Superintendent Search: Largent Consulting LLC Announces Lone Finalist for Chireno ISD

Largent Consulting announces that the Chireno ISD school board has named Michael Skinner as the Lone Finalist for their superintendent position. Mr. Skinner is currently the Secondary Principal in Bartlett ISD, previously serving as an Assistant Principal in Giddings.  Prior to becoming an administrator, he served stints as a teacher/coach at A&M Consolidated, Houston Westside, Kingwood, and Longview. Mr. Skinner is a graduate of Hallsville ISD and has a B.S. degree in Kinesiology from the University of Arkansas and an M.Ed. in Education Administration from Prairie View A&M. After the mandatory 21-day waiting period is over and his contract is signed, the Superintendent-elect will assume his duties in Chireno on January 1, 2020. Details and updates will continue to appear on our search page as things progress. 

Largent Unfiltered: Season Three/ 10 Part 1- Interview with John Tanner

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Texas education board likely to approve African American studies course in 2020

"We will be passing this," said Pat Hardy, a Republican on the Texas State Board of Education.  After years of bitter debate over whether ethnic studies courses are racially divisive, the Texas State Board of Education appears poised to approve its first African American studies course next year.  The 15-member board, which is responsible for setting curriculum standards and adopting textbooks for Texas public schools, heard from dozens of students, educators and advocates at a public hearing Wednesday, most who favored the new course. view article  

PN-G hack seen as lesson for other school districts

As forensic experts worked on Wednesday to restore access to Port Neches-Groves ISD computer files following a crippling cyberattack a day earlier, Superintendent Mike Gonzales said the district may never know whose computer allowed the malware to intrude. view article  

Superintendent Search: Leasor Crass Announces Lone Finalist for Peaster ISD

Peaster ISD Board of Trustees has chosen Lance Johnson, Superintendent of Randolph Field ISD, as Lone Finalist for Peaster ISD Superintendent of Schools. Details and updates will continue to appear on our search page as things progress. 

Superintendent Search: Winters ISD Hires Ronnie Kincaid to Conduct Search

Winters ISD Board of Trustees voted to hire Ronnie Kincaid to conduct a search for a new superintendent. Details and updates will appear on our search page as things progress.

November 2019 Bond List

Bond Election Data collected by TexasISD.com for public school bonds in the upcoming November 2019 election cycle.

May 2019 Bond List

Bond Election Data collected by TexasISD.com for public school bonds in the upcoming May 2019 election cycle.

State Board of Education Agenda

November 12-15, 2019 -  Complete November agenda (PDF, 11 MB) - LIvestream  Note:  Tuesday, November 12, 2019  1 p.m. - Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund Work Session (Room 1-104) (This committee meeting has been cancelled.)

Little Rock teachers strike over state’s control of district

Little Rock teachers are striking for the first time in more than three decades over the state’s control of the local school system and a panel’s decision to strip their union’s collective bargaining rights. Members of the Little Rock Education Association are picketing across the 23,000-school district on Thursday in what’s being billed as a one-day strike to protest Arkansas’ takeover of the local system. Arkansas has run the school district since 2015, when it was taken over because of low scores at several schools. view article  

TEA faces questions from public on potential HISD board takeover

Residents of Houston ISD peppered state officials with questions Wednesday night about the potential replacement of the district’s elected school board, voicing frustration about the lack of immediate plans for students and staff during the Texas Education Agency’s first community meeting about the looming intervention.  Uncertainty about the state’s intentions with Texas’ largest school district simmered throughout the two-hour meeting at Pershing Middle School, where nearly 100 people gathered one week after Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced his intention to appoint a replacement school board. Morath’s decision is the result of Wheatley High School receiving a seventh consecutive failing grade and state investigators substantiating several allegations of misconduct by HISD trustees. view article  

FBI working to restore Port Neches-Groves ISD database after hackers hold it for ransom

Cybersecurity specialists and the FBI are working around the clock to restore ownership of the Port Neches-Groves ISD online database after hackers took hold of it with ransonware.  The hackers are holding the district's system and demanding a ransom before the hackers will release the district's online database, which may contain personal or sensitive student information. view article  

