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Congratulations to the following New Supers
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Superintendent Vacancies
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| Vacant | Elkhart ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO | Vacant | Lumberton ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO | Vacant | Presidio ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO | Vacant | Tom Bean ISD; Search by: Tom Bean ISD Board of Trustees & Kelly LuskINFO | Vacant | Montgomery ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO | Vacant | Santa Rosa ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Uvalde CISD; Search By: Region 20 ESCINFO | Vacant | Fairfield ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Dr. Ann DixonINFO | Vacant | Calvert ISD - Latisha Crockett-Tennell, Interim Superintendent,Calvert ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Blooming Grove ISD; Search by: Blooming Grove ISD Board of Trustees & Gary MartelINFO | Vacant | Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Carrizo Springs ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Sabinal ISD; Search by: Richard W Grill & Sabinal ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Dickinson ISD; Search by: Dickinson ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Muenster ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | La Gloria ISD; Search by: La Gloria ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Whitney ISD; Search by: Whitney ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Dickinson ISD; Search by: SPALDING NICHOLS LAMP LANGLOISINFO | Vacant |
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| Lone Finalist | Corrigan-Camden ISD - Mr. Brian Aiken , Assistant Superintendent,Crockett ISD; Search by: Leon|Alcala PLLCINFO |
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| Lone Finalist | Hamlin Collgiate ISD - Dr. Chanda Bloch, Director,San Marcos CISD; Search by: Collegiate Edu-Nation, Dr. Nelson CoulterINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Prairiland ISD - Jason Hostetler, Principal,Prairieland ISD; Search by: Prairieland ISD Board of Trustees and Supt. Jeff BallardINFO |
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| Lone Finalist | Normangee ISD - Justin Vercher, Principal,Hillsboro ISD; Search by: N2 Learning, Dr. Eddie Coulson & Dr. Brad Lancaster (Updated Deadline)INFO |
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| Lone Finalist | Panhandle ISD - Dr. John Sherrill, Principal,Archer City ISD; Search by: Panhandle ISD Board of Trustees & Region 16 ESC, Dr. Tanya Larkin, Exec. Dir.INFO |
| Lone Finalist | Claude ISD - Brent Kirkland, Principal,Panhandle ISD; Search by: Claude ISD Board of Trustees & Jody JohnsonINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Lorenzo ISD - Dr. Greg Nelson, Assistant Superintendent,Lamesa ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Wilson ISD - Wesley Jones, Principal,Cross Plains ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Rogers ISD - Duana Brashear, Assistant Superintendent,Royal ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Whitehouse ISD - Dr. Casey Whittle, Assistant Superintendent,Wylie ISD; Search by: Thompson & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David ThompsonINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Royse City ISD - Dr. Amy Anderson, Interim Superintendent,Royse City ISD; Search by: Thompson & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses, David Thompson & Dr. Curtis CulwellINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Clyde CISD - Bryan Allen, Superintendent,Breckenridge ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Valley View ISD - James Womack, Superintendent,Richland Springs ISD; Education Solutions and Services Mike Smith & Letha HopkinsINFO |
| 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 | Coupland ISD - Dr. Earl W. Parcell, Chief Financial Officer,Copperas Cove ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Dr. Saul HinojosaINFO |
| New Super | Miami ISD - Krista Solis, Superintendent,Hart ISD; Search by: Interim Supt. Steve Post and Miami ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| New Super | Knippa ISD - Benny Hernandez, Superintendent,Mathis ISD; Search by: Knippa ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| New Super | Irion County ISD - Dr. Sara "Nikki" Moore, Principal,Coldspring-Oakhurst ISD; Search by: Region 15 ESCINFO |
| New Super | Liberty-Eylau ISD - Jeff Wright, Interim Superintendent,Liberty-Eylau ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO |
| New Super | Keller ISD (Short Timeline) - Dr. Tracy Johnson, Chief of Human Resources,Keller ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO |
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Glasscock County ISD - Mallory Marr, Chief Academic Officer,Sweetwater ISD; Search by: CCR Educational Consultants, Dr. Skip Casey, Staci Robertson, & Rod TownsendINFO |
| New Super | Ira ISD - Garrett Luft, Assistant Principal,Lubbock ISD; Search by: CCR Educational Consultants, Dr. Skip Casey, Staci Robertson, & Rod TownsendINFO |
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Pilot Point ISD - Shannon Fuller, Chief Instructional Officer,East Central ISD; Search by: Pilot Point ISD & Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd and Hullett, consultant Karen RueINFO |
| New Super | Colmesneil ISD - Sharon Tule, Interim Superintendent,Colmesneil ISD; Search by: Fisher FirmINFO |
| New Super | New Home ISD - Toby Tucker, Director,ESC 16; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO |
