Austin ISD board votes to close 10 schools, overhaul programs after heated debate

The Austin school board approved 10 school closures, moving most wall-to-wall dual language programs and launching state turnaround plans to curb a $65M deficit. view article  

Happy Thanksgiving

Facing $37M budget deficit, Judson ISD hasn’t had a chief financial officer in more than a month

Despite being in financial straits, the school board for Judson Independent School District voted not to hire a candidate for chief financial officer. The role has been vacant for more than a month.   District staff had recommended the board approve a candidate for the CFO position, but Judson trustees voted 4-3 against the hire after spending nearly four hours in closed session during a board meeting on Nov. 6.  Board President Monica Ryan, who voted against filling the position, said the world of school district CFOs is very small, but she wants to wait on a new hire because the job is “very challenging even under normal circumstances.” view article  

Why some Texas teachers are being forced to “deadname” trans students under a new state law

The law requires school employees to use names and pronouns that conform to students’ sex at birth.The law requires school employees to use names and pronouns that conform to students’ sex at birth.  Ethan Brignac, a transgender student at Wylie East High School, has been “Ethan” since seventh grade — to his friends, family and teachers. When he reached high school, his dad further validated his chosen name by requesting “Ethan” be used in school records, including in his email, class rosters and ID, which his teachers honored until this fall.  Three weeks after Brignac started his senior year, Wylie East administrators called him to the library and gave him a new ID. On it, in white capital letters, was a name he hadn’t been called in five years. view article  

President Trump signs government funding bill, ending shutdown after a record 43-day disruption

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.  The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions -- including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers -- to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands.  The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn't reward the party during next year's midterm elections. view article  

- Northwest - 2025 Operations Funding Election (Proposition A)

2025 Operations Funding Election (Proposition A)  Northwest ISD has called an operations funding election to provide voters with the opportunity to decrease class sizes in exchange for a 3-cent increase to the tax rate. Because of continued tax rate compression, voter approval of the measure would still result in a tax rate decrease from 2024. Combined with a $40,000 increase to the homestead exemption, most homeowners are expected to pay less in property taxes in 2025. view article  

Texans set to approve $3 billion dementia research fund

The Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas fund, a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will provide $3 billion in grants to researchers.  Texas voters on Tuesday are on track to approve Proposition 14, the constitutional amendment that both establishes a Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) and authorizes the spending of $3 billion to set up the fund.  Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick led the effort this past legislative session to create DPRIT, modeling the center on the state’s cancer research fund. Senate Bill 5, by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, was passed earlier this year and effectively created the institute.   Now that the constitutional amendment has passed, the institute is to be funded with $3 billion in surplus state revenue. After this first year, the institute will see up to $300 million appropriated each year. view article  

Preventive Law: The False Claims Act and Civil Rights – What You Don’t Know Could Cost You

In case you are running low on things to worry about this semester, never fear. This article is dedicated to the False Claims Act (FCA), another tool the federal government appears happy to point in the direction of public schools.

Texas Education Agency takes over Fort Worth ISD, replacing its elected school board

The North Texas district is the 11th since 2000 to be taken over by the state and the second largest after Houston ISD. view article  

Deadline extended for applications to Fort Worth ISD’s board of managers

Mike Morath, the Texas Education commissioner, tours through a classroom following a press conference regarding the updated A-F scores of Dallas and Fort Worth schools at Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy in Dallas on Aug. 15, 2025. Chris Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com  Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/education/article312984623.html#storylink=cpy view article  

Citing health issues, Edgewood ISD board member resigns 1 year before term ends

Luis Gomez, a trustee for Edgewood Independent School District, resigned from his position on the school board on Tuesday.   Gomez cited health concerns in a statement to the board explaining why he’s stepping down.   “I need to take care of medical issues due to my service in the military,” he said. “I want to be perfectly clear that it’s health issues and nothing else.” view article  

Court order on Texas redistricting forces election officials, county parties to scramble — again

For months, election officials across Texas have been hustling to redraw precinct boundary lines and secure polling locations and workers for the March primary election, all based on new congressional maps Republican state lawmakers drew in a rare mid-decade redistricting this summer.  County party chairs have accepted applications from candidates for precinct chair ​​— the parties’ neighborhood-level representatives — and, beginning this month, from candidates seeking congressional seats based on the newly drawn districts. view article  

