Milano ISD mourning death of superintendent Elisabeth Luevanos

Community members are mourning the death of Milano ISD superintendent Elisabeth Luevanos. According to a news release, Luevanos died Monday from injuries sustained in a recent accident. Further details about the accident were not shared. A statement from school board president Levi Keen says, “Superintendent Luevanos led with compassion, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to doing what was best for children. She guided Milano ISD with vision and heart, and her loss is deeply felt across our district and community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.” view article  

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  

Early voting for Texas’ 17 statewide propositions is under way. Here’s what voters need to know.

A majority of the proposed constitutional amendments address tax cuts for homeowners and businesses.  Texas voters will get the final say on 17 constitutional amendments — usually listed as statewide propositions at the top of the ballot — including billions of dollars in property tax cuts for homeowners and businesses.  Early voting begins Monday and runs through Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 4. view article  

Preventive Law: Negotiating With Vendors

Governments rely on private contractors, or vendors. Many times, using a vendor is either more efficient, less expensive, or gives the government access to expertise that it does not have. Given the ubiquitous nature of contracts with the private sector, devoting some time and attention to your vendor contracts is important.

Federal Appeals Court to Reconsider West Texas A&M Drag Show Ban

The legal battle over West Texas A&M University’s drag show ban has taken a new turn after the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to rehear the case en banc—that is, before all 17 active judges of the appellate court.   This development means the court has vacated an earlier 2-1 panel ruling that had temporarily blocked the university’s drag ban and found that Spectrum WT, the campus LGBT student group, was likely to succeed on First Amendment grounds.​   The earlier ruling, issued in August, sided with the student group and said that the drag show was protected expressive conduct, and that the campus venue was a designated public forum subject to strict constitutional scrutiny.  view article  

Big pay hikes for school administrators in 2025, while outcomes remain low

The 2025 school year was déjà vu all over again – nice pay increases for many administrators and persistently low student outcomes. ACT college-readiness in English, Reading, Math, and Science set another low record, dropping from 32% in 2015 to just 17% in 2025.

Editors Note: We often post articles form organizations that are known for not supporting Public Ed. We post these for you to read because these are what your public is reading. The folks on your board or coming to your office and at TexasISD.com we think it is important to know and understand both sides of these issues to adequately debate and defend Public Ed.

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Texas education leaders ban foreign exchange students from high school sports

"They are allowed to get on a plane and come across to our state and play immediately, taking the place, many times, of a community kid."  The University Interscholastic League will no longer allow foreign exchange students to take part in varsity sports. view article  

Nacogdoches elementary school unveils new playground to students

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - After years of need and months of preparation, Raguet Elementary has now opened its new playground for all students to enjoy.​   Julia Wells, the principal of Raguet Elementary, said that the new playground for the over 400 students who attend the school was a long time coming.  ​Eight years of wanting change behind the scenes, to the approval for the new Raguet Elementary playground last April, all led to the last three weeks of it all being put together.​  “(It’s) something everyone can enjoy. Every student from our smallest kindergartner to our biggest fifth grader, that everyone has the opportunity, that there