| New Super | Ropes ISD - Dade Cosby, Superintendent,Cross Plains ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO |
| New Super | Rockport-Fulton ISD - Dr. Lesley Austin, Deputy Superintendent,Trinity Basin Prep, Dallas; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle & Robinson P.C.& Education Consultant Mrs. Charlotte BakerINFO |
| New Super | Sharyland ISD - Elaine Howard, Deputy Superintendent,Boerne ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Brooks County ISD - Scott Rogers, Superintendent,Brazos ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Bloomington ISD - Eric Cormier, Principal,Brazos ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Boerne ISD - Kristin Craft, Associate Superintendent,Spring Branch ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Brenham ISD - Clay Gillentine, Interim Superintendent,Brenham ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Goldthwaite CISD - Dr. Christopher Bailey, Director,Abilene ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Ingleside ISD - Scott Kilgore, Director,Ingleside ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Woodsboro ISD - Leslie Garza, Principal,Woodsboro ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD - Paige Meloni, Chief Financial Officer,Lewisville ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
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What you need to know about Texas’ school safety policies
Texas lawmakers have mandated armed guards at every public school, panic buttons in classrooms and more staff training. In response to the deadliest school shooting in Texas, lawmakers have upped legislation concerning gun and school safety. House Bill 3 passed late last year, which created the requirement for an armed security guard to be present on all campuses and also ramped up mental health resources for students. In Texas, the responsibility for establishing the guidelines for public school safety belongs to the Texas Education Agency and Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office along with the TxSSC. These rules have been updated since the 2022 tragedy in Uvalde, but some experts worry that parents and guardians still don’t know the intricacies of school safety policy. Brian Clason, program manager of training and education for the Texas State School Safety Center, says the best thing parents can do to protect their children is to develop relationships with teachers and school faculty to learn more about safety protocols before an emergency occurs. “Your school leaders should know who you are, and you should know who they are,” he said.
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Preventive Law: Blackhole Consequences of Shooting STAAR
We see it every year: parents trying to opt their child out of STAAR testing. Some claim it’s against their religious beliefs, some claim it’s bad for their children’s mental health, and some have no problem stating they just don’t want to participate. Below we’ll discuss the constellation of consequences that students may face for their parent’s choice of opting out, and what issues your school district might encounter if more and more parents begin to follow this trend.
Millions in Texas face serious risk of flooding with officials urging some to evacuate
Officials in several Texas communities have asked people to evacuate their homes as rivers overflow their banks from recent heavy rain and severe weather, and flood alerts remain in effect across portions of the Lone Star state in anticipation of more precipitation in the coming days. Several inches of rain have already fallen in areas south of Dallas and north of Houston, leaving the ground extremely saturated. That includes along the Trinity River, which hasn’t seen water this high in years. "I was just looking back in the past crests, and the last time it’s been this high, and the expected crest is back at (Hurricane) Harvey," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "That was 2017. So, we’re going back almost seven years."
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Texas, Kansas Lead Lawsuits Against ‘Unconstitutional’ Rule Restricting Private Gun Sales
Attorney General Ken Paxton is leading one of two multi-state coalitions suing Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for Second Amendment violations. Republican attorneys general in multiple states, including Texas and Kansas, are suing to stop the Biden administration from imposing new restrictions on the rights of gun owners. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced the new lawsuits against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during a press conference Wednesday at the Frisco Gun Club. The lawsuits challenge a new ATF rule that redefines “engaged in the business” as a firearms dealer. The 126-page rule would have the effect of criminalizing law-abiding Americans for private gun purchases and sales.
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Supreme Court upholds Texas’ age verification law for porn sites
It marks a win for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to block a new Texas law that requires adult websites to verify a user's age before allowing them to access content on the site. The ruling was handed down on April 30, just days after a group called the Free Speech Coalition asked the nation's highest court to overturn a lower court's ruling enforcing the law. The single-sentence ruling marks a victory for Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, which sued at least three adult content websites in March for failing to follow the new law.
