Construction is moving along on three major construction projects in Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD. The school board received an update March 25 on the progress of Eagle Mountain High School and the replacement of Wayside Middle School. view article

The Conroe ISD board of trustees discussed how to create more transparency in its book review process during a March 19 board meeting. What happened Trustee Stacey Chase requested discussion on the complaint process for parents who want to weigh in on decisions that were made to remove library books and instructional material. Chase said she has been contacted by parents wanting to know what recourse they had if they objected to the challenged books that were removed. "If you want to challenge a book, you have the formal reconsideration ... where it goes to reconsideration committee, appealed and then to the board," she said. "The other way to challenge a book is through the informal reconsideration, which consists of sending an email saying, 'Please look at this book. I don't agree with this book,' and then the district has 10 days to respond." view article

COPPERAS COVE — As voters in Copperas Cove mull over how to vote on an upcoming $175 million bond proposal for the school district, the common opposition from prospective voters is that the proposal should’ve included a new high school rather than renovations to the current one. The election to approve or disapprove the bond is May 4. Copperas Cove Independent School District Superintendent Joe Burns, however, said in an interview with the Herald on Friday that a new high school is not a feasible option as the school district currently sits. view article

Whitesboro ISD is holding a town hall meeting Monday night to discuss its upcoming school bond election. The district is asking voters to approve two bonds that total $118,000,000. Proposition A includes an early childhood center, an addition to the high school auditorium, a career and tech addition, an agri-sciene arena, safety renovations and security/bus upgrades. The proposition asks for $100,000,000. view article

Lorena ISD will soon be looking for the public's approval of a nearly $39 million bond proposal that would tackle structural renovations, additions and enhancements to campuses, according to the district. Proposition A, which comes out to $37.6 million, would help address elementary school growth numbers. view article

Former Superintendent Duncan Klussmann’s name will remain on the Spring Branch Educational Center, the board voted unanimously Monday, after hearing copious community feedback against their proposal to remove his name from the building. More than 40 people spoke at the public hearing asking the board not to remove the name of the now University of Houston assistant professor, many of whom wore red or pink in solidarity. Before the meeting, a petition to keep his name on the building was submitted to the board with over 600 signatures. view article

In an effort to keep up with a rapidly growing district, the Joshua ISD board of trustees has called for a $106,246,000 bond election on May 4. This is the third bond the district has attempted to get voters to pass since 2022. “This decision has been made after extensive consideration of areas of needs in our district while balancing the expectations of our community,” JISD Superintendent Corey Hickerson said. “Texas public schools do not receive funding for their renovations or building of new schools and must use bond elections to do so.” It has been nine years since the last passed bond. The 2015 bond was on time and on budget. It included building Nichols Middle School and the Agricultural Project Center, CTE updates, parking and paving replacements at Caddo Grove and North Joshua Elementary Schools, roof replacements, safety and security upgrades and technology updates. Voters have approved bonds in 1997, 2001 and 2007. Each of the bonds included construction of new buildings or building updates. After listening to community feedback, trustees chose to divide the bond into four propositions. If all propositions were approved, the estimated impact for an average-priced home in Joshua ISD would be $25.67 per month. view article

Renovations for Montgomery High School are expected to cost $26.1 million in construction. The high school is one of four campuses expected to get renovations under the the district's $326 million bond package from 2022, which includes upgrades to a variety of building systems, such as heating and air conditioning, roofing and plumbing. There will also be updates to the technology infrastructure at the school, said Stephanie Wells, communications coordinator for the district. view article

The Chapel Hill Independent School District will be holding groundbreaking ceremonies for their 2023 Bond projects on Tuesday, March 26. The first ceremony will be held at the junior high site at 11:15 a.m. This ceremony will commemorate the start of the new Junior High School’s construction, which is planned to be finished by Fall of 2025. view article

Nearly 50 years after its completion, the Frank Erwin Center is coming down in reverse to how it was built. Commuters on I-35 may have seen that the concrete walls are coming down, beams are exposed, and the downtown staple is nearing its end. How we got here: The center held its final events in May 2022, and in August 2023, the UT board of regents announced that it would be torn down to make way for the UT at Austin Medical Center, which will include a hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center. The adjacent Denton Cooley Pavilion, which served as the basketball training facility since 2003, is also coming down view article

