Timeline: See HISD’s major school closures over the past 20 years as more campuses face shutdowns

When Houston ISD closed 12 campuses this school year, it marked the district’s largest mass school closure in at least two decades, records show. In total, the state’s largest school district has closed at least 60 campuses since 2005, including at least 15 HISD-affiliated charter campuses. Since the 2016-17 school year, HISD’s enrollment has hemorrhaged more than 47,000 students. But the board didn’t vote to close any traditional campuses en masse — until this year. HISD did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Like HISD, many Texas school districts, including Aldine, Spring and Fort Bend ISDs, approved major school closures this year amid budget challenges and declining enrollment. Texas reported its first statewide student enrollment decline in nearly four decades this school year, outside of the pandemic, according to analysis by Texas 2036.
Austin ISD’s bid to avoid state takeover rejected by Texas Education Agency

TEA officials on Thursday denied the district’s request to approve a partnership to run its three chronically failing schools that would have put a pause on the campuses' accountability rating. Austin ISD’s effort to stave off a possible state takeover suffered a major setback Thursday after the Texas Education Agency rejected the district’s plan to hand three struggling middle schools to an external nonprofit operator. In a letter sent Thursday to Superintendent Matias Segura, TEA officials said Texas Council for International Studies failed to demonstrate a record of turning around campuses with repeated failing accountability ratings and, in some cases, partnerships with the nonprofit had produced worse academic outcomes. District leaders applied for the partnership in March under the SB 1882 program, which can shield campuses from certain state sanctions when districts turn over operations to outside organizations.
Federal Judge Blocks Key Border Enforcement Law Provisions

The ruling blocks Texas DPS from enforcing a state law making illegal reentry a crime and allowing the state to issue “removal” orders against illegal aliens. A federal judge has once again blocked major portions of Texas’ border enforcement law Senate Bill 4, stopping the state from enforcing its new “reentry” crime and deportation process against noncitizens with prior removal histories—just as those provisions were set to take effect.
Preventive Law: The Texas Administrative Procedures Act

Ever wondered how the regulations that impact public schools are made? Regulations are created by Texas state agencies under the requirements of The Texas Administrative Procedure Act. These types of laws were adopted across the country, beginning in the 1940s, to ensure fairness while bringing efficiency and accuracy into the states’ administrative processes.

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Lone Finalist	Gruver ISD - Jermaine Cantu, Administrator,Wellington ISD; Search by: Region 16 ESC, Dr. Nathan Maxwell, Deputy Executive DirectorINFO
Lone Finalist	Mount Vernon ISD - Craig Watson, Assistant Superintentdent,Mount Vernon ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan Surratt INFO
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New Super	West Hardin Co. CISD - Sean McCabe, Principal,Tarkington ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO
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Preventive Law: The Emergency Repairs Process: Knowing and Planning

June 1108:35 AM

It’s that time of year when weather conditions can be unpredictable. A small chance of rain can rapidly turn into lightning, high winds, and hail. When emergency repairs arise, it’s important for school districts to be able to respond quickly and legally. Let’s review the process for districts to utilize when responding to the need for emergency repairs and steps to take in preparation for when emergency repairs are required.

Overreliance on Wind and Solar Drives Permian Basin Energy Issues

July 0109:00 AM

Unreliable energy and a “mockery of republican form of government” take center stage in transmission line battle. In response to lawmakers’ request for a pause on extra-high-voltage transmission lines, transmission service providers admitted reliance on wind and solar power, along with government intervention, is driving Permian Basin energy issues. This aligns with a third-party report that the lines are primarily built to support wind and solar, while local reliable generation alternatives were never fully examined. Providers argued that public utility commissioners do not have the power to grant lawmakers’ request to pause the project. The next day, state senators announced they would hold a hearing on the proposed lines in late July. view article

San Marcos becomes the first Texas city to ban data centers, testing its local control

July 0108:45 AM

San Marcos has become the first Texas city to ban data centers within city limits, banking on its local authority to stop the data center boom and setting a precedent for other municipalities to follow. San Marcos City Council voted 4-3 on June 16 to define data centers and make them ineligible for any part of the city in its zoning laws, citing concerns that these developments would funnel water and energy resources from the local community. view article