If Fort Worth ISD sells Farrington Field, here’s what it must get in return

Fort Worth ISD officials are unveiling an ambitious plan to offload excess property and realign district facilities. If it goes the way they project, the district will emerge with two new, modern athletic facilities, administrators better dispersed throughout Fort Worth, and even a bigger tax base to draw from long term. view article  

Teacher files 2nd grievance against Round Rock ISD superintendent

A teacher that was removed from the classroom after an incident with a student has filed an official grievance against Superintendent Steve Flores, alleging he violated her legal rights. The Round Rock school board in August voted not to renew a teaching contract for Patricia Kenyon, a longtime volunteer turned teacher at Brushy Creek Elementary School, after she struck a student. view article  

Student faces felony weapons charge after lockdown at Frisco high school

A 17-year-old has been arrested on a third-degree felony charge after it was reported that he brought a gun onto a school bus, prompting Lone Star High School to be locked down, officials said.  The Frisco high school was locked down around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday after it was reported that a Lone Star student had a gun on the bus, police said.  view article  

Rep. Gary VanDeaver to seek re-election, Gov. Greg Abbott gives seal of approval

Rep. Gary VanDeaver has announced he will seek re-election to the Texas House, and he has received endorsement from Gov. Greg Abbott. “I am proud to endorse Rep. Gary VanDeaver for re-election,” Abbott said in a press release. “Gary is a strong conservative leader who worked to rein in your property taxes and improve education for Texas students.” VanDeaver said he is proud to have Abbott’s support. view article  

Highest-paid Houston-area high school football coaches in 2019

It pays to be a high school coach in the Houston area. Almost all of those individuals serve as at least an administrator, too, and some also teach. view article  

Cy-Fair ISD announces inaugural principal for Rowe Middle School

Officials with Cy-Fair ISD named Bleyl Middle School Principal Stacia Carew the first principal for Rowe Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 13, according to a press release. The district’s 19th middle school is currently under construction and slated to open in time for the 2020-21 school year next to Cypress Park High School off Westgreen Boulevard in Cypress. Rowe is expected to enroll about 1,350 students. view article  

Texas Invitational a week away from rolling out red carpet for 80 teams once more

With approximately 350 volunteers ready and waiting, McDonald’s Texas Invitational Tournament Chairman Kirk Lewis says all systems are go for next week’s basketball extravaganza. To anyone who thinks high school basketball is the greatest game on the planet, one won’t be able to beat the dates of Nov. 21-23. The 17th edition will once more feature a combined 80 girls and boys teams that will play in locations throughout Pasadena and Deer Park, starting on the 21st at 9 a.m. view article  

Cy-Fair ISD prepares to rezone ahead of middle school opening in 2020

With Rowe Middle School scheduled to open fall 2020, Cy-Fair ISD has formed a plan to rezone attendance boundaries within the district to relieve schools that are overcapacity or are approaching capacity. During the Nov. 11 meeting of the Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees, Kristi Giron, director of general administration for CFISD, presented the proposed boundary changes, which mainly affect middle schools in the southwest section of the district. Giron said the approach, which shifts students around the district while rezoning students to Rowe, was conservative. view article  

Teen Vaping Use, Illnesses on the Rise: CDC

President Donald Trump’s promise of a forthcoming ban on most flavored e-cigarettes appears to have stalled, at least for the time being, according to testimony Wednesday from a top official at the Food and Drug Administration. "There is no final answer as of now," said Mitch Zeller, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, when asked under oath during a United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing if the Trump administration still intends to ban the flavored products, which critics claim are primarily targeted to the youth market. view article  

Former Highland Park ISD Superintendent To Get Golden Deeds Award

Former Highland Park ISD Superintendent Cathy Bryce will receive the 2019 Golden Deeds for Education award. The Texas Association of School Administrators and the Texas A&M University Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development co-present the award, which is meant to honor someone who improved the educational system in the state. Bryce will receive her award Nov. 13 in Bryan. view article  

An updated look at concussion rates in high school athletes: Is awareness working?

