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Congratulations to the following New Supers
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Superintendent Vacancies
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| Vacant | Anderson-Shiro CISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO | Vacant | Mercedes ISD; Search by: Merceded ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Boyd ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Leslie VannINFO | Vacant | Lefors ISD; Search by: Lefors ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Knippa ISD; Search by: Knippa ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Highland Park ISD; Search by: Hazard, Young, Attea, and Associates: Max McGee, President & Dr. Jim Largent, AssociateINFO | Vacant | Liberty ISD; Search by: Liberty ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Mercedes ISD; Search by: Mercedes ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Kerrville ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO | Vacant | Callisburg ISD; Education Solutions and Services Mike Smith & Letha HopkinsINFO | Vacant | Corrigan-Camden ISD; Search by: Leon|Alcala PLLCINFO | Vacant | Buffalo ISD - Search by: SPALDING NICHOLS LAMP LANGLOIS; INFO | Vacant | Sheldon ISD - Search by: Sheldon ISD Board of Trustees; INFO | Vacant | Tom Bean ISD; Search by: Tom Bean ISD Board of Trustees & Kelly LuskINFO | Vacant | Maud ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, LLP, Dr. Danny Lovett (Short Timeline!)INFO | Vacant | Irion County ISD; Search by: Region 15 ESCINFO | Vacant | Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (Deadline Updated); Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO | Vacant | Montgomery ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO | Vacant | San Angelo ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - David Thompson & Dr. Mike MosesINFO | Vacant | Ganado ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Mrs. Charlotte BakerINFO | Vacant | Coupland ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Dr. Saul HinojosaINFO | Vacant | Goldthwaite ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Ponder ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | Aransas Pass ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Itasca ISD; Education Solutions and Services Mike Smith & Letha HopkinsINFO | Vacant | Santa Rosa ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | New Diana ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Uvalde CISD; Search By: Region 20 ESCINFO | Vacant | Boerne ISD - Search by: TASB Executive Search Services; INFO | Vacant | Brenham ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Ingleside ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Miami ISD; Search by: Interim Supt. Steve Post and Miami ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | McAllen ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Arlington ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Florence ISD - Richard C. Kirkpatrick, Deputy Superintendent,Copperas Cove ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Sherri BaysINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Detroit ISD - Henry Sharp; Search by: Detroit ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Stamford ISD - Robbie Phillips, Superintendent,Highland ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO |
| Lone Finalist | McKinney ISD - Shawn Pratt, Assistant Superintendent,McKinney ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Paint Creek ISD - Glen Hill, Principal,Albany ISD; Search by: CCR Educational Consultants, Dr. Skip Casey, Staci Robertson, & Rod TownsendINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Bluff Dale ISD - Jason Wells, Principal,Birdville ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Warren ISD - Rusty Minyard, Principal,Woodville ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Wolfe City ISD - Donna Pessel, Asst. Supt. Curriculum & Instruction,Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD; Search by: Region 3 ESC, Exec. Dir. Morris LyonINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Iraan-Sheffield Collegiate ISD - Gary Laramore, Principal,Balmorhea ISD; Search by: Dr. Nelson Coulter assisted by Collegiate Edu-NationINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Henrietta ISD - Jaime Clark, Chief of Schools,Lewisville ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Thorndale ISD - Zach Kleypas, Principal,Pflugerville ISD; Search by: Danny Lovett, Powell Law GroupINFO |
| Lone Finalist | College Station ISD - Dr. Tim Harkrider, Superintendent,Willis ISD; Search by: N2 Learning, Dr. Eddie Coulson & Dr. Brad Lancaster (Updated Deadline)INFO |
| Lone Finalist | Bloomington ISD - Eric Cormier, Principal,Brazos ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | City View ISD - Dr. Jesse Thomas, Interim Superintendent,City View ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Pawnee ISD - Anthony Annis, Assistant Principal,San Antonio ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Argyle ISD - Dr. Courtney Carpenter, Deputy Superintendent,Carroll ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Windthorst ISD - Jason Nolan, Principal,Burkburnett ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Perryton ISD - Greg Brown, Superintendent,Claude ISD; Search by: Perryton ISD Board of Trustees & Region 16 ESC, Dr. Tanya Larkin, Exec. Dir.INFO |