One year after the July 4 flood, Kerr County shows signs of trauma and healing

July 0108:44 AM

Crider’s dance hall is back. Homes are rebuilt. Kids swim in the river. But there’s also deep grief after the river killed 119 people and traumatized more. Alicia Baker can’t bring herself to clean her daughter’s bedroom. Eleven-year-old Madelyn “Emmy” Jeffrey left a pile of craft supplies on the floor in their San Antonio home before heading off to the Guadalupe River with her grandparents, where they drowned in the flood last Fourth of July. A year later, the pile is still there. view article

Gov. Greg Abbott calls for ban on data center development in rural Texas neighborhoods

July 0108:44 AM

Abbott previously outlined a broad regulatory framework around data centers amid backlash from rural communities around their impact on residential neighborhoods.Gov. Greg Abbott called for blocking new data center development in rural parts of the state during a campaign stop in East Texas on Tuesday. “I made clear already: Any AI data center even thinking about coming here — they got to bring their own money, bring their own power, reuse their own water and do it in a way that reduces the cost of electricity for residents across our state,” he said. “We must eliminate the tax break they are getting. They must be responsible for funding their own projects here in Texas. We will get that done.” view article

Foreign-born professor who danced on Charlie Kirk’s grave set to receive major payday

July 0108:40 AM

The woman relished the news of the young man's murder, then painted herself as the real victim. In the immediate wake of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk's assassination on Sept. 10, 2025, depraved leftists celebrated in classrooms, in town squares, online, and elsewhere. Some of those who publicly relished the news of the young father's murder were publicly shamed, received reprimands, or even lost their jobs. view article

Canyon student takes one small step toward moon with NASA program

July 0108:40 AM

Canyon High School senior Rebecca Cooke recently completed the 20-week Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS) summer experience, Moonshot, a competitive STEM program connected to NASA's Johnson Space Center. Cooke was selected as one of more than 1,000 high school juniors from across Texas to participate in the program after being nominated by her state legislator, according to Canyon ISD. Throughout the experience, she collaborated with students across the state, participated in briefings with NASA experts, explored NASA's current missions, and helped design a mission to the moon and Mars. Cooke said that she especially enjoyed “working with team members with people who have the same interests as you in engineering. There’s some times where you have disagreements, but part of being a team is going through the disagreements and learning a lot more." view article

On the upper Texas coast, many petrochemical facilities may not be prepared for fiercer storms

July 0108:39 AM

wGalveston County alone is home to 22 refineries and chemical plants. Their level of emergency preparedness varies widely. Nearly two decades had passed since the storm. For many, the memory of what had happened on Goat Island had largely vanished into the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, what residents remembered that year were the piles of boats and cars washed up along the highway to Galveston and the twisted mounds of debris where homes once stood. It was late summer 2008, and Hurricane Ike had just struck, decimating parts of the upper Texas Gulf Coast. But Goat Island — a spit of swampy land just east of Galveston — also flooded, and with it an oil and gas facility that sat on its uninhabited shores. When the hurricane struck, piping to the St. Mary Land and Exploration Company’s storage tanks snapped apart, releasing thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf. By the time St. Mary workers arrived a day later, the tanks were empty. There were nearly 450 reported releases of oil, gasoline and other hazardous substances into the air and water during Ike, including the incident on Goat Island. None of these releases was catastrophic. But the area’s luck may not hold. view article

Abbott Was for Data Centers Before Rural Texas Was Against Them

July 0108:32 AM

Gov. Greg Abbott says he will not allow data centers to be built in rural Texas neighborhoods. Apparently, Abbott was for data centers before rural Texas was against them. The line recalls one of the most damaging political statements of the 2004 presidential campaign, when Democratic nominee John Kerry said he had voted for an $87 billion spending measure before voting against it. Republicans used the statement relentlessly as proof that Kerry would change positions whenever the politics became uncomfortable. view article

Corpus Christi declines to seek federal grant for long-debated water desalination plant