Concussions are becoming less frequent in high school sports, but risks can vary between practice and competition, according to a Pediatrics study and a Cleveland Clinic doctor. Take a look. view article  

Dallas ISD trustee wants cameras in all special ed classrooms

Marshall compares cameras in the classroom to body cameras worn by police officers, saying videos create accountability and protection for all parties. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa doesn’t support the plan, citing the costs, and that there have been few requests to review videos that already exist. Cell phone video produced earlier this month shows a former substitute teacher beating a special needs 16-year-old female student at a school in Kyle, Texas. Investigators say it appears the student hit the substitute in the face, and the substitute responded by repeatedly punching her, throwing her on the ground and stomping on her head. view article  

Longest-tenured Klein ISD trustee Rick Mann honored at final school board meeting before retirement

Klein ISD board Vice President Rick Mann was honored at his last board meeting Nov. 11. Elected into his ninth term on the board in 2016, Mann is the district's longest-tenured trustee, having served for 28 years. Mann announced in May that he would not be seeking re-election in the Nov. 5 election, as previously reported by Community Impact Newspaper. The district paid tribute to Mann’s service through an honorary video showed during the meeting, as well as through words of sentiment and congratulations on his retirement. Superintendent Jenny McGown said Mann’s many years of service to the district contributed to a tradition of excellence and innovation in KISD. view article  

Abilene ISD offering incentives to battle bus driver shortage

The Abilene Independent School District is trying to solve a shortage of bus drivers. The district is looking to hire at least six part-time employees and offer them full-time benefits. Tuesday night, the school board approved other incentives: view article  

New From TEA

• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Transportation Funding 11/8
• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Special Education Allotment Advisory Committee 11/8
• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Compensatory Education Allotment Advisory Committee 11/8
• Information for Districts and Charter Schools Identified as Having a High Dropout Rate 11/8
• Official Notification of the 2018–2019 Release of Final FIRST Ratings 11/1
• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Additional Days School Year10/18
• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Reading Advisory Committee 10/18
• Blended Learning Planning Grants for Math Innovation Zones and Non-Math Blended Learning Pilots10/18
• Reporting of Industry-Based Certifications
• 2020–2021 Annual Survey of Children in Local Residential Facilities for the Neglected/Delinquent (SC9000)
• House Bill 3 (HB 3) Implementation: Blended Learning Grant Program 10/11

Santa Maria ISD Students Removed following Troubling Social Media Post

Students and staff at Santa Maria Independent School District will see an increase of security Thursday. The jump in patrols stems from a post circulating on social media that was believed to be threat. view article  

TIMELINE: Deadliest school shootings in recent history

Here's a look at some of the nation's deadliest mass school shootings since 1999: view article  

French-Immersion Elementary Class Could Be Canceled

A French-immersion class at Wimbish World Language Academy in Arlington ISD could be canceled if there isn't enough enrollment. view article  

Rusk ISD adds 2 new members to district

Two members – one a familiar face, one new – have joined the team at Rusk ISD. G.W. Bradford Primary School assistant principal Crystal Nichols was named head of the program Monday by the RISD school board during their regular monthly meeting, while Crawford Reyes of Tyler Junior College has been selected as the Rusk High School's College & Career Coordinator. view article  

McAllen schools awarded federal funds for school violence prevention

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez announced Tuesday schools across the 15th District of Texas will receive a total of $1,493,168 federal funds, thanks to the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act. Funded in order to improve school security so students and teachers have access to tools to recognize, quickly respond, and prevent acts of violence, STOP was co-sponsored by Gonzalez in 2018.  view article  

#SomethingGood: Crossing Guard ‘Makes My Day’

Sometimes a smile and a wave is all it takes to improve someone’s day. Tino Zaragoza apparently has that effect on people. Zaragoza, a former professional boxer as well as a football and baseball player at Southern Methodist University, is a crossing guard at Stonegate Elementary School in Bedford, so both before and after school he is out front of the building helping kids to cross busy Bedford Road. view article  

Authorities Investigating Cause of La Joya ISD School Bus Fire

Authorities are investigating a fire involving a school bus in Peñitas. On Tuesday night, the front of a La Joya Independent School District school bus sparked into flames near Expressway 83. view article