| Lone Finalist | Evadale ISD - Kevin Shipley, Superintendent,Ranger ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, LLP, Dr. Shaun Barnett, Dickey HazlewoodINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Gold-Burg ISD - Jonathan Lloyd, Principal,Detroit ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Karnack ISD (Short Timeline) - Angela Fitzpatrick, Principal,Marshall ISD; Search by: Karnack ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | West Hardin Co. CISD - Donald Heseman, Principal,Clyde ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Spurger ISD - Jeff Burnthorn, Director,Silsbee ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESC (Short Timeline)INFO |
| Lone Finalist | Roby CISD - Kenny Border, Assistant Superintendent,Sweetwater ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Cotulla ISD - Dr. Ramiro Nava, Assistant Superintendent,Somerset ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Saul HinojosaINFO |
| New Super | White Oak ISD - William Paul, Superintendent,Windthorst ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Midway ISD - Chris Allen, Superintendent,Marble Falls ISD; Search by: N2 Learning, Dr. Eddie Coulson & Dr. Brad Lancaster INFO |
| New Super | Anton ISD - Freddie Tobias, Principal,Anton ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO |
| New Super | Navarro ISD - Mandy D. Epley, Assistant Superintendent,Comal ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Sherri BaysINFO |
| New Super | Hedley ISD - Tracey Bell, Principal,Vega ISD; Search by: Hedley ISD Board of Trustees & Region 16 ESC, Nathan Maxwell, Associate Exec. Dir.INFO |
| New Super | Venus ISD - Patrick Torres, Superintendent,Denver City ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Yantis ISD - Robyn Derington Deputy Supt. Banquete ISD, Deputy Superintendent,Banquete ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, LLP, Dr. Shaun Barnett (Short Timeline!)INFO |
| New Super | Morton ISD - Mario Aguirre, Principal,Slaton ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Dr. Kyle Wargo, Exec. DirectorINFO |
| New Super | Comfort ISD - Dr. Yvonne J. Munoz, Director,San Diego ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Ann DixonINFO |
| New Super | Harlingen CISD - J. A. Gonzalez, Superintendent,McAllen ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Saul HinojosaINFO |
| New Super | Sunnyvale ISD - Matt Kimball, Superintendent,Blue Ridge ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO |
| New Super | Midlothian ISD - Dr. David Belding, Superintendent,Aubrey ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Treviño, Kyle & Robinson P.C., & Education Consultant Dr. Ann DixonINFO |
| New Super | Rocksprings ISD; Search by: Region 15 ESCINFO |
How do I get my SuperSearch on TexasISD.com?November 2023 Bond List
Bond Election Data collected by TexasISD.com for public school bonds in the upcoming November 2023 election cycle.
Preventive Law: Pre-Pre-Construction: What the Commissioner’s Regulations Require at the Earliest Stages of a Facilities Project
In 2021, the Texas Education Agency adopted new Facilities Standards for projects beginning after November 1, 2021. While the bulk of these Standards impose technical requirements on the design of facilities (square footage, etc.), they also contain explicit, concrete steps that a school district must take as part of the process. This article covers three specific actions: (1) preparing a Long Range Plan, (2) adopting Educational Specifications, and (3) formally establishing a budget during the design process.
Fort Worth ISD tried a new discipline plan to reduce suspensions. Did it work?
A year after implementing a new plan, Fort Worth Independent School District officials can point to signs that an effort to keep students in school and give them a chance to work through behavior issues is paying off. But district records show the same racial disparities that existed in Fort Worth ISD’s current discipline system played out in the new model, as well. Last year, Fort Worth ISD began using a new model for discipline at Metro Opportunity School, the district’s alternative school. Under the new model, students who committed low-level offenses like using profanity were sent to a reset center, a designated room on campus where staff members trained in de-escalation were on hand to help them work through whatever problems were behind their behavior issues.
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Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox to retire in December 2025
After a remarkable tenure of leadership and dedication, Dr. James E. Wilcox, Superintendent of Schools for Longview ISD, has announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2025. Dr. Wilcox's decision to retire is driven by his and his wife's desire "to embark on new adventures," as well as to allow the LISD Board of Trustees "ample time to chart the future course of the district." "I will give every ounce of leadership and caring to our students until my last day with LISD," he said. "I want the parents of our students to know that I truly do appreciate them sharing their most prized possession and God's greatest gift to us all: their children."