Georgetown ISD will hold a job fair open to the public March 23. What you need to know The district's job fair will be held from 9 a.m.-noon March 23 at Tippit Middle School, 1601 Leander Road, Georgetown. Attendees will be able to meet with administrators and department heads to learn more about the district, per GISD. view article

The Tarkington ISD Board of Trustees is calling for a $59 million bond election on Saturday, May 4. This move is aimed at seeking approval from voters to cover the costs of a new elementary campus and much-needed upgrades to all other campuses within the district. According to a statement from the District, the bond package, developed and recommended by the Future Forward Committee, represents a diverse cross-section of the Tarkington ISD community. This group includes local citizens, civic and business leaders, parents, and school staff. Extensive research and analysis were conducted as the Committee delved into facility assessments, demographics, enrollment projections, district financial information, and toured campuses. view article

Willis ISD is set to hold a communitywide bond presentation March 19 from 6-7 p.m. at the Willis High School Performing Arts Center. The presentation will go over topics, such as the district’s growth, the development of the 2024 bond, proposed bond projects and the tax impact. view article

Leander ISD is making progress towards opening two new buildings for its Science Materials Center and 18+ Transition Services program for special education students. District officials and construction and design representatives presented the design and preliminary renderings for the joint facilities at a March 7 board meeting. view article

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Poteet ISD is feeling a good pinch of growth making district leaders search for ways to accommodate students and staff while maintaining the safety standards of today’s public schools. With the help of a steering committee while studying many facets of improving campuses and accommodating growth, it was the recommendation that a $65 million bond be put on the ballot for the May 4 election. view article

There is Something Good going on in the Arlington Independent School District that has been in the works for the better part of five years. The district recently celebrated the opening of the 105th new elementary school playground in recent years. The playgrounds were part of a funding program that voters approved when they passed a school bond in 2019. view article

Celina ISD’s fourth elementary school has been named Tommie Dobie Bothwell Elementary School. Bothwell was a teacher in Celina ISD for 35 years, teaching numerous generations, according to Jill Roza, a member of the naming committee. Over 60 names were submitted through a form for nomination, many of these were repeated names, but one surpassed the rest — Tommie Dobie Bothwell — according to district officials. view article

The Marshall ISD school board unanimously approved the hiring of RLM General Contractors for work on Marshall High School, planned and funded through the school’s $41.9 million bond project. Assistant Superintendent Andy Chilcoat presented on the item for the school board at their recent meeting, recommending RLM based on the bid amount, company history, qualifications, and similar experience along with references. view article

The Crowley Independent School District board on Thursday night voted to name a new elementary school Crowley Montessori Academy. Names in honor of Juneteenth activist Opal Lee and longtime Crowley educator Vivian J. Lincoln were also considered as top choices. But the board ultimately decided on Crowley Montessori Academy, which is set to open in the fall. view article

Blocked in Louisiana, Formosa Plastics looks to grow around Lavaca Bay instead. But it and other interested industrial plants are waiting for more water.  Texas regulators last month approved water rights for a new, 2,500-acre reservoir to meet the growing needs of chemical plants, refineries and other industries on the Gulf Coast.  A draft permit issued Feb. 23 by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality authorizes the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority (LNRA) to divert up to 31 billion gallons per year from the Lavaca River. It would go into a reservoir proposed on property Formosa Plastics owns, about two miles east of its massive Point Comfort chemical complex, where the company has quietly pursued permits to expand in recent years since its Louisiana megaproject has been stalled by legal complaints. view article

Parkview and Whitley Road, two schools that have recently replaced existing campuses in Keller ISD as part of the district’s 2019 bond, will need some extra work. “As we moved forward, a number of items that were unforeseen have risen that required us to exceed our allowances,” said Rola Fadel, the district’s executive director of bond and construction services. view article

Fort Bend ISD's board of trustees approved funding for two audits of the largest bond in school district history earlier this week. The 2023 bond is already projected to go nearly $133 million over budget. Voters approved $1.26 billion in spending on construction, technology upgrades and a new natatorium last May. The superintendent's office has claimed a former employee knew some projects would exceed their budgets, but failed to share that information with the board before the bond election was called. That employee left the district in October. view article