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17 pro-Palestinian demonstrators arrested at UT-Dallas as police break up encampment
UT-Dallas is the second campus in Texas where Department of Public Safety troopers have made arrests while breaking up protests. Police officers arrested 17 people, broke up pro-Palestinian protests and tore down tents at the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson on Wednesday, 12 hours after students set up an encampment to demand university divestment from U.S. corporations that have ties to Israel's war in Gaza. Footage by the NBC 5 in Dallas showed some people being taken away by officers. Kim Horner, a communications manager at UT-Dallas, said in an email that as of 5 p.m., there had been 17 arrests for criminal trespass made on campus. Pro-Palestinian students had set up tents and food stations on a campus plaza at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. They had also hung a banner saying "Welcome to Gaza Liberation Plaza." By noon, there were 10 tents set up and about 100 students at the encampment at the campus plaza, according to KERA.
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Ken Paxton Takes Manhattan
His job done in Texas—crime defeated, corruption accusations beaten, wrongdoing righted—Attorney General Ken Paxton traveled from Austin yesterday to a much deeper den of iniquity: Manhattan. “With President Trump in NYC to sit through this sham of a trial,” he posted this morning. “This trial is a travesty of justice. I stand with Trump.”
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Texas teachers make around $9,000 less than national average, guild reports
The average Texas teacher will earn $62,463 during the 2023-24 school year. This is over $9,000 below the national average, the National Education Association found from an analysis of Texas Education Agency data. Texas’ full-time school support staff, such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers and secretaries, made $30,382 on average during the 2022-23 school year.
“Many of our support workers, who are critical to school safety and success, hardly make livable wages. As we continue to fight vouchers, [the Texas State Teachers Association] will be seeking substantial pay raises for them, as well as for teachers, when the Legislature convenes next year, because we know Texans value their public school educators, and it’s time the Legislature does too,” TSTA President Ovidia Molina said in a news release.
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Texas Tomorrow Inflation Is Up And Bonds Are On The Ballot
As inflation burns through your pockets, your local jurisdictions are coming for more of your money. Bonds and taxes are on the ballot this May and November, make sure you're aware and vote accordingly.
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New Poll Shows Trump, Cruz Leading Their Democrat Opponents
The poll shows Trump up by eight percentage points and Cruz up by 13 points. A new poll released Wednesday shows former President Donald Trump and current U.S. Senator Ted Cruz leading their respective Democrat opponents among Texas’ likely voters. The poll, conducted by the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project, shows in a five-way ballot Trump holds a nine-point lead—45 percent to 36 percent—over current President Joe Biden. Other candidates on the trial ballot included Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein. In a head-to-head contest, Trump holds an eight-point lead over Biden.
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Have you seen this strange red glow in the Texas night sky lately? Here’s what it is
The phenomenon has become increasingly common over Texas. An unusual blood-red hue has been illuminating the Texas sky in the late hours of the night. Most recently, the mysterious, faint gleam was captured shining in the star-filled sky over Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas around 2:14 a.m. on April 10. Using his smartphone camera, amateur astronomer Abdur Anwar snapped a photo of the elusive luminosity that he "couldn't explain" while camped out at the park.
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HISD teacher union calls for Supt. Mike Miles removal in ‘no confidence’ vote
Union members noted the lack of community input, teacher turnover rate, the district hiring uncertified teachers, and policy reversals as points for the distrust One of the state's largest teachers' unions has distinctly expressed its disdain for state-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles. The Houston Federation of Teachers announced on Tuesday that it passed a resolution calling for Miles' removal and several points outlining their frustrations in the almost year since the state-appointed leadership was assigned to take over district operations. The union's resolution calls Miles' appointment a "politically motivated, irresponsible experiment," and thousands of teachers represented by the HFT will vote over its ratification in the coming days. "The takeover of Houston ISD, the largest school district in Texas and the eighth largest district in the country, is a politically motivated, irresponsible experiment that is worsening inequities and disenfranchising Houston voters," the resolution states. "Houston ISD teachers and support staff have come together now to call for a vote of no confidence in state-installed superintendent Mike Miles."