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Lawmaker Asks Abbott to Add Unfinished Conservative Priorities to Special Session
With Gov. Greg Abbott expected to call lawmakers back soon for a special session on school choice and education, one House member is asking him to expand the call to address priorities left unfinished during the regular session earlier this year. In a letter to Abbott, State Rep. Brian Harrison (R–Midlothian) thanked the governor for his commitment to passing school choice but noted that more needed to be done. “Governor Abbott is right to call the legislature back for school choice, but that is not enough. I am asking he also demand action on other urgent items including border security, medical freedom, ’emergency power’ reform, and banning Communist governments from purchasing Texas land,” said Harrison. “Now is not the time for comfortable timidity. With the next generation literally on the line, Texas must lead, and lead now.”
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Boyd: District moves forward with superintendent search
Last month, trustees approved the hiring of Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo and Kyle, a firm based in Austin, as a consultant and search firm to help the district in the process of hiring a new leader. According to district officials, Vann’s contract with Boyd ISD ends in May 2024. He has yet to address his future plans publicly at a school board meeting. Vann, a retired educator and former superintendent, was named the district’s interim superintendent following the resignation of former superintendent Tamara Vardy in May 2022, and officially took the reins as Boyd ISD’s full-time superintendent in March. Vann also previously served as the district’s interim superintendent after former superintendent Ted West departed for Electra in 2019. The new search for a new superintendent will be Boyd’s third since Vardy’s resignation. The district terminated its contract with its former search firm — Education Solutions and Services — in January following the withdrawal of former lone finalist Hector Madrigal, who previously led Karnes City ISD. Madrigal was hired as the new leader at Ferris ISD in October 2022.
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13-year-old faints during football practice and dies at hospital, Texas officials say
A 13-year-old boy died after suffering a “medical emergency” during a middle school football practice, Texas reports say. Julio Oliveira, a student at Carroll Middle School, died Friday, Aug. 25, a day after fainting during the morning practice, according to a GoFundMe campaign and an email sent to parents from the school principal. Doctors determined Julio had a brain aneurysm, said Sreedhar Ellisetty, the manager of a club soccer team Julio played for. There were no prior warnings or signs, Ellisetty said in the GoFundMe. “Losing a student is a devastating and painful experience, and it reminds us all of the fragility of life,” Carroll Middle School Principal Shatina Lewis said in an email to parents obtained by The Dallas Morning News. “In times like these, it’s essential that we come together as a supportive and compassionate school family to help one another through this difficult period.”
Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article278718709.html#storylink=cpy
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FWISD BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINS LAWSUIT CHALLENGING CHANGES IN TEA’S ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS SYSTEM
The Fort Worth ISD Board of Education voted to join dozens of other Texas school districts in a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency (TEA) over the significant changes made to the state’s A-F Accountability Ratings System. The A-F Accountability System, introduced as a tool for transparent measurement, has recently undergone substantial, undisclosed modifications by the TEA. We join our colleagues in advocating for a rigorous, transparent, and equitable rating system. It is imperative that any changes are communicated with sufficient lead time.
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Texas teacher fired after assigning an illustrated Anne Frank book
A Texas middle school teacher has been fired after assigning an unapproved illustrated version of Anne Frank's Diary to her eighth grade reading class. Per a report from KFDM, a spokesperson for Hamshire-Fannett ISD, located south of Beaumont, released a statement confirming the teacher was sent home on Wednesday after reading a passage from Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation in which Frank wrote about male and female genitalia. An investigation into the incident has since ensued.
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Harris and Dallas County Republicans Support Censure of Speaker Phelan
Both resolutions say Phelan has violated Republican Party of Texas principles and legislative priorities. Mere days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted of the House’s impeachment charges, two county GOP’s are supporting the censure of Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan. On Monday, the Harris County GOP and Dallas County GOP both voted to support a resolution passed by the Orange County GOP July to censure Phelan, citing his many failures and “abuse of power.” “State Representative Dade Phelan, as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, has abused the power of his office and his authority as Speaker by taking more than three actions during this current biennium that are either in opposition to the core principles of the Republican Party of Texas, in opposition to the Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priorities, or both,” read Harris County GOP’s resolution.
