FREE WEBINAR THIS WEDNESDAY: How to NOT Get Fired Over Facebook (Or Create a Liability for Your District)

65% of online adults have a Facebook page. And every year, teachers and administrators are getting fired because of photos or comments they put on their personal page. They are also losing their identities because of the personal information that is on their page (even simple things like your birthday and hometown). Your staff need to know the potential pitfalls of using social media and how to navigate safely. view article

TEA Charter Interviews - Agendas for July 21-23

 Texas Education Agency staff and State Board of Education members will interview 10 Generation 19 charter applicants Monday through Wednesday. The meeting begins at 9:15 a.m. Monday and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. A schedule of interviews is available online. Please note that one applicant, Rocketship, has withdrawn. The meetings will be live streamed.

July 2014 Texas Lone Star.

It's time to speak out about the great things happening on our campuses and in our classrooms! Read about this effort and more in the July 2014 Texas Lone Star read more

New From TEA

• Final Adoption of New Teacher and Principal Standards  (7/22/2014)
• 2014-2015 List Approved Tests Assessment of English Language Learners (7/22/14)
• Financial concerns cause SBOE to delay instructional materials adoption
• 2014–2015 Official Notification of Chapter 41 Status
• Identification of District Transition and Employment Services Designee 
• A schedule (PDF, 62KB) for the Generation 19 Charter interviews is now available
• Tuition Limits under the TEC, §25.0031  

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TEA’s Williams likes to win

Michael Williams' boss wanted to know if he could handle the death threats. view article

RAW VIDEO: 7/21/2014 First BISD Board of Managers meeting

Ron Rowell (TEA) starts with the transition management swearing in and signing of oaths of office of new board members and introduction of Commissioner Williams.  Watch it!   view article

A new era for Beaumont ISD

With no intentions of looking back or refighting "the battles of the past," Beaumont ISD's new board of managers on Monday night severed all ties with the previous administration, voting to fire the district's superintendent and to terminate a contract with a law firm that fought to halt the state's intervention. view article

Photos: BISD’s first board of managers meeting

Promises of better days and more fiscal responsibility were hallmarks of Monday's firstBISD board of managers meetings. view article

Beaumont:  BISD’s board of managers votes on firing superintendent, Timothy Chargois, but postpones decision on other layoffs

The seven members of the Beaumont Independent School District's board of managers were sworn into their new positions at Monday night's board meeting, taking over for trustees whose authority has been suspended by the state. While the managers were warmly received by the public, they know they have a tough road ahead. One of their first actions was firing superintendent Timothy Chargois, Ed.D.  They unanimously voted to approve his proposed termination.   view article

Officials: Undocumented Children Won’t Break Texas Schools

Texas and federal officials have been preoccupied this summer by the immediate needs of the 50,000-plus children who’ve arrived in South Texas since last fall, fleeing violence and poverty in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The kids are entitled, by federal law and international agreement, to food, shelter, medical care and legal attention in the U.S.—even if they’re destined to be returned to their home countries eventually—all of which has the government scrambling to meet the most basic needs. view article

Dallas ISD exploring options to get into news media business

Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said Monday that the district is planning to get into the news media business and make its website a top source to read the latest on DISD. view article

Report: Texas Lags on Child Well-Being

Texas ranks among the 10 worst states on a variety of indicators of child well-being, according to a new national analysis out Tuesday. The annual Kids Count report, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and led locally by the liberal Center for Public Policy Priorities, the Texas grantee, places Texas 43rd in the country on overall child well-being. The state fares particularly poorly on “family and community” measures like the percentage of children living in high-poverty neighborhoods. view article

Ethics Commission Slaps Conservative Activist With Fine

The Texas Ethics Commission ordered Michael Quinn Sullivan, leader of the conservative advocacy group Empower Texans, to pay a $10,000 fine on Monday for failing to register as a lobbyist in 2010 and 2011. view article