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Mexico sends 600 soldiers to border states amid spike in violence
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Mexico has sent 600 troops to the border states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon amid a new spike in violence. Criminals attacked a Mexican army installation last week in the town of Miguel Aleman and armed clashes between rival gangs also were reported there on Monday. A mayor seeking reelection in Ciudad Mante was murdered, and in Nuevo Leon police investigated several mass kidnappings and reported the rescue of 13 individuals.
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How Gov. Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton vow to fight new Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students
Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, opened a double-barreled attack Monday on the Democratic Biden administration's recently adopted Title IX rules, which aim to protect survivors of abuse, LGBTQ+ students and student parents. The changes to Title IX — a 52-year-old education law that protects women and girls from gender-based discrimination in all education programs, including athletics — were approved April 19 by the U.S. Department of Education to forbid discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender in colleges and elementary and secondary schools that receive federal money. The rules, which will take effect Aug. 1, do not specifically state whether transgender and nonbinary students can participate in school-affiliated sports teams that align with their gender identity.
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Leon Alcala, PLLC
WEBINAR: THE NEW TITLE IX REGULATIONS: WHAT DO ADMINISTRATORS NEED TO KNOW TO BE READY?
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Date: June 10, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Webinar
Cost: $175 per participant
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TEA delays release of new school rankings as districts raise concerns over fairness
The agency is revising a new A-F accountability formula, which would have resulted in more drastic accountability drops than expected. The Texas Education Agency will delay the release of A-F accountability scores for the state’s public schools until later this fall in order to tweak a new formula that would have sent many districts’ grades plunging, the agency announced Tuesday. “You do want to set reasonable goals,” said TEA Commissioner Mike Morath. “And if no campuses in the state can possibly achieve it given current levels of performance, that isn't a reasonable goal.”
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Billions in Bonds on Ballots Around Houston
Less than one percent of voters in Harris County have turned out to vote. On May 4, 270 local jurisdictions across the state will hold bond elections totaling $17.4 billion. More than $1 billion of that long-term debt is owed to local jurisdictions in Harris County.
Harris County’s largest request—half of the total amount across the county—is for Galena Park ISD, which is asking voters to approve $530 million in debt.
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Pflugerville ISD board approves new superintendent contract
The Pflugerville ISD board of trustees approved a contract to hire Quintin Shepherd as superintendent during a special board meeting April 29. Shepherd will officially start in the role May 28, per district representatives. How we got here Steve Flores has served as interim superintendent since December, following the resignation of former six-year superintendent Douglas Killian. Killian announced his resignation after being named the lone finalist to serve as superintendent of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.
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US Supreme Court Denies Porn Industry Efforts to Block Age Verification Laws
The Supreme Court of the United States has denied efforts from the pornography industry to block Texas’ age-verification legislation.
In a one-sentence order issued today, SCOTUS stated that “The application for stay presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied.”
This follows an emergency appeal by the Free Speech Coalition—which is representing multiple companies within the pornography industry—to SCOTUS earlier this month asking the Court to overturn a ruling in a lower court that allowed House Bill 1181 to remain in effect, according to the National Review.
HB 1181 forces pornography websites to establish “reasonable” methods for verification that users are 18 years old or older.
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East Texans brace for prolonged evacuation orders after rainfall drenches Polk County
East Texans are bracing for an evacuation order in Polk County to stay in place for several days after heavy rainfall led the Trinity River to overflow, forcing operators at a nearby dam to release the floodgates.
Rainfall in the Polk County region and elsewhere in the state is expected to prolong the evacuation order, officials said.
In the two days leading up to Monday’s declaration, the north end of Polk County — Groveton — saw 10.92 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Further north, into Trinity County, that total rose to 11.8 inches of rain.
This is an unusual total for the region, which typically sees less than an inch of rain per day. But storms formed and reformed above Polk County and those north of it, leaving the county in a deluge over the weekend.
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TEA is using computers to grade the STAAR test. Just don’t call it AI, officials say
The Texas Education Agency is defending its decision to let computers grade students’ STAAR essay test questions in the face of mounting criticism from parents and teachers who question the fairness of an automated scoring system.
Agency officials told Hearst Newspapers the system echoes an approach taken by at least 20 other states and helps cut costs. Starting last December, all student essay responses were fed through a computer program for scoring. About one-quarter were then reviewed by human scorers for accuracy.