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Many Texas homeowners about to see their school property taxes ‘drop to $0 or very close to $0’
Many Texas homeowners about to see their school property taxes 'drop to $0 or very close to $0' Lawmakers and the governor signed off on this. But it still requires a constitutional amendment that must be approved by Texas voters in November. I took this on because I was hearing from seniors who were worried about their ceilings. Not the kind of ceiling you look up at when you are laying down... but the money saving kind of ceiling. If you have a homestead, when you turn 65 or if you become disabled, you can get some bigger property tax exemptions. But more importantly, you hit "the ceiling". That is the amount you pay in school property taxes in the year that you turn 65 or become disabled.
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Ken Paxton verdict heightens political tension ahead of education special session
The Texas House and Senate were already far apart on “school choice.” Anger over the impeachment trial might make it even harder to find common ground. School vouchers were already one of the most contentious issues in Texas politics.The proposal has long pitted the Senate against the House, where Democrats and rural Republicans have formed a firewall against it. But throw in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial and acquittal — and the explosive intraparty conflict it has caused in the Capitol — and state lawmakers are bracing for an even more epic showdown over the issue this fall. Gov. Greg Abbott has not announced the date yet, but he has long indicated that he would call lawmakers back to Austin after Paxton’s trial to revisit his signature push to let parents use taxpayers dollars to take their kids out of public school.
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Rep. who led the CROWN Act fight in Texas explains what the bill covers
House Bill 567, the CROWN Act which outlaws hair discrimination is now law in Texas, but some students are still being punished for their hair while at school. — For the last few years– her crown has become part of her life’s work. “What a confidence booster that you can walk into these places unapologetic,” said Rep. Rhetta Bowers, D - Garland. Year after year, Texas representative Bowers has stood before her peers laying out Crown Act legislation and its importance. “CROWN stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair,” she explained. The bill outlaws discrimination in Texas based on hairstyle and hair texture historically associated with race.
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Houston ISD administration walks back school funding cuts, TEA clarifies metrics for return to local control
Ahead of their replacement by state-appointed managers, Houston Independent School District trustees heard a presentation from Steve Lecholop, Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner of governance, about the takeover process and timeline. Some board members noted the absence of Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who also didn't attend the community meetings in March. "I’m glad you came in here and took this heat," trustee Kathy Blueford-Daniels told Lecholop. "But we’d like to see Commissioner Morath." The Board of Managers are slated to take control weeks before the June 30 deadline to finalize a budget. With declining enrollment and the loss of federal pandemic funds, the district faces a growing deficit, forecast to reach about $280 million by the 2025 school year. The budgeting process is already underway, but the Board of Managers is likely to have final say. “Are they expected to learn everything in one month?" Houston ISD board president Dani Hernandez asked.
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Groesbeck ISD Washington High School named historical marker
GROESBECK, Texas (KWTX) - The Texas Historical Commission unveiled a historic marker in Groesbeck Saturday.
The Limestone County Historical Commission announced the marker was made at the Washington High School, originally built in 1957 for African-American students in Groesbeck ISD.
After integration, the school became Groesbeck Junior High and served that purpose until 1989.
It then became Enge-Washington Intermediate School in 1989, after two principals of Washington High School, Nelson Washington and Elwood Enge.
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WEBINAR: CHAPTER 37 TRAINING FOR CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS
Join us for our upcoming webinar
Date: September 27, 2023
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Webinar
Cost: $175 per participant
Presented by: John Janssen and Sara Leon
Read more and register here...
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Texas leads the nation in average starting salary for teachers
SAN ANTONIO - Texas ranks number one on average starting salary for teachers (adjusted for cost of living), according to a new study by WalletHub. Teachers are amongst the lowest-paying occupations, with salaries failing to keep up with inflation. Teachers earn an average of $3,644 less per year than they did a decade ago. “I think some of the biggest issues facing teachers today center around the idea that they must do more with fewer resources. For example, it has been discussed heavily in recent years how teachers remain underpaid despite the most important role they have in developing our next cadre of leaders, doctors, lawyers, and scientists," said Associate Professor Ramon Goings from the University of Maryland.
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Hays CISD joins lawsuit against TEA over school rankings
HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – The Board of Trustees of Hays Consolidated Independent School District voted 6-0 Monday evening to join a lawsuit against the Texas Education Commissioner. The lawsuit says the new rules for how the state will grade schools and districts were not provided before the school year they will be applied to. The lawsuit asks a judge to prevent the Texas Education Agency from releasing scores that use the newest metrics. Other school districts, including Del Valle and Pflugerville, are already a part of the lawsuit alleging the TEA violated state law by not providing districts with the new methods and metrics earlier.