Another perspective on residency requirements

This article is not specifically about schools but if discussed fully would involve attendance, and many taxpayers issues. - js.  The saga of gaming residence for the sake of running for office – what a tangle of legal precedent it provides. Mr. Kuffner has used the occasion of the Wilson lawsuit to suggest some sort of legal reform to our statutory definition of residence, mindful of the weeds and quicksand. Mr. Kuffner’s suggestion is to treat an out-of-territory homestead exemption as a bar to holding office within a territory (assuming the jurisdiction in question has a residence requirement for holding office). view article

Austin: AISD interim superintendent visits the White House

The interim superintendent for the Austin ISD has had a busy Monday morning. Dr. Paul Cruz is in Washington D.C. for a White House Town hall meeting. He tweeted this photo Monday morning: Getting ready for the POTUS!pic.twitter.com/W9vXykE75B Dr. Paul Cruz (@AISDSupt) July 21, 2014 Cruz also tweeted that he met with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. view article

Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles receives two-year contract extension, no raise, after nine-hour closed meeting

Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles received a two-year contract extension early Tuesday after trustees met for more than nine hours behind closed doors. Mile’s three-year contract was to expire on June 30, 2015 but was extended to July 1, 2017. His base pay of $300,000 will remain the same, as well as an ability to receive up to $200,000 for meeting certain academic and performance goals view article

Spring Hill sets timeline to hire new superintendent

Spring Hill ISD trustees would vote Nov. 13 to hire a new superintendent under a timeline they received Monday. Before then, the district would be host to two one-day community input sessions, as well as sessions to receive faculty and staff input, according to the plan presented by Marian Strauss, a representative of the Texas Association of School Boards executive search firm working to find a new chief for the district. view article

Derrick resigns as Hitchcock superintendent

HITCHCOCK — The Hitchcock school district board of trustees accepted the resignation of Superintendent Barbara Derrick on Monday and named Carla Vickroy, the assistant superintendent, as acting superintendent. view article

Dallas: DISD Superintendent Miles’ contract extended by two years

It was a long night of meeting behind closed doors for Dallas Independent School District trustees on Monday. Members spent several hours discussing Superintendent Mike Miles’ contract and his future with the district. After 11 hours, they voted 7-2 to extend his contract by two years. Miles was also asking for a boost in his current $300,000 salary, as well as consulting days. While trustees didn't give him a raise, he did receive eight consulting days that are built into his contract. view article

Dallas ISD trustees consider Superintendent Mike Miles’ contract

Dallas ISD trustees were meeting Monday night to discuss whether to make enhancements to Superintendent Mike Miles’ contract. view article

Beaumont: BISD Board of Managers approves proposed termination of Dr. Chargois; delays action on RIF

The new Board of Managers overseeing the Beaumont ISD voted in favor of the proposed termination of former superintendent Dr. Timothy Chargois for cause, but delayed action on a Reduction in Force. The board elected Dr. Jimmy Simmons president and Joe Domino vice president. Dr. Simmons is the former LU president and Domino is the former president and CEO of Entergy Texas. view article

Beaumont: Crowd waits to greet BISD board of managers

With no intentions of looking back or refighting "the battles of the past," Beaumont ISD's new board of managers on Monday night severed all ties with the previous administration, voting to fire the district's superintendent and to terminate a contract with a law firm that fought to halt the state's intervention. After taking the oath of office, A.B. Bernard, Lenny Caballero, Jack Carroll, Joe Domino, Vernice Monroe, Jimmy Simmons and Robert Turner sidelined the elected board of trustees, effectively removing from power Gwen Ambres, Janice Brassard, Zenobia Bush, Mike Neil, Tom Neild, Woodrow Reece and Terry Williams view article