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Fort Worth ISD to Return Potentially Inappropriate Books to Library Shelves
A Fort Worth ISD Spokesperson confirmed some books will be back on the shelves in the next couple of weeks. After the Fort Worth Independent School District removed over 100 books for further review over concerns of inappropriate content, the district is now planning to return some books back to the library shelves.
Following months of parental outrage over sexually-explicit materials in student libraries, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 900 by State Rep. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco). HB 900 prohibits school libraries from housing materials that are sexually explicit, vulgar, or educationally unsuitable. It also sets up state standards for keeping inappropriate sexual content out of all school libraries and classrooms.
As reported by The Dallas Express, Tarrant County Citizens Defending Freedom had found 76 different books to be sexually explicit and violent. More than 500 copies of the books were available in Fort Worth ISD libraries. In response, TCCDF emailed Fort Worth ISD officials who closed the libraries for review.
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US Supreme Court Denies Porn Industry Efforts to Block Age Verification Laws
The Supreme Court of the United States has denied efforts from the pornography industry to block Texas’ age-verification legislation.
In a one-sentence order issued today, SCOTUS stated that “The application for stay presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is denied.”
This follows an emergency appeal by the Free Speech Coalition—which is representing multiple companies within the pornography industry—to SCOTUS earlier this month asking the Court to overturn a ruling in a lower court that allowed House Bill 1181 to remain in effect, according to the National Review.
HB 1181 forces pornography websites to establish “reasonable” methods for verification that users are 18 years old or older.
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Carroll ISD school board approves staff raises
Last month Carroll ISD board of trustees approved a salary increase for staff and teachers for the 2024-25 school year. The decision stems from a Texans for Excellence in Education study, which found that many CISD salaries were below market average, said Tamy Smalskas, assistant superintendent for administration. The organization is a nonprofit that seeks to provide guidance to public schools. The details The salary increase will be achieved by providing a 3% of midpoint raise for staff across the board, Smalskas said. A midpoint salary is the middle point in a salary range of a particular pay grade usually between the highest and lowest salaries. Teachers, administration and clerical staff are all different pay grades. The 3% raise applies to the midpoint salary of each pay grade in the district.
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Bryan ISD addresses budget as Texas schools brace for financial squeeze ahead of 24-25 academic year
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -As the school year draws to a close, districts across Texas are grappling with a trifecta of financial hurdles: inflation, the expiration of pandemic-relief grants, and stagnant state funding.
The Bryan Independent School District is among those addressing these obstacles head-on as they prepare for the 2024-2025 academic year.
In a recent letter to parents, Superintendent Ginger Carrabine reassured families that all student programs would continue, and returning staff members would retain their positions. However, the district outlined several budgetary adjustments, including leaving central office vacancies unfilled and restructuring responsibilities. Additionally, reductions in travel for conferences and adjustments to class ratios are on the agenda.
These measures come amidst broader statewide concerns highlighted by the Texas State Teachers Association. Clay Robison, a spokesperson for the association, underscored the critical issue of funding shortages he says are exacerbated by legislative inaction.
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Gov. Abbott orders TEA to ignore Biden’s Title IX revisions protecting LGBTQ+ students
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) are pushing back on President Joe Biden's recent revision of Title IX, which includes safeguards for LGBTQ+ students. Title IX is a civil rights law enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools or education programs that receive federal funding. Among the Title IX changes announced last week are new rules to clarify that Title IX also forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination will be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government. Abbott, on Monday, tweeted on X that he sent a letter to the president condemning his recent revision of Title IX, saying it "forces schools to treat biological men as women." In his letter, Abbott said he instructed the Texas Education Agency to ignore the president's "illegal dictate" and that "Texas will not adhere to the new rules." "Title IX was written by Congress to support the advancement of women academically and athletically," the governor wrote in his letter. "The law was based on the fundamental premise that there are only two sexes—male and female. You have rewritten Title IX to force schools to treat boys as if they are girls and to accept every student’s self-declared gender identity. This ham-handed effort to impose a leftist belief onto Title IX exceeds your authority as President. I am instructing the Texas Education Agency to ignore your illegal dictate."