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San Antonio ISD looks to close 20% of its schools
San Antonio ISD released a proposal this week to close 19 schools — more than 20% of its campuses — over two years as the district faces declining enrollment. Why it matters: The closures affect primarily Hispanic families on the near East, West, and South sides of the city, with the potential to upend routines and relationships.
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Another Greater Houston area school district joins lawsuit against TEA
The Brazosport ISD Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously voted to join a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency (TEA) over recent changes to its accountability ratings system. Editor's note: The above video was published on Sept. 12. According to BISD, the changes the state agency made to the "A" to "F" grading scale for districts create a different set of rules for teachers to be graded on that will make it "impossible" to compare ratings from 2022 to 2023.
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Fort Worth and Plano ISD join lawsuit against Education Commissioner Mike Morath’s new grading rubric
More North Texas school districts have joined the fight against the Texas Education Agency’s new criteria for grading Texas schools.
The state’s new plan could turn A schools into C schools and is retroactive from the last school year.
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Fort Worth and Plano ISD join lawsuit against Education Commissioner Mike Morath’s new grading rubric
More North Texas school districts have joined the fight against the Texas Education Agency’s new criteria for grading Texas schools. The state’s new plan could turn A schools into C schools and is retroactive from the last school year. Fort Worth ISD became the latest school district to join a lawsuit against Mike Morath, as commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. The districts are claiming his new method for grading schools is unfair to schools by significantly dropping their campus grades despite an increase in test scores.
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Plano ISD considering closing schools as student enrollment declines
The Plano Independent School District is taking some baby steps when it comes to the hot button topic of school closures. Tonight's vote, if approved, would create a committee to examine which campuses should be "retired" and then report back to the board with recommendations. The current overall population of Plano is as high as it’s ever been – a little more than 288,000. But the number of school-aged children and teenagers is dropping.
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Exclusive interview with principal on crisis created by school threats
BEAUMONT — The new school year is not even two months old and several districts in Southeast Texas have already had to deal with threats.
Some received them on the same day, and while they've been hoaxes, they've all disrupted the school day.
The most recent one happened last week at Vincent Middle School in Beaumont.
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Many Texas schools improve ranking in U.S. News & World Report best universities list
Public universities like Texas A&M University rose in U.S. News & World Report’s college rankings after the criteria was adjusted because of complaints. The 2024 Best National Universities list, released Monday, had Texas A&M jump 20 steps to reach the 47th spot out of 439 national universities. The change in ranking, the Washington Post reports, happened because the criteria no longer considers factors like class size or alumni giving when evaluating schools and has started tracking the graduation rates of first-generation college students at the universities. “For 40 years, students and their families have come to count on Best Colleges as a vital resource as they navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News, in a press release.
Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article279527189.html#storylink=cpy
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Shot fired on school bus after elementary student brings handgun, Texas cops say
Police are investigating after an elementary school student fired a handgun inside of a bus on the way to school, Texas officials say. The student, who attends the Seguin Independent School District, was riding the bus on the morning of Aug. 22 when he accidentally fired the gun, the Seguin Police Department said in a news release. The .25 caliber bullet went into the back of an occupied seat but was stopped by the seat’s metal frame, police told KSAT. There were 37 students on board, police told the news outlet. Nobody was hurt.
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Tuition-free Virtual Public Schools Ready To Welcome Texas Students Back To School
AUSTIN, Texas(Aug. 29, 2023) — As children across the state prepare to head back to school, many students could benefit from the alternative education offered by online tuition-free public schools tailored to their needs. Texas Online Preparatory School (TOPS), Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville (TVAH), Lone Star Online Academy at Roscoe (LSOA), and Digital Academy of Texas (DATX) are ready to welcome them. Enrollment for the four virtual public schools — powered by Stride K12 and led by Texas certified teachers — is now open for students located anywhere in the state.
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Texas among states being audited by federal CMS for Medicaid terminations. What we know.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is being audited by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, part of a continuing oversight of certain states, the centers and the commission has announced.
CMS said it is looking at the monthly data reported by states to CMS and it will conduct "targeted audits of eligibility termination determinations, as appropriate, to ensure state compliance with all federal requirements," said CMS spokesperson Sara Lonardo. CMS would not elaborate on how many states were being audited.