Bullard ISD names new deputy superintendent

From Bullard Independent School District: Bullard Independent School District is proud to announce Jan Hill as Deputy Superintendent. Hill will assume the new role effective immediately. Hill’s primary responsibility is to oversee and align critical district administrative functions and processes as well as provide leadership for the overall instructional program of the District. In addition, Hill will supervise and evaluate the performance of instructional supervisors and support staff in the Curriculum and Personnel Department.  view article

Dallas ISD investigator’s desk safe seized as part of review

Dallas ISD officials seized a safe Monday belonging to a top district investigator who was placed on paid administrative leave last week. DISD police brought in a locksmith to try to open the small desk safe that Jeremy Liebbe had in his district office, according to two people familiar with the incident. It’s not clear whether the locksmith unlocked it, but Liebbe’s attorney, Peter Schulte, questioned the decision to seize the safe. view article

Little Elm ISD superintendent, 6 others exit after 3 new board members’ arrival

 Less than two months after three newcomers won seats on the Little Elm ISD board with calls for change, the superintendent and six other administrators have stepped down. DeLeon English, Alex Flores and Melissa Myers toppled incumbents in the May election, and since they took office, the small Denton County school district has seen some anxiety build. Former board president Stephanie Gregg said at a May meeting that some staff members were worried about their jobs. Parents also are voicing concern about the exodus of officials. view article

Jimmy Dorrell, Board of Contributors: Texas, our Texas, badly divided on poverty lines

I love Texas. I was born, reared, educated and raised my family right here in the Lone Star State. But through the years, I have come to understand things are not so “wonderful and great” as we sing and brag. It seems there are really two states of Texans who live within the same borders but experience very different citizenships and lifestyles. read more

Technology at center of new Tom Bean Elementary

Donning a hard hat and work boots over his office clothes, Tom Bean Independent School District Superintendent Troy Roberts surveyed the construction of his District’s new elementary school Monday afternoon. Roberts said he and his office keep a close watch on the $10 million project, approved by voters last spring. view article

Katy ISD Considers $748M Bond Package

A $748 million bond package, designed to address growth, was presented to the Katy ISD Board of Trustees on Monday night. The plan was developed by a 200-member committee and includes new schools, student activity facilities, district-wide renovations, technology retrofits, safety and security updates and other items. view article

Katy ISD to consider massive construction bond for new schools, renovations

The Katy Independent School District will consider a massive bond package to resolve the rapid growth in the area. view article

Katy ISD considers $750M bond proposal

After four months of deliberating, and on the heels of a controversial failed 2013 bond, the Katy Independent School District is considering a new bond for November's ballot. view article

In southwest Arlington, new charter school buildings to welcome students in August

With its white-columned facade topped by a classic cupola, the International Leadership of Texas charter school evokes the feel of a college campus. That’s exactly why Superintendent Eddie Conger selected that design for the new $20 million Arlington campus that will open Aug. 21 with about 1,200 students in kindergarten through the eighth grade. view article

West Texas High’s $16M stadium nearly done

Plemons-Stinnett-Phillips Consolidated Independent School District administrators expect the district’s $16 million football stadium to be completed just in time for the first high school game Sept. 5. The stadium and sports complex developed from a $30 million bond issue that passed by one vote last year. view article

Brazosport: BISD to talk bond plan tonight

The Brazosport ISD Board of Trustees will have a public workshop tonight to discuss a possible $174 million bond proposal by the long-range facilities planning committee. Trustees will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Brazosport ISD administration building, 301 W. Brazoswood Drive. view article

Alvarado: Construction projects nearing completion across AISD

Summer construction projects around Alvarado ISD are nearing completion as the new school year is just over a month away. Projects funded by the district’s fund balance are the closest to being completed at this point with the new turf at the football stadium installed and a visitor’s parking lot on the northwest side of Charles Head Stadium in the final stages of being ready for the 2014 season’s first football game. - See more at: http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/local/x1027601362/Construction-projects-nearing-completion-across-AISD#sthash.tpyfFXFm.dpuf view article