May 9 Election Calendar

Secretary of State Election Calendar

Preventive Law: Every Time a Bell Rhymes A School District Gets its Wings Clipped?

On December 12 a panel for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued Bell v. Itawamba County School Board, et al., Cause No. 12-60264. This is the first instance of the Fifth Circuit opining on student discipline for out-of-school conduct involving Facebook and YouTube. The case involved a high school student who was placed in alternative discipline for having written and recorded a rap song about two coaches that his fellow students had accused of sexually harassing them. The divided panel decision reversed the trial court and granted judgment for the student, holding that the discipline violated his First Amendment free speech rights. view article

Free Webinar Opportunity: Sexting, Cyberbullying and Character Assassination Apps

• 94% of teens have a Facebook account. - Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2012. 
• Students are losing scholarships because of their social media presence. 
• 48% of teens say they have received a sexually suggestive message (sexting). 
• The new age of "Anonymous Character Assassination Apps" Is upon us and students are flocking to them all across the country. School districts, law-enforcement, parents and the victims are reeling from the negative impact of these apps…
• Register now, its FREE!
  • Fri, Jan 30, 2015 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST (Almost Full!)
  • Thu, Feb 5, 2015 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM CST

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New From TEA

• Spring 2015 testing date changing for STAAR grades 5 and 8 mathematics
• Public School Network Capabilities Survey
• 2013-2014 School Report Cards available on TEA website (12-12-2014)

East Texas private, public school leaders differ over vouchers

State Rep. David Simpson of Longview says he doesn’t believe using public tax dollars to pay for private education is “proper.” While advocates across the country are promoting National School Choice Week, Simpson said he expects the debate over using taxpayer funds to help send students to private institutions will arise this legislative session. view article

Video: Patrick on Vouchers

Texas TribuneAt our 1/27 conversation, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick talked about vouchers — and whether the 84th session's outcome on the issue might differ from that of the 83rd. view article

School Choice Supporters to Gather at Capitol

As pressure mounts for Texas lawmakers to pass a private school voucher program, educators, parents, students and other advocates will gather Friday at the Capitol for what's being billed as the state's largest-ever school choice rally. The event is part of National School Choice Week, which has included dozens of events in states across the country. It comes two weeks into a legislative session in which Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, has renewed efforts he began as a state senator to create a publicly financed scholarship fund to help low-income parents send their children to private schools.  view article

George P. Bush headlines Texas Capitol ‘school choice’ rally

New Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush is leading a "school choice" rally supporting calls to expand voucher programs and charter schools statewide. Organizers say Friday's gathering outside the Texas Capitol will be the largest of its kind in recent memory. Bush served on the board of one of Texas' top charter-school operators, and his office oversees the nation's largest educational endowment. view article

State of Mind: Investing in Early Education

Ensuring that Texas kids get the best education tops Gov. Greg Abbott's list of priorities this legislative session. He says a top-notch education starts with quality pre-K, but providing state funding for an expanded pre-K initiative is going to require willing state lawmakers. view article

State Will Close Three More Charter Schools

Three Texas charter schools will be shut down for failing to comply with either the state education code or provisions in their charter, state officials said Thursday.  The Texas Education Agency notified administrators at La Amistad Love and Learning Academy in Houston, Global Learning Village Charter School in Houston and Somerset Charter School in El Paso that their charters would be revoked.  view article

Former EPISD administrator sentenced to five years supervised probation for role in cheating scandal

A federal judge sentenced former El Paso Independent School District administrator Myrna Gamboa to five years' probation and imposed a $5,000 fine Thursday for her role in the scheme to artificially inflate the district's test scores.Gamboa pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in October. "Your honor, I wish to apologize," Gamboa said, pausing many times to cry and wipe her eyes. "I was leaving one hostile environment and I came into another unknowingly, and within two weeks of my employment at EPISD, I was threatened, and I apologize. I succumbed because of my fear. I apologize, your honor, for my actions." view article

Prime Prep Academy to abandon fight, surrender charter

The Afterschool Centers for Education (ACE) program, which is a partnership between the Marshall Independent School District and the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Pines, is in full swing for 2015. Family Engagement Specialist Gail Frazier Jones has a calendar full of activities for the new year. Frazier Jones has been with the program for three years. view article