In Texas, CMS is looking at the people who were denied Medicaid coverage Aug. 1-Aug. 31, a whistleblower group of staff members at the state commission said.
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Told to Comply with Miles’ Orders or Get Out
Mike Miles, the state-imposed superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, has never been a teacher, but he thinks he knows exactly what teachers should do. He has dubbed his behaviorist program the “New Education System.” Those teaching in certain designated schools are required to do it his way or get out. Clearly he has never read the research on motivation (Edward Deci, Dan Ariely, Daniel Pink), or he would know that forced compliance depresses motivation.
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After panic over directive to slash school budgets, HISD leaders call the order ‘an error’
Houston ISD leaders pledged Tuesday not to slash individual school budgets this year, after mistakenly telling some principals to return hundreds of thousands of dollars from their current budgets. Principals at non-NES schools across the district began receiving notices last week that they would have to return money to the district due to lower-than-expected attendance. Those directives appeared to fly in the face of the $2.2 billion budget passed by the Board of Managers earlier this summer, when Superintendent Mike Miles promised that schools would be "held harmless" this year, continuing a pandemic-era policy that eliminated student attendance as a factor in school funding. HISD Chief Financial Officer Jim Terry sent a letter to division superintendents Tuesday to be distributed to principals, in which the district's budget head walked back those directives but did not offer details about why the incorrect instructions had been sent out in the first place. A district spokesman said neither Terry nor Miles would be available for further comment.
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Latest education mandates leave Lufkin trustees fuming
Staff vacancies in the Lufkin ISD Police Department have left the district unable to immediately meet the requirements of HB 3 that took effect Sept. 1. The new state law requires armed security officers at every address, chief David Garza said. “We just don’t have enough officers,” Garza told The Lufkin Daily News while Lufkin school board members had adjourned into an executive session during Tuesday’s meeting. He has had two candidates express an interest, but they did not meet the strict requirements set out by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Earlier in the meeting, administrators presented a resolution that spells out the reasons the district’s police department cannot meet HB 3 requirements. Assistant superintendent of Administrative Services Daniel Spikes said the district is modifying a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the city of Lufkin that would allow licensed officers with the city to provide security at school facilities. Spikes expressed his concern that the required documentation might take more than a month to obtain, so the resolution was drafted to avoid an issue with non-compliance. Trustee Scott Skelton balked at the idea of creating a formal document when the officer shortage will be resolved with the MOU.
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Hays CISD considers affordable housing for employees
HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Employees with Hays Consolidated Independent School District could get more options for affordable housing.
At Monday’s Hays CISD school board meeting, trustees heard a presentation about a formal agreement between the district and the Texas Workforce Housing Foundation regarding affordable housing for Hays CISD employees.
“As the cost of living continues to rise, the district would like to explore options to provide more affordable housing options for its staff,” the agenda item stated.
According to the item, the foundation is a Texas nonprofit that provides, “economic development, education and workforce housing opportunities for Texas residents.”
It said a partnership with the foundation could help Hays CISD employees access rental housing at “significant discounts from market rent.”
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Eanes ISD pauses controversial Tesla police fleet proposal amid community backlash
The Eanes Independent School District has decided to pause discussions on potentially bringing in a fleet of TESLAs for its new police department. It's a $400,000 proposal that has drawn criticism from parents and community leaders alike.
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Midland ISD school board approves amendment to athletics deal with the Young Women’s Leadership Academy
The Midland ISD board met Tuesday night for its regular school board meeting and made a decision about the athletics deal between the school district and the Young Women's Leadership Academy.
The original deal allowed YWLA student athletes to compete for their "home" school within MISD since their "choice" school, YWLA, didn't have an athletics program.
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DPS tight-lipped about La Joya ISD investigation
Five days after the Texas Department of Public Safety abruptly dropped all charges against a La Joya Independent School District administrator, investigators remain tight-lipped about what happened. The Department of Public Safety arrested La Joya ISD Interim Transportation Director Jose Alaniz on Thursday morning.
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Houston ISD teachers who use more than allotted 10 days off could risk getting fired, updated policy states
Teachers at Houston ISD who use more than their allotted time off could risk getting fired, according to an amended district policy. Teachers are granted 10 total leave days per school year from the district and the state. New this year, all days off must be approved, and restrictions apply to how many days teachers can take off in a row.
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