Glasses confusion leaves Wylie ISD students unable to watch eclipse

A North Texas school district hoping to give its students an opportunity to view the solar eclipse outside with special glasses had to deliver some disappointing news.  It turns out hundreds of the glasses that were donated to the district are not certified. Using donations, the Harrison Intermediate School's PTA bought 800 pairs of solar eclipse glasses to give every student the opportunity to see something that won't happen again until 2024. But the district later learned that the glasses may not be safe. view article  

East Texas state representatives speak about special session’s success, failures

EAST TEXAS (KTRE) -The special session concluded with the Governor's wish list of legislation only halfway checked off, missing out on bills that would de-fund Planned Parenthood as well as implement the bathroom bill. However, State Rep.Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), said that East Texans shouldn't be disappointed.  "There was a provision in one of the bills that I have been fighting for since I've been in the legislature which would essentially undue the small school district penalty that many of our school districts across East Texas and the state of Texas face," Ashby said.  The public education theme continued with a signing of House Bill 30.  "I was really excited to see a bill that I had been working on throughout the special session to help our retired teachers make it to the governor's desk," Ashby said. view article  

Pastor: Texas Senate doesn’t support public education

A politician can’t tell a teacher how much he loves him or her without giving that classroom the money it needs to teach its children, a Fort Worth pastor said Thursday.  Charles Foster Johnson’s words about state senators and and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were just as deliberate.  “We must elect a different Texas Senate in 2018. We must elect a Senate that believes in public education as a foundation of our social and civil order,” Johnson said while speaking with more than 30 parents, school superintendents, trustees, city leaders and teachers at Pine Tree Independent School District. view article  

Preventive Law: Patriotic Societies

Senate Bill 1566 takes effect September 1, and it is a whopper of a bill. It is what is known as a “Christmas Tree Bill,” because it has something under it for everyone. It permits trustees to sue school districts over records requests, new localized websites from TEA, a public shaming rule for trustees that requires announcing their training hours before each election, new lice rules, and my favorite, the Patriotic Society provisions.

2017 Tax Ratification Elections/Results

Election information related to all Tax Ratification Elections in 2016

North Texas Schools Keep Kids Inside for Eclipse Safety

As if the first day of school wasn’t filled with enough experiences, Monday’s eclipse added an extra element of excitement. Some North Texas school districts are taking special precautions to make sure students can safely watch the eclipse without the risk of damaging their eyes. Many schools and school districts sent letters to parents in advance of the first day of school. view article  

Most Ector County ISD schools experiencing solar eclipse from inside

If you got yourself those special glasses for Monday’s solar eclipse, you’re in good shape. With it being the first day of school for Ector County ISD, many schools won’t be needing them. “We’re going to suspend all outdoor activity between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m,” said Stacy Johnson, Principal, Noel ElementaryIf you got yourself those special glasses for Monday’s solar eclipse, you’re in good shape. With it being the first day of school for Ector County ISD, many schools won’t be needing them. view article  

Parents express frustration over Dallas ISD board not advancing tax plan to voters

When the Dallas Independent School District begins classes on August 28, only 14 campuses will be listed on the state's "improvement required" list.  It's the lowest total in years, but concerns exist from observers on whether the state's second largest district can maintain those gains amid dwindling funding from the state.  Frustrations boiled over Friday night when a divided school board failed to advance three different tax hike plans that would have infused millions into programs for the 158,000 student district.  It is the second time in two years the board has failed to reach an agreement on a Tax Ratification Election that voters would then vote on. view article  

EDITORIAL: Appreciation for Speaker Straus during special session of ‘pure political theater’

With the end of the 30-day special session of the Texas Legislature in Austin last week, we thought it was a good time to reflect on the accomplishments of our elected lawmakers and what they did for the greater good of Texas.Basically, lawmakers achieved what was necessary and good for the state early on when they passed two bills that allows for the continuation of critical components of state government: the Texas Boards of Medical Examiners; Examiners of Psychologists; Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists; Examiners of Professional Counselors; and Social Worker Examiners.  Beyond that, the special legislative session was pure political theater — and the worst example of leaders capitulating to a small, but active constituency at the cost of Texas taxpayers overall. view article  

Equity Center Legislative Update: HB 21 Facilities Funding Update

How Free Eyeglasses Are Boosting Test Scores in Baltimore

Three years ago, Johns Hopkins University researchers in Baltimore asked a seemingly simple straightforward question: Could the persistent gap in reading performance between poor students and wealthier ones be closed if they gave the poor students eyeglasses? They knew that poorer students were less likely to have glasses than wealthier white children, but data were limited on whether simply helping children better focus on the page in front of them might improve their ability to master a skill essential for early learning. view article  