Poteet ISD Announces May 4 Elections for Board Trustees, $65M Bond for School Improvements Poteet ISD Announces May 4 Elections for Board Trustees, $65M Bond for School Improvements  The proposed bond, which the school board voted to include in a Special Election, aims to fund crucial improvements across the district. If passed, the bond will support infrastructure enhancements, classroom upgrades, and new instructional spaces to manage increasing student numbers. Despite its potential to raise district tax rates, proponents argue it's a necessary step for the district's future growth and success. However, some concern exists regarding the bond's size and timing amidst current economic challenges. view article

The bond election will have an early voting period starting on April 17. and ending on April 30. Election day will follow on May 4.  In a couple months, Bishop CISD will be asking voters to approve a $28 million bond. District superintendent, Christina Gutierrez says administration has been talking about the potential of putting together a bond for about a year now. In October, the district formed a facilities committee to help leaders assess which facilities around the district needed to be updated or repaired.   view article

Starting next school year, students that attend Travis Elementary will be moved to Zavala Elementary. ECISD plans to re-purpose the Travis Elementary campus. view article

As the Mary Catherine Harris School’s programs seek to expand, Bryan school district administrators discussed potentially moving the school to the district’s Milam campus due to current facility needs and lack of space during the Bryan school board workshop Monday… view article

Hearne ISD unveiled their brand new Eagle Stadium at a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday. The $2.2 million project broke ground last August. “It moved very fast,” said Jay Davis, the executive director of operations for Hearne ISD. view article

From a field of dirt to a field of dreams — Hearne ISD Athletic Director Ricky Sargent said the hands of time have transformed Wood Field for his student athletes. view article

Northwest ISD is gearing up to open its sixth new school in two years, retaining its status as one of the fastest-growing districts in North Texas. In January, NISD trustees approved the rezoning of three elementary schools in preparation for the opening of Perrin Elementary this fall. NISD covers 234 square miles and 14 municipalities across three counties. The district serves more than 30,000 students in 34 schools and is only 35% built out. It must constantly balance student enrollment numbers with what Assistant Superintendent for Facilities Tim McClure has referred to as “explosive growth.” view article

HENRIETTA, Texas (KAUZ) - Henrietta ISD is hoping voters will pass a 36 million dollar bond this May. The first part of the bond is for 35 million dollars, which would include a new high school campus with a large multi-function space, 20 additional classrooms, updated science labs, and innovative CTE workforce readiness spaces. Proposition B is for one million and would provide funding for athletic upgrades. The committee says they came up with the idea after taking tours of the schools and seeing the needs. view article

According to a district news release, community presentations are open to anyone who lives or works in GCISD. Meeting information is as follows: Meeting No. 1: 6 p.m. March 6, Colleyville Middle School cafeteria Meeting No. 2: 6 p.m. March 26, Cross Timbers Middle School library Meeting No. 3: 6 p.m. April 2, Heritage Middle School cafeteria Meeting No. 4: 6 p.m. April 16, Grapevine Middle School cafeteria Director of Communications Rosemary Gladden said that the meetings include several key aspects of the bond proposal including: view article

LIBERTY COUNTY — When the fast-growing Colony Ridge development outside Houston became a fixation of right-wing media last year, Texas’ Republican leaders called for swift action. The 33,000-acre development had been painted by conservative influencers, outlets and think tanks as a destination for thousands of immigrants in the country illegally and a hub for drug cartel activity. Gov. Greg Abbott publicly worried it was a “no-go zone” and directed legislators to craft new laws about “public safety, security, environmental quality, and property ownership in areas like the Colony Ridge development.” Records obtained by Houston Landing and The Texas Tribune, however, show at least three state agencies were warned about other potential problems with the development years earlier. Residents sent state agencies more than five dozen complaints about Colony Ridge and its marketing arm, Terrenos Houston, from 2016 to 2023. view article

Henrietta ISD is hoping voters will pass a 36 million dollar bond this May. The first part of the bond is for 35 million dollars, which would include a new high school campus with a large multi-function space, 20 additional classrooms, updated science labs, and innovative CTE workforce readiness spaces. view article

Some Fort Bend ISD parents want accountability after the district's recently passed bond went millions over budget, and they say it starts at Monday night's board meeting. Briargate Elementary in Missouri City is set to open next year, but the project faces issues beyond cracks in the soil. view article