:  Message from the OISD Board of Trustees - Personnel Action

The OISD Board of Trustees took action today to accept the Voluntary Separation of Lynn Redden from the position of Superintendent.  view article  

Onalaska ISD superintendent resigns after quarterback comment

The Onalaska ISD superintendent who said "you can't count on a black quarterback" has resigned, calling his comments "wrong and inappropriate" in a letter addressed to the school board president. Lynn Redden, who made the comment Monday morning on the Chron.com Facebook page in reference to Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, submitted his resignation letter to the school board Saturday. view article  

New From TEA

• House Bill 1638: Statewide Dual Credit Goals 9/24
• Request for Applications for Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation Pilot 9/20
• United States Presidential Scholars Program and United States Senate Youth Program Student Scholarship Opportunities 9/19
• 2018-2019 Significant Expansion of Enrollment - Open-Enrollment Charter Schools Only 9/14
• Validations of Fiscal Data Reported by LEAs for Federal Grants 2018-2019
• Unallowable double funding for unaccompanied children held in custody by or for the federal government being served by Texas public schools 9/5
• Industry Certifications HB 2729 9/5
• A new To the Administrator Addressed letter, dated August 28, 2018, has posted on the TEA Correspondence page regarding statutory changes to the micro-purchase and the simplified acquisition thresholds under the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).Implementing Statutory Changes to Micro-Purchase and the Simplified Acquisition Thresholds under the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)

TASA Legislative Priorities

During the 86th session of the Texas Legislature, TASA will support or initiate legislation that aligns with the association’s priorities and work with other associations and groups to advocate for the following priorities. A cornerstone priority of TASA members is local control and flexibility, as school districts must be able to respond to the differing needs of students, educators, parents, and communities they serve. view article  

November 2018 Bond List

Bond Election Data collected by TexasISD.com for public school bonds in the upcoming November 2018 election cycle.

Preventive Law: Texas Supreme Court Achieves New Heights in Lows

In April this year the Texas Supreme Court appears to have sunk to a new low in rebutting not only the Me Too movement, but the common sense barometer. Before them was a sexual harassment case whose facts would shock the senses of most readers; the case involves a female school employee who claimed sexual harassment by her fellow female employees. See Alamo Heights Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Clark, 544 S.W.3d 755 (Tex. 2018).

Texas Parent PAC Endorses Legislative Candidates in 2018 General Election

Today the pro-public education Texas Parent PAC announces its endorsement of 54 legislative candidates in the November 6 general election. The endorsed candidates are a diverse collection of mature, proven leaders who seek to make Texas a better state, said PAC Chair Carolyn Boyle of Austin. They will be strong advocates for public education at the state Capitol. view article  

Tuloso-Midway ISD to seek state help (property tax)

Flint Hills Resources and the Nueces County Appraisal District have agreed to settle their legal dispute over property taxes. view article  

Killeen ISD interviewing board candidates privately

Sixteen people put their hats in the ring for the open Killeen Independent School District board seat, and the board has closed the application process. The board also closed the doors, interviewing several candidates for nearly three hours in a private session at its Sept. 11 meeting. The board has also declined to provide a list of the candidates. view article  

Sandy Hook-inspired program gets underway at Tyler ISD schools

A social initiative that found its roots in a deadly school shooting in Connecticut has kicked off at schools in the Tyler school district. HELLO stems from the Sandy Hook Promise Program, which was started by a group of parents who got together to help end school violence. HELLO is an acronym, where all of the letters stand for a word, and each word is also a theme for the week. view article  

Education Focus 2018: Austin ISD and Dripping Springs ISD funding information

Click here to view the photo gallery view article  

Governor Greg Abbott extendeds the State Disaster Declaration In September for Texas counties affected by Hurricane Harvey

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME: WHEREAS, I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on August 23, 2017, certifying that Hurricane Harvey posed a threat of imminent disaster for Aransas, Austin, Bee, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Jackson, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Waller, Wharton, and Wilson counties view article  