Some Texas school districts face cuts over loss of funding

HOUSTON - As more than 1,200 school districts welcome students back for another year of education and athletics, some are being forced to tighten their fiscal belts more than others.  Some of these cutbacks are due to the expiration of a funding program called Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction, or ASATR.  “It's putting us in a bind,” said Dr. Rodney Cavness, the Texas City ISD superintendent. “It's a pretty significant hit to us -- (a) very significant hit.” The aid program was created in 2006 when the legislature cut tax rates by a third. ASATR was created to make up the difference in revenue for school districts, essentially ensuring districts would still receive the same amount of per-student funding received during the 2005-06 school year. view article  

Shifting state standards increase pressure on Houston ISD

Carla Stevens tracks how Houston ISD schools perform on Texas' complex measuring system, especially schools like Kashmere High that have been labeled as "improvement required" by the state for years. This coming school year, tracking their performance will be even more difficult because the Texas Education Agency tinkers every year with the way it measures academic performance in local schools and districts, she said.  "The superintendent keeps wanting me to project if campuses are going to come off" the improvement-required status, said Stevens, the district's assistant superintendent for research and accountability. "Well, I can't. I can use universal screeners to see if they are showing progress, but I can't tell you if a school will come off 'improvement required' because I don't know the rules." view article  

Budget Issues Hang Over Frisco ISD’s New School Year

Students in the Frisco Independent SchoolDistrict head back to class on Monday with a couple of changes. Teachers across the district will see a slight boost in their paychecks. However, some students and parents will see themselves paying more for school activities.  view article  

Judson ISD teachers get immediate pay raises totaling $3.9 million; starting pay now $51,050

Educators in Judson ISD will receive a 2 percent pay raise which will be reflected on their September paychecks, according to a statement from the district. The Judson ISD board approved the raises, totaling $3.9 million, during a regular board meeting Thursday. The increase will come from the district's fund balance. view article  

Standardized testing is killing education

The new STAAR results came out last week, but they shed about as much light on public schools as Monday's total eclipse of the sun. STAAR stands for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, but people know it more commonly as the standardized tests that change so much every year that they become completely useless. view article  

South San ISD begins school Monday amid closures

It's the first day of school for the South San Independent School District, and for the first year the doors of three campuses will remain locked. The district closed the schools to save money amidst low enrollment numbers. Last year the school board voted to close Kazen Middle School, Athens Elementary School, and the alternative school. Former Kazen elementary students will now attend Zamora Middle School, with former Athens students attending either Price Elementary School or Carillo Elementary School, and the alternative school students now going out of district. view article  

The example Abilene is for others

It would be naive to think that what happened in Charlottesville has no impact on Abilene. But then, that just doesn't seem to be us at all. The events of the past week, from the violence in Virginia to questions about the president's response, have dominated the news. Our concern with North Korea has been pushed aside. In Texas, even the final days of the special session were overshadowed. view article  

All but 1 area school district meets minimum state rating

State accountability ratings released by the Texas Education Agency show most East Texas school districts met standards in 2017, while only East Texas Charter Schools received the improvement required designation.  ETCS Superintendent Terry Lapic said the district's rating can be attributed to a move from the "alternative accountability" category to "standard accountability," English end-of-course scores and the district's post-secondary readiness score. Lapic said teachers already are working hard to ensure the district does not keep that designation. view article  

The Worst Little Statehouse in Texas

In 1964, journalist Willie Morris quoted a member of the Texas House as saying the state Capitol “was built for giants and inhabited by pygmies.” In the intervening years, the faces have changed, but not much else. The one-party Democratic Texas has been replaced effectively by one-party Republican Texas. Restroom segregation, tight-fisted state spending, mandates on cities, and a select committee to study how to pay for public schools—we’ve been there before. No matter how many oil wells we drill or shiny glass skyscrapers we build, some things remain consistent. view article  

Midland: Column: Our district’s current priorities don’t include name changes

If you believe what you hear in some places, the No. 1 problem in education in Midland is that some people are scheming to rename Lee High School. Those people believe that in the aftermath of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, others are working “behind the scenes” to change the name of our city’s second high school. view article  

Looking back at special session

As students once again fill the hallways and classrooms of schools across the state, Texas lawmakers are finally making their way home after a laborious month in Austin. I’m pleased to report that the Legislature took action on a number of issues that will positively impact all Texans. view article  

Robert E. Lee High School in TX asked to change name

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - A group of parents and citizens is calling for the renaming of one East Texas high school. The events in Charlottesville, Virginia have prompted a push to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler."Going through old Robert E. Lee High School yearbooks and seeing Confederate flags and Confederate cannons, and seeing people waving them," said DG Montalvo, Minister of Social Justice.Mike Warner entered the school as a junior in 1958. He was a part of the first graduating class in 1959."They waved the Confederate flag, they played Dixie. It was a different time with a different understanding, or lack thereof," Warner said. view article  

As Lege Fails to Restore Disabled Kids’ Medicaid Funding, a Child Loses Therapy [UPDATED]