July 0108:25 AM

City Council members traded insults before the 5-4 vote blocked an effort to apply for up to $120 million in federal grants to help build the treatment plant. Fewer than a dozen projects are expected to qualify for the federal agency’s WaterSMART Program this year. Applications are ranked on a point system, which prioritizes “how much of the annual demand for the service area is offset by the desalinated water,” according to the agency.. “If the city does not apply for this grant, it seems like we’re looking [away from] what is essentially free money,” she said. “Many of you have argued against this project based on cost, and this grant and subsequent grant funds that might be available will make this drought-proof project much more affordable for our region.” Mary Carlson, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Reclamation, said desalination is a critical tool for diversifying water supplies. “As we continue to manage through the impacts of severe drought, desalination offers potential new and reliable water supplies for communities” she said in a statement. view article

Connally ISD superintendent talks strategy, preps for 1st state-managed school year

July 0105:00 AM

Restructured classroom teaching for elementary and junior high. Fewer campuses. Principals whose main job is instructional leadership. New "Innovation Labs." Hiring and retention bonuses for teachers. The upcoming school year for Connally Independent School District, which begins Aug. 3 for teachers and Aug. 11 for students, will be the first under state management and, accordingly, has a new look and strategy. Five consecutive years of failing accountability grades for Connally's elementary and junior high schools led Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to put the district under state management for the next two years, with an appointed board of managers and superintendent taking over district operations. For Superintendent Josie Gutierrez, her first month on the job has been packed with hiring leadership, teachers and staff, and building the framework for an instructional approach aimed at bringing failing schools up to grade level. view article

MAP: How much money Central Texas school district superintendents make?

June 2908:40 AM

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As school districts across Central Texas consider budget decisions for the next academic year, including needing to cut budgets to address financial challenges, KXAN is keeping track of starting superintendent salaries area-wide. There are 58 school districts in the KXAN viewing area, from Mason ISD in the west to Fayetteville ISD in the east. The map below shows base salaries in each district for current superintendents for the academic year 2025-26. Salary information for the new academic year, 2026-27, has not yet been published by the Texas Education Agency. view article

Texas Supreme Court rejects lawsuit by survivors of Uvalde school shooting

June 2908:39 AM

Twenty students and five teachers accused DPS and Uvalde County of negligence in the delayed response to the deadly 2022 shooting. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal by Robb Elementary students and teachers who argued failures by the Department of Public Safety and Uvalde County contributed to a botched response to the 2022 shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers. The court’s order, issued without comment, upheld a February ruling by the San Antonio-based 4th Court of Appeals that dismissed the lawsuit. DPS and the county were sued for negligence by five teachers and 20 students who were at the school but not in the classrooms where the shootings occurred. view article

Maternal health ‘deserts’ endanger some Texas women, babies

June 2908:35 AM

HEMPHILL — Sarah Gipson knew something was wrong when the normally chatty sonogram technician fell silent and called for the doctor. Gipson was in the 32nd week of her high-risk pregnancy, and she felt horrible. She was seeing stars, had constant ringing in her ears, and had been on bed rest for several weeks. Gipson is one of thousands of women across Texas living in a maternal healthcare “desert,” with limited access to care during pregnancy, according to an analysis by Public Health Watch of data published in a May 2024 report by the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals (TORCH). view article

Abilene ISD trustee Alana Jeter shares empty-nest journey

June 2908:31 AM

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Alana Jeter is one of the newest members of the Abilene ISD school board. She's the Executive Director of the Noah Project in Abilene, but she's also the mom of two children. She has a son already in college, and her daughter is headed to college in the fall. While they both will attend McMurry University in Abilene, it will still be a big transition for them. view article

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Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C.

2026 Texas Title IX Administrator Conference

October 27-28, 2026

Leon, Alcala, Morse & Reynolds, PLLC

WEBINAR: FAMILY LAW FOR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT-LEVEL STAFF

Join us for our upcoming webinar

Date: August 25, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Where: Webinar

Cost: $250 for up to 8 people

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Van ISD mourns death of high school student after ‘tragic accident’

June 2908:30 AM

VAN — A Van High School student has died following a tragic accident, the school district said. Van ISD made a post on Facebook sharing the news with “profound sadness.” “Kayden was a beloved member of the Vandal family whose infectious smile, kind heart, and servant spirit left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” Van ISD said. “Having recently completed his freshman year at Van High School, Kayden was known for his energy, intelligence, and willingness to lend a helping hand whenever it was needed.” view article