House Bill 1638: Statewide Dual Credit Goals

House Bill 1638 (85th Legislature, Regular Session), as codified in Texas Education Code, Section 28.009 (b-1) and (b-2), requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to collaboratively develop statewide goals for dual credit programs in Texas. These goals provide guidance to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and independent school districts (ISDs) on components that must be in place to ensure quality dual credit programs are provided to Texas high school students. These statewide goals address enrollment in and acceleration through postsecondary education, performance in college-level coursework, and strong academic advising. view article  

House Bill 1638: Statewide Dual Credit Goals

House Bill 1638 (85th Legislature, Regular Session), as codified in Texas Education Code, Section 28.009 (b-1) and (b-2), requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to collaboratively develop statewide goals for dual credit programs in Texas. These goals provide guidance to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and independent school districts (ISDs) on components that must be in place to ensure quality dual credit programs are provided to Texas high school students. These statewide goals address enrollment in and acceleration through postsecondary education, performance in college-level coursework, and strong academic advising. view article  

Richardson ISD officials: Passage of Nov. 6 tax election needed to avoid multimillion-dollar deficit, provide teacher raises

For 11 years Richardson ISD has maintained a steady maintenance and operations tax rate, but in November the district will ask voters to contribute additional dollars toward its general fund—a move it says would cost the average homeowner an additional $305 per year.“We certainly know it is not an opportune time for our taxpayers with the increases they have seen with our appraisals, but we have waited as long as we can, and this is the time when we have to go ask our taxpayers for the increase,” RISD board of trustees President Justin Bono said. view article  

Charter schools offer choice, but public must be aware of impact: Column

IDEA Public Charter Schools plans to open 20 campuses across El Paso over the next five years. The expansion will provide students with additional educational choices and may stimulate competition with traditional public schools, but local residents need to be mindful of how such significant growth might impact public education across the city and for all of its students. First, it is important for local residents to understand that researchers consistently find that public charter schools and traditional public schools perform at similar levels, view article  

DATA: Dive into demographic and budget information from Leander ISD

With 40 elementary, middle and high schools plus two alternative schools, Leander ISD serves students across nearly 200 square miles. view article  

Health Services Monitoring DISD Tuberculosis Cases

Dallas ISD students and faculty are moving forward after two cases of tuberculosis were found at W.T. White High School. Dallas County Health and Human Services reported the disease in two brothers who most likely caught it from a relative that used to live with them, and said the patients have been receiving medical treatment for almost three months. view article  

Departing Deputy Superintendent at Dallas ISD Accused of ‘Employee Misconduct’

NBC 5 Investigates has learned that the abrupt resignation of Israel Cordero, deputy superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District, came after he was accused of workplace misconduct. Prior to his resignation, he had been placed on administrative leave, according to several sources. One source with direction knowledge told NBC 5 Investigates the misconduct allegations involved sexual harassment claims. view article  

Analysis: Dan Patrick and the reddest Texas Senate ever

Texas Democrats had a chance to limit Republican legislators' power in the state Senate. But with a special election loss this week, they may have cemented it instead.  Dan Patrick has the Texas Senate Bob Bullock always wanted.  And after this week’s special election in South and West Texas put Republican Pete Flores in the Senate, Lt. Gov. Patrick is in a great position to extend his run — assuming that he wins his own reelection bid in November. view article  

The Business of Charter Schools: A $45 Million Charter Deal

Long, long ago, almost everyone went to the neighborhood public school. The school had a principal, who was overseen by the superintendent. The superintendent answered to a local school board. Those were not idyllic times, to be sure, but no one ever imagined that there was profit to be found in the public schools, or that the public schools would one day be part of “the education industry.” All that is changed now. There are still neighborhood public schools, but now there is an industry that relies on entrepreneurs and market forces. You don’t have to be an educator to manage or operate or start a charter school (think tennis star Andre Agassi or football hero Deion Sanders). There are tax breaks for investors in charter schools. Charter school properties are bought and sold, like franchises or just ordinary real estate. They have no organic connection to the local community. The profit for entrepreneurs is to be found in the real estate transactions. view article  