Their daughter, who has a developmental disorder called Prader Willi syndrome, was only just learning how to talk, and how to swallow soft, puree-like food without throwing it up. Prader Willi causes acute weakness in babies’ muscles, meaning Lillian, who will be three in September, has still not learned to walk or to stand on her own. She prefers rolling. It causes extreme oral aversions, meaning Lillian, until the past year, would not accept any food or water by mouth. She is mostly nonverbal. So for Carlos and Maggie, the milestones — learning to say Mama, taking three meals a day by mouth rather than through a tube — had been tremendous. view article  

Tulsa World editorial: Thank you, teachers, for staying

In Tulsa and around the state, the school year is beginning.  Despite the best efforts of principals and superintendents, many schools will be starting the year without enough teachers for their classrooms and with far too many teachers who aren’t fully qualified for the jobs they will be doing.That’s a shame. Every child deserves a fully qualified teacher from Day 1.  But no one should be surprised. Our competitors in the labor market — schools in Texas, Arkansas and Kansas — are offering better salaries and more respect.  If you’re an Oklahoma teacher, there’s plenty of rational economic and psychological reasons to pull up stakes and head for Plano, and some very high profile teachers are doing just that. Former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Shawn Sheehan and his wife, also a Norman teacher, announced this year that they’re taking off for Texas. view article  

Have back to school questions? Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza has answers

If you are a parent in HISD with back to school questions, here's your chance to get answers. Today HISD Superintendent Richard Carranza will host a live question and answer session on the HISD website, Facebook page, and HISD-TV (Comcast 18 and Uverse 99). view article  

Brownsville Area Superintendent relishes chance to build culture of success

Dr. Keith Harbauer prides himself on building winning programs. The Former coach spent 15 years on the sidelines of high school and collegiate football fields - reviewing film, calling plays, making quick decisions. While nearly a decade has passed since Hartbauer has donned the headset and clipboard, the tendencies and attributes from those coaching gigs are now being utilized in a different environment as he continues in leadership roles inside the school building.  view article  

Howe ISD school board proposes $17 million school bond

HOWE, Texas (KXII) -- After months of considering different options, the Howe ISD school board has decided to call a $17 million bond to build a new primary school.  We're told if the bond passes, the current elementary school would become an intermediate school to address overcrowding issues at both there and at the middle school, which were built in the 60s.  "We're at capacity right now," said Kevin Wilson, Howe ISD superintendent.  Wilson said the district has seen more than 9% growth in enrollment in the last year alone. They expect it to be up nearly 70% by 2025. view article  

Splendora ISD student hit by 2 cars while getting off bus

A Splendora ISD student was hit by two cars as she got off a school bus on Friday afternoon, according to a district spokesperson. The accident happened around 3:15 p.m. near Midline Road as the junior high student got off of bus 16. view article  

$454.4M bond vote for four new schools in Leander ISD

Four new schools and existing school improvements could come to Leander ISD if voters say “yes” to a bond program this November. The Leander ISD Board of trustees voted unanimously Thursday to send the $454.4 million bond out for a vote Nov. 7. In addition to those new schools, the money would expand Vandegrift High School and add career and technical education facilities to high schools. Of that bond, $38.7 million will go toward upgrading old technology. view article  

Socorro ISD to put $448.5 million bond on November ballot

Leaders with the Socorro Independent School District voted unanimously this week to seek voter approval on a $448.5 million bond measure that would build three new campuses and reconstruct Socorro High School. Trustees on Tuesday voted 7-0 to put the measure on the November ballot, making Socorro the latest school district in El Paso County to seek a multimillion-dollar bond. Last year, taxpayers in the El Paso Independent School District approved a $668.7 million measure that was the largest ever sought in the county.  view article  

Pflugerville ISD board OKs using fund balance to help cover $8M budget gap

Pflugerville ISD staff will be taking a hard look at the budget over the next year to prevent future deficits. The district faces challenges of an influx of 600 new students coming into the district over the next year and about $4.2 million in reduced funding from the state. view article  

Snook ISD planning $7.5 million bond election for November

Snook Independent School District is seeing gains in its accountability scores. Ratings released by the Texas Education Agency this week show the district is meeting standard. Last year, the district was taken off of probation after they'd been marked as an improvement required district. They also meet standard last year. view article  

TEA could step in on IR campuses

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath sent a letter this week to Ector County Independent School District Superintendent Tom Crowe and ECISD Board of Trustees President Carol Gregg regarding steps the Texas Education Agency could take with campuses that have been on the state’s improvement required list for five years. TEA issued preliminary 2017 academic accountability ratings Aug. 15 showing ECISD has eight campuses with “unacceptable performance ratings,” the letter said. Ector Middle School, Zavala and Noel elementary schools have received four or more consecutive unacceptable accountability ratings, the letter said. view article  

Van ISD reopens elementary school destroyed in 2015 tornado

An East Texas school has been reopened just in time for the new school year. Back in May of 2015, J.E. Rhodes Elementary in Van was destroyed when a fatal EF-3 tornado tore through the city. The devastation left behind by the storm is a distant yet vibrant memory for the people of Van. view article