Supreme Court clears way for Trump administration to revive restrictive immigration policy

June 2908:30 AM

In a 6-3 decision, the justices green-lit the practice of limiting the number of people who can apply for asylum each day. view article

Facing state probe and infighting, Judson ISD names a new leader for 4th time this year

June 2908:29 AM

Amidst a state investigation and board infighting, Judson Independent School District named a new interim leader. On Tuesday, the board chose Ann Dixon, a longtime educator and familiar face at Judson, in a 6-1 vote. Once the superintendent of Somerset ISD, Dixon has served as interim at more than 20 other districts in Texas, including Judson at one point. view article

California: Screen time limits coming for LAUSD in the fall

June 2908:28 AM

The nation’s second-largest system will impose restrictions for all grade levels, with the strictest ones for the youngest students. view article

Keller ISD announces employee raises for upcoming school year

June 2908:25 AM

The Keller Independent School District has announced employee raises for their 2026-2027 academic school year, according to a release. The Keller ISD Board of the Trustees met Thursday June 25, 2026, to discuss the general fund budget. The board approved the budget in the special meeting, which projected a $346.1 million revenue, with a $300,000 surplus. view article

Lubbock ISD Trustees announce leadership hire, approve 2026-2027 budget and compensation plan

June 2908:25 AM

The Lubbock Independent School District (Lubbock ISD) Board of Trustees met for their regular and workshop meeting on Thursday (June 25). At the meeting, the trustees announced Cary Fulgham as the district’s new Director of Instructional Technology, a position recently created that consolidates three other positions and provides leadership for the planning, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of instructional technology and digital learning initiatives across the district. view article

Houston ISD board unanimously approves controversial Bible-infused curriculum for 2026-27 school year

June 2908:24 AM

Houston ISD's state-appointed board of managers greenlit Bible-infused curriculum for elementary school students at a special board meeting Thursday night, when the board also voted to adopt a $2 billion operating budget for 2026-27. The state-developed Bluebonnet Learning curriculum for students in kindergarten through fifth grade has been criticized for its inclusion of biblical teachings in reading and language arts lessons. Its implementation also comes with a per-student financial incentive – more than $3 million in additional revenue for HISD, the largest school district in Texas. view article

Midland ISD denies ICE at construction site amid rumors

June 2908:23 AM

After social media posts claimed ICE agents were conducting an operation at a Midland construction site Friday morning, Midland ISD has issued a statement, saying there were no federal immigration officers on the district’s job site, and no arrests were made. The district released a statement Friday afternoon after multiple social media outlets shared videos and firsthand accounts from construction workers who believed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were in the area of a construction site near Avalon Drive and Thomason Drive. view article

Lubbock ISD Trustees announce leadership hire, approve 2026-2027 budget and compensation plan

June 2908:20 AM

Texas school districts find creative ways to keep students reading over summer break

June 2908:17 AM

State data shows most grade levels in Texas saw reading scores for the annual STAAR exam increase past pre-pandemic levels, and educators are hoping to keep that momentum going this summer. Inside a Forney Independent School District cafeteria, 200 kids sit as still as they can. Their eyes are glued to a school principal reading a book. view article

Austin ISD pushes back boundary realignment timeline

June 2908:17 AM

Austin ISD is delaying its district-wide school boundary realignment by one year. The move comes after the district closed 10 campuses at the end of the 2025-26 school year, leaving it to navigate where those students will have classes in the upcoming fall semester. In a message to families on Friday, AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said the comprehensive plan will now take effect for the 2028-29 school year in order to give leaders more time to work through budgetary concerns, staffing, enrollment and long-term planning. view article

Refugio ISD prepares for student summer meal program

June 2908:15 AM

The Refugio Independent School District prepares for student summer meal program view article

Arlington ISD launches new virtual school options this fall. Could it mean more students?