Lewisville ISD, lawmakers discuss upcoming legislative session

Lewisville ISD officials met with local lawmakers last week to share their ideas of what they would like to see come out of the 86th Texas Legislature, which begins in January. Sen. Jane Nelson and State Reps. Tan Parker and Ron Simmons talked with administrators and school board members to discuss the items outlined in LISD’s recently adopted legislative agenda – accountability, school finance, educational equity and local control. With accountability, LISD has joined other districts across the state in opposing the new A-F ranking system for districts and campuses. District officials say there are a number of concerns with it, including how a grade is determined and that it relies so much on standardized testing. view article  

Creative Learning Initiative incorporates the arts in everyday learning at Austin ISD

If a community member visited Brentwood Elementary School in Central Austin, he or she would likely notice art on the walls, student-painted murals and music in the hallways.  Upon walking into a classroom like teacher Theresa Wood’s second grade, he or she would witness a lesson being taught using Creative Learning Initiativetechniques. Created as a partnership among Austin ISD, teaching company Mindpop and the city of Austin, CLI encourages educators to use techniques that forward learning through creativity and community engagement while building “arts-rich” campuses, Mindpop Executive Director Brent Hasty said. Through CLI—currently being implemented in 63 AISD campuses—teachers are trained to use flexible strategies to teach many different subjects, he said. view article  

Kilgore ISD to consider financial transactions

Kilgore ISD trustees Monday night are set to consider several financial transactions.  The board will consider recommendations by Chief Financial Officer Revard Pfeffer to amend the 2018-19 budget and amend a short-term lease agreement with Champion EMS. view article  

South San Students Decry Lack of Mental Health Resources in Community

When friends would ask Madisyn Donovan if she was okay, she would insist she was fine, but internally, she felt like she was at the bottom of a 10-foot pit and couldn’t escape.  Donovan, then a freshman at South San High School, had just enrolled in the early college program and was feeling more than the typical academic pressure of transitioning from middle school to college classes. view article  

Peaster ISD names new Trustee

Peaster ISD board of Trustees named a new trustee and construction project specialist at their Thursday evening meeting at the Peaster Administration Building.  view article  

Little Elm ISD superintendent shares vision for Lobo Lane

While the district’s primary focus is on building two new middle schools, officials are already thinking about how they could repurpose some of existing buildings. “We’re really excited about announcing to the community what our plan is for Lobo Lane,” said Superintendent Daniel Gallagher. Zellers is currently being used for Little Elm ISD’s central office. The plan is to reopen it as an elementary school. The building was previously used in that capacity, but closed in 2013 under the previous administration. view article  

Kilgore ISD trustees choose superintendent search firm

Kilgore ISD board members hired a firm Monday to assist them in their search for a permanent superintendent. Interim Superintendent Mike Morrison said the trustees interviewed several firms Monday night and chose to employ the Texas Association of School Boards’ Executive Search Services. Kilgore ISD will pay the firm $6,500 for its services, he said. Executive Search Services will provide a timeline for the district’s search for a permanent replacement “very soon,” Morrison said. view article  

Kilgore:  KISD trustees select firm in superintendent search

KISD is one step closer to finding a new, permanent superintendent.  At a special board meeting Monday, board members met and interviewed representatives from three firms specializing in finding qualified superintendency candidates: the Texas Association of School Boards Executive Search Services, Arrow Educational Services, Inc., and Education Solutions & Services.  Each representative was allotted 30 minutes to deliver a presentation and be interviewed by trustees in closed session. Board president Reggie Henson said the decision to employ Joe Dan Lee from TASB was inspired in part by Lee being a local who knows the area well. view article  

Columbus ISD closed today after students reported threat posted on Snapchat

Columbus ISD is closed today after the district became aware of a threat on social media, school officials say. A message posted on the district's website says that the administration received word about the threat just before midnight. view article