Lawsuit halts Texas’ $3 billion dementia fund

The state’s new $3 billion dementia research fund has been blocked temporarily by a trio of voters who claim voting machines used in this month’s election are faulty. The plaintiffs — Shannon Huggins, Lars Kuslich and Jose Silvester — filed the action Nov. 13 in Travis County against the Texas Secretary of State’s office. In it, they claim that some voting machines were not certified by federal law and that the election results should be scrapped and a new election be ordered.   Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick championed the fund during the legislative session and listed it as a priority for lawmakers. On Wednesday, he slammed the plaintiffs for singling out Proposition 14, which was the funding of the research effort.  view article  

Lawsuit halts Texas’ $3 billion dementia fund

The state’s new $3 billion dementia research fund has been blocked temporarily by a trio of voters who claim voting machines used in this month’s election are faulty. The plaintiffs — Shannon Huggins, Lars Kuslich and Jose Silvester — filed the action Nov. 13 in Travis County against the Texas Secretary of State’s office. In it, they claim that some voting machines were not certified by federal law and that the election results should be scrapped and a new election be ordered.   Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick championed the fund during the legislative session and listed it as a priority for lawmakers. On Wednesday, he slammed the plaintiffs for singling out Proposition 14, which was the funding of the research effort.  view article  

Southwest ISD closes elementary school to ‘rebalance’ student enrollment

This week, Southwest Independent School District school board members approved the closure of Sky Harbour Elementary School to deal with a budget deficit and shifting enrollment trends.  Sky Harbour currently has 592 students and will close at the end of this school year.  District officials said closing the campus will save SWISD $6.5 million since the school was in need of several construction and maintenance projects and is expected to lose enrollment as population growth moves farther south in Bexar County. view article  

Texas education board debates narrowing focus of history curriculum

In September, the board adopted a plan that emphasizes Texas and U.S. history, while reducing focus on world history and cultures.  AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas State Board of Education is moving forward with discussions of changes to how public schools teach social studies.  In September, the board adopted a plan that emphasizes Texas and U.S. history, while reducing focus on world history and cultures.  During a Wednesday meeting, the State Board of Education discussed which key topics would be included in the new framework. view article  

Fort Worth ISD school board votes to appeal TEA takeover

The Fort Worth ISD school board voted 7-1 Tuesday night to appeal the state's takeover of the district.   The district was eligible for state intervention because one of its campuses, The Leadership Academy at Forest Oak 6th Grade, received its fifth consecutive "unacceptable" academic rating for the 2022–2023 school year. FWISD has since closed the campus. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath announced on Oct. 23 that the agency is taking over Fort Worth ISD and will replace its locally elected board of trustees with appointed managers view article  

At least 5 Austin school district employees detained by ICE, sparking alarm

At least five Austin ISD staff, including a teacher and bus driver, have been detained by ICE, prompting uncertainty and a pay policy review view article  

After blocking redistricting map, Judge Jeffrey Brown draws fire from Texas Republicans who once praised him

Until being labeled as the "radical left," Brown was widely supported by Texas Republicans, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who previously hired him as his clerk. Abbott called the ruling “clearly erroneous.” view article  

Diboll school board hears update on bond project timeline

Superintendent Igor Gusyakov thanked the community for approving a $12 million bond issue earlier this month that will address infrastructure concerns mainly centered on the Diboll Junior High campus. Representatives of Claycomb Associates gave a presentation on the process. They will make regular monthly appearances before the school board for project updates. Bidding on construction is set for October 2026, with construction set to be completed in about two years. Gusyakov said sale of the bonds will be authorized at January’s board meeting, with the money available come February.  In his monthly report, Gusyakov said attendance is at 95.12% this year. view article  

Lufkin ISD trustees to consider purchase of metal detectors for 2 campuses

Lufkin ISD trustees will consider purchasing metal detectors for high school and middle school campuses. According to the board agenda, the trustees will meet at 5:15 p.m. Thursday to discuss the metal detectors among other items. view article  

Houston ISD will use OpenAI’s new ChatGPT tool for special education compliance, official says

Houston ISD will become one of the first school districts in the country to use OpenAI's new education-focused artificial intelligence tool to help manage its special education compliance — a high-stakes area where federal deadlines and privacy are critical and that HISD must improve under the state takeover. view article  