June 2908:14 AM

When the 2026-27 school year opens, Arlington ISD will see some new beginnings. The school district, which is facing declining enrollment and a budget shortfall, will introduce two virtual school options at the high school level. Sarah McMurrough, the school board president, said she is excited to see the new programs take shape and that they will help the district better serve its students. view article

Mandated Bible stories in reading lists, revamped history for Texas public schools approved

June 2905:08 AM

The State Board of Education approved the reading lists and K-8 social studies changes after months of debates. Texas will require Bible stories in public schools after the State Board of Education approved a mandatory reading list Friday alongside a rewrite of K-8 social studies lessons that minimize racial, geographic and cultural diversity. The Republican-led board passed the mandated Christian stories in public school lessons on a 9-4 vote along party lines, with two members not present for the vote. view article

Q&A: NEISD’s newest leader talks challenges, AI and changing public education landscape

June 2905:00 AM

When NEISD’s then-superintendent left in January, the school board chose Jarrett as interim, before naming him as the sole finalist for superintendent in May and finalizing his appointment on June 16. Anthony Jarrett didn’t set out to be superintendent of San Antonio’s second-largest school district when he started his education career. In fact, he didn’t plan to work in education. After moving from the Chicago area to Texas in his teens, Jarrett studied psychology at Texas Tech University, later working as a counselor in a San Antonio mental health facility for over five years. So how did he end up leading North East Independent School District and serving 55,000 students across 65 campuses? Now officially in the driver’s seat, Jarrett’s job will be to lead the district through a budget deficit, declining enrollment, a growing school-choice movement and uncertainty about the way the state’s new education savings accounts — state dollars for private school tuition and education services — will affect public schools. view article

Tesla’s small robotaxi fleet could ‘dramatically scale,’ TxDOT official says

June 2608:51 AM

Tesla Inc. officially began operating a robotaxi service in Austin a year ago. Now, leadership at the Texas Department of Transportation thinks its fleet could start to surge. view article

Eanes ISD adopts 2026-27 budget, postpones raises

June 2608:42 AM

EISD's new Chief Financial Officer Pete Pape provided three budget scenarios tied to possible compensation plans: Option 1: no compensation increase, resulting in a projected budget surplus of $1,579,858 Option 2: a one-time payment of $700 for eligible employees, resulting in a projected budget surplus of $855,858 Option 3: a 2% compensation increase, resulting in a projected budget shortfall of $54,297 view article

Texas must pay millions to fix errors in Bluebonnet school materials, contract shows

June 2608:41 AM

Thousands of corrections — from typos to copyright concerns — are needed in state-produced reading and math materials used by hundreds of public schools. The Texas Education Agency must spend up to $8.4 million in taxpayer money to correct thousands of errors in learning materials that drew national scrutiny for their inclusion of Bible stories. That funding will pay for printing and shipping new materials as well as disposing of the current batch, according to a contract provided to The Texas Tribune by Pam Little, a Republican State Board of Education member. Texans must cover the cost of roughly 4,200 corrections to Bluebonnet Learning because agency officials developed it using state funding. view article

ZISD board accepts superintendent’s resignation, welcomes elementary principal, head softball coach

June 2608:36 AM

ZAVALLA — Zavalla ISD will be under new leadership in the upcoming school year as the board of trustees accepted the resignation of Superintendent Zach Crawford during its regular monthly meeting Monday afternoon in the Zavalla High School conference room. Kathy Caton is currently serving as interim superintendent. In December 2020, Crawford succeeded Ricky Oliver, who retired after serving Zavalla for 31 years. Crawford, who was a former administrator for Diboll ISD and came to Zavalla after serving as the high school and junior high principle at Broaddus ISD, is set to become Alto ISD’s next superintendent. view article

Tensions with landowners rise as a raft of gas pipelines push through Texas properties

June 2608:36 AM

Rising demand for Texas natural gas by data centers and foreign nations has sparked a surge in pipeline projects view article

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TexasISD.com was the brainchild of Joe F. Smith. Joe retired early from a successful career as Superintendent of Schools for Hudson ISD, deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Due to a long battle with Post-Polio Syndrome the doctor made him hang it up and rest for six months. Never being the kind of person to sit still and also not being the person to listen to his doctor, Joe logged lengthy sessions in front of his PC researching school issues, reading papers and corresponding with his friends and colleagues in the education business.

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