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Land Commissioner Buckingham Opposes Biden’s ‘Reckless’ Offshore Wind Energy Sale
Commissioner Dawn Buckingham cites issues that will arise from building wind turbines in the Gulf of Mexico. Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham sent a letter to the Biden administration opposing its second proposal for an offshore wind energy sale in the Gulf of Mexico. Last year, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management—a branch of the U.S. Department of the Interior—auctioned off three proposed wind farm leases, including one in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two areas 24 miles off the coast of Galveston. While one energy company secured the 102,480-acre Lake Charles lease, no companies bid on the Galveston leases—one listed at 102,480 acres and the other at 96,786 acres. The second proposal for an offshore wind energy auction by BOEM would cover 410,060 acres in the Gulf of Mexico. In response to the proposed auction, Buckingham sent a letter calling the introduction of hundreds of wind turbines “reckless.”
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Texas Republicans have tried to rein in property taxes for five years. Has it worked?
Texas has spent billions of dollars to drive down property taxes. Many homeowners saw a significant tax cut last year, per a Texas Tribune analysis. A longtime homeowner in McAllen. A senior living in southeast Austin. The owners of a home in a quickly gentrifying Dallas neighborhood. Each saw a sizable cut in their property tax bill in 2023 after the Texas Legislature funneled billions of dollars into tax cuts, according to a Texas Tribune analysis. For the past five years, Republican lawmakers have been on a crusade to rein in the state’s property taxes, among the highest in the nation. Last year, they went big with a $12.7 billion package comprised of tax breaks for homeowners and money for school districts to drive down how much they collect from property owners, which usually represents the biggest portion of Texans’ property tax bills.
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Waco ISD shares the efforts they’re making towards safety and security in the district
The district has received more than $2 million from the Texas Education Agency for safety and security and enhancements. The district has received more than $2 million from the Texas Education Agency for safety and security and enhancements. A lot of Central Texans are concerned about safety and security in our neighborhoods. According to events reported by the Gun Violence Archive, just this year, there have been more than 18 school shootings in the United States thus far. 25 News got the chance to walk through one Waco ISD school to see how students in our community are being protected.
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South Plains districts seeing positive changes after 4-day-week shift
LUBBOCK, Texas — Several school districts in the South Plains, most recently Abernathy Independent School District, have adopted the four-day school week concept. EverythingLubbock.com previously reported the decision for Abernathy ISD came from the teacher shortage and wanting to give teachers more time to plan. “Their schedules are so busy. They typically have a 45-minute conference period where they’re expected to get their grading done, they’re planning for the next week … they rarely have time to go to the bathroom,” Superintendent Aaron Waldrip said.
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Hutto ISD superintendent shares reason for resignation after less than 1 year on the job
HUTTO, Texas — After just seven months on the job, Hutto ISD's superintendent has resigned.
Dr. Raúl Peña was named the lone finalist for the role in August 2023 before taking over in September. Peña replaced former superintendent Dr. Celina Estrada Thomas, who retired in May 2023.
During the April 25 board meeting, the district accepted Peña's resignation. He explained his decision to step down, stating a family medical emergency as the reason.
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Cy-Fair ISD getting rid of 50 librarians ahead of upcoming school year as part of budget cuts
The Cy-Fair Independent School District said it's dealing with a projected $138 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District is dealing with budget problems which has led it to make significant changes among its staff members. CFISD said it's chopping its librarian staff in half -- from 92 librarians to 42. "Due to a projected $138 million deficit for the 2024-2025 school year, the plan includes a reduction from 92 Campus Librarians to 42 District Librarians," the district said in a statement.
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Comal ISD eyes new model for special education staffing
The Comal ISD Board of Trustees approved about $675,000 in special education programming staffing needs during the April 25 board meeting.
This represents the second of two staffing requests CISD has approved for the 2024-2025 school year. In February, trustees approved about $7.5 million for staffing needs.
Administrators reviewed both demographic projections and the district’s budget to determine the staffing recommendations. CISD is projected to grow by 898 students in the next school year, according to the district.
Staff has also been evaluating the current special education staffing support model and recommends shifting from the current district model to a feeder pattern approach.
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Austin teacher recognized at national STEM competition
HOUSTON (KXAN) — Students around the world gathered in Houston over the weekend to participate in the Conrad Challenge. The annual STEM competition invites thousands of students to Space Center Houston, where they can pitch innovative ideas to change the world.
This year, Austin teacher Joel Schildwachter with the nonPareil Institute was awarded the Innovative Teacher Award. Schildwachter’s class also participated in the challenge, submitting their idea for a health app.
When asked about the honor, Schildwachter instead chose to talk about his class.
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