Dallas ISD personnel chief, a deputy resign after release of instant messages poking fun at race, age

The head of Dallas ISD’s human resources department and one of her executives resigned Thursday after The Dallas Morning News obtained instant messages in which they poked fun at race, religion and old age, while disparaging coworkers and discussing ways to get rid of employees.  Superintendent Mike Miles called trustees Thursday to tell them that Carmen Darville and one of her executive directors, Jose “Tony” Munoz, resigned. view article

The Father Of A Sick Child Wants His County To Kick Unvaccinated Kids Out Of School

It all started at the happiest place on Earth. Of the 9 people who came down with measles last month, the only thing they had in common was a visit to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park. For one father, the recent comeback of the disease, which was officially eradicated from the US more than a decade ago, hits close to home. His son, 6-year-old Rhett Krawitt, has leukemia. He's currently in remission, but he's still very vulnerable to infections and can't be vaccinated against measles. view article

Flu Bug Hitting Area Schools Hard

The Brazos County Health Department is reporting a higher number of cases compared to years past. More than 2-thousand cases have been reported this season. Some of those are school agekids , which means the virus is affecting local schools too. view article

True or False? Free And Reduced-Price Lunch = Poor

In the education world, you see this phrase all the time: "free and reduced-price lunch." What's the percentage at a given school? In a given district or state? It's not necessarily out of concern about who's getting fed. Instead, it's most often used to talk about concentrations of poverty and how that effects learning. The phrase refers to students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program — an easily available data point for any school and any district. But is it the best yardstick for measuring children's economic circumstances? And, a bigger question: Is it a good tool for assessing a child's risk of falling through the cracks of the American education system? view article

Central Texas teachers often struggle becoming certified

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In Texas public schools, your child gets three tries to pass the STAAR test. But we found their teachers get an unlimited number of chances on their own required exams. Like many professions, teachers and principals must pass certain tests to become certified. It's the state's way of insuring they're qualified for the job. But educators are commonly allowed to work in schools even while they're still trying to become certified. A KXAN investigation found some have failed over and over. view article

U.S. is spending less per public school student, new data show

After more than a decade of increases in per-pupil funding for K-12 public schools, the nation’s per-pupil spending dropped in 2012 for the second year in a row, according todata released Thursday by the National Center for Education Statistics. Schools across the country spent an average of $10,667 per student in fiscal year 2012, a decline of 2.8 percent compared to the year before, adjusting for inflation. Thirty-seven states saw per-pupil expenditures decline at least 1 percent, and some states saw much larger slides. view article

Local legislator’s bill could boost pre-K access

AUSTIN — Brownsville Independent School District could soon begin using a three-year graduation track to extend prekindergarten access to children who otherwise would not attend school until their first day of kindergarten. view article

Donna superintendent speaks out following arrests of educators

Donna ISD Superintendent Jesus Reyna is breaking his silence since district employees were charged  with having inappropriate sexual relationships with high school students.  Two security guards at Donna High School are now suspended without pay for inappropriately texting students, according to Reyna. view article

Architects give potential options for Marshall bond campaign

Marshall Independent School District bond steering committee members heard different options and possible costs for changes to the physical sites at MISD schools Thursday night. Tom Lueck, of Huckabee Inc., the architectural firm that is offering support and assistance in the bond preparation process, gave several possible bond scenarios for the committee to study. "We are looking at ways to get you the most bang for your buck," Lueck said. view article

Editorial: Plan to improve Dallas’ poorest schools is showing success

Too many of us think it quietly, even if we don’t say it out loud: There’s not much that can be done about Dallas public schools.  That isn’t true. A solid plan, high expectations and additional resources can improve even our most impoverished campuses.  Want proof? Look at news that came out of Dallas ISD over the weekend. view article

Bettencourt: ‘Working on this shift in the Texas Senate is going to be a lot of fun’

State Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) has released the following statement concerning his appointment by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to serve on four of the most important committees in the Texas Senate Finance, Education, Higher Education, and Intergovernmental Relations as Vice Chair. I am very humbled by my appointments. view article