Houston ISD will use OpenAI’s new ChatGPT tool for special education compliance, official says

Houston ISD will become one of the first school districts in the country to use OpenAI's new education-focused artificial intelligence tool to help manage its special education compliance — a high-stakes area where federal deadlines and privacy are critical and that HISD must improve under the state takeover. view article  

Corsicana ISD police officer injured by accidental firearm discharge at Bowie Elementary, officials say

A Corsicana ISD police officer was injured Wednesday morning after an accidental discharge of a firearm at an elementary school, district officials say. According to the district, the discharge happened at about 9:20 a.m., and came from someone who was authorized to carry a firearm on district property. view article  

AUSTIN, TX — An Austin Independent School District teacher was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), district officials confirmed.

AUSTIN, TX — An Austin Independent School District teacher was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), district officials confirmed.  The district sent a letter to families confirming that Roberto López Falcón, a teacher at Hart Elementary School, had been detained by ICE. School officials said they were not aware of complete details surrounding the incident but noted it did not occur at or near the campus.  "Mr. Lopez Falcon is a valued member of our school, and their well-being is deeply important to us," Principal Larry Perez wrote in the letter. view article  

Gov. Greg Abbott seeks to ban two Muslim groups and their members from owning land in Texas

Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday named two Islamic groups as terrorist and criminal organizations, banning them and those associated with the groups from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas.  Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, as transnational criminal organizations.  In announcing the designation, Abbott accused the two groups of supporting terrorism across the world and of subverting Texas laws through harassment, intimidation and violence.  “The actions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to support terrorism across the globe and subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable,” Abbott said in a statement. view article  

‘Ripping our hearts out’: Austin ISD communities grieve proposed school closures

Nestled in Dove Springs between a public library, health clinic and city recreation center, Widén Elementary School, open since 1986, is as much a community gathering place as the rest of the buildings that surround it.  view article  

Texas AG suing Round Rock, Leander ISDs for allegedly refusing to display Ten Commandments in classrooms

Under Senate Bill 10, Texas public school districts are required to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. view article  

City of Conroe lets variance, annexation requests from Willis ISD die with no motion

A tree ordinance variance request and the annexation of a new school from Willis ISD got no traction with Conroe city leaders on Thursday as the issues both died for a lack of motion. The district sought an exemption from Conroe's tree ordinance requirements, grandfathering in the site through 2027. In an unrelated agenda item, the district asked for the voluntary annexation of its new elementary school at 8150 MP Clark Road. The school is located in Conroe’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. view article  

Federal judge orders Conroe ISD, 13 other Texas school districts to remove Ten Commandments displays

A federal judge has ordered 14 Texas school districts to remove Ten Commandments displays by December 1 and banned them from posting new displays. The public school districts named include Conroe ISD. The ongoing legal battle over the Ten Commandments began in June when Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 into law, requiring all public schools to display the Ten Commandments and specifying the minimum size required. view article  

Texas AG suing Round Rock, Leander ISDs for allegedly refusing to display Ten Commandments in classrooms

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking two Central Texas school districts to court, accusing them of violating state law by refusing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD and members of both districts' Board of Trustees. view article  

Fort Worth ISD trustees vote 7-1 to appeal state takeover

The Fort Worth ISD board voted 7-1 Tuesday night to appeal a decision by state educators to assume control over the struggling district, a decision that injects new uncertainty into a takeover that has upended the district. The vote to request the State Office of Administrative Hearings to reconsider the intervention came at the end of a four-hour school board meeting. view article  

Federal court blocks Texas from using new congressional gerrymander in 2026 midterms

The decision is a major blow for Republicans, in Texas and nationally, who pushed through the mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Donald Trump. Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would appeal.  Texas cannot use its new congressional map for the 2026 election and will instead need to stick with the lines passed in 2021, a three-judge panel ruled Tuesday.   view article  

Killeen ISD board names Dr. King Davis as new superintendent

The Killeen Independent School District board voted Monday to name Dr. King Davis as the district’s new superintendent, the district announced. Davis has served as interim superintendent since Aug. 11. The board named him the lone finalist for the position on Oct. 20. The decision came after community input and board discussions about what qualities the district needed in its next leader. Board members said Davis embodies what they heard consistently from the community: experience, stability, transparency and a commitment to students and staff. view article