Houston-area student dies with meningitis

Humble ISD confirmed the death of a 15 year old student Thursday night, from meningitis. 15-year-old Jake Silva, a Kingwood High School student, was on life-support after being diagnosed with the bacterial form of the disease. He was taken off that support only after he had become an organ donor. view article

The Folly of Banning Yik Yak on School Campuses

Somewhere in the office complex known as Atlanta Tech Village, the technicians at Yik Yak are teaching computers to recognize bigotry. The good news: their appcan now sometimes identify a bomb threat. The bad news: as any commenter onFox Nation will tell you, there are a million ways to dupe the bots: misspelling a racial epithet is perhaps the simplest. view article

Blincoe resigns as Brownwood school superintendent

Brownwood school board members voted 4-2 Thursday night to accept the resignation of embattled Superintendent Dr. Reece Blincoe, who will begin a yearlong paid administrative leave that begins Sunday. Blincoe’s resignation is effective Jan. 31, 2016, according to an agreement Blincoe and board members reached during an executive session that lasted just under two hours during a specially called meeting. view article

Pilot Point picks superintendent

The Pilot Point school board didn’t have to look far to find its next superintendent. He had been in Pilot Point all along and occupying a desk in the district’s administration building for more than a decade. Pilot Point trustees will consider officially hiring Interim Superintendent Dan Ray Gist II to lead the district at a Feb. 9 meeting, board President Pat Burns said. The board officially named Gist, 48, its lone finalist, earlier this month and must wait 21 days before it can officially extend him a contract. view article

Amarillo schools using new methods to connect students and teachers

How a student identifies with their teacher could possibly be linked to their classroom performance. Amarillo ISD says they provide training for their teachers to better help them connect with each child. “It starts by greeting them at the door,” said Amarillo ISD, Christina Ritter. view article

CRMC looks to expand community services

Dr. Nestor H. Praderio, chief of staff at Care Regional Medical Center, met Jan. 21 with Superintendent Mark Kemp and principals of Aransas Pass Independent School District to discuss a potential partnership. Praderio spoke to those in attendance, including a representative of Walgreens, about his vision of an emotional wellness center in Aransas Pass. He said the hospital is interested with collaborating with APISD to bring their services to the community’s youth. view article

Jacksonville ISD: 3 file for school board; trustees launch Master Plan for improvements

Three incumbents whose seats on the JISD school board are up for election May 9 were the first to file applications for their respective positions Wednesday. The opening of a 30-day filing period for school board and municipal elections was Wednesday. According to Yvonne Bergert, the superintendent's administrative assistant who handles election information for the district, Place 5 trustee Dean Dublin submitted an application, as have Place 6 trustee Todd Travis and Place 7 trustee Randy McCown.  view article

Texas children outweigh national average

Childhood obesity is a growing problem nationwide, especially in Texas. The National Survey of Children’s Health says 32.2 percent of Texas children are overweight or obese. That is higher than the national average. Now, organizations like the YMCA are combating the rise with programs aimed to make children make healthier choices. view article

3 file to run for Wylie ISD board

According to school administrators, two incumbent board members -- Dr. Stephen Lowry in Place 6 and Mark McClellan in Place 7 -- are seeking a second term. Also, Chris McCurley has filed to run for Place 1, which is an unexpired term, currently being held by Ray Templeton. The last day to file is Feb. 27. view article

Fort Bend: FBISD announces principals for elementary schools 46 and 47

Fort Bend ISD recently named two District principals for new elementary schools that will be opening in the fall of 2015 and 2016, respectively. Pamela Brown, current principal of Rita Drabek Elementary (RDE), was chosen to lead Elementary School 46, which will open in the Aliana community in August 2015. Brown has been the principal at RDE for the past four years and served as assistant principal at the school for two years prior. She has more than 25 years experience as a classroom teacher, as well as a reading and curriculum specialist view article

Education Update–Katy ISD set to expand with six new schools

Nov. 4 was a big day for Katy ISD. After nearly a year of extensive work putting together a new school bond, Katy area residents approved the $748 million proposal slated to add six news schools, upgrade and renovate a slew of campuses and add a second stadium to the district. District officials said the expansion and addition of facilities is needed because of the steady increase in enrollment that exceeded 70,000 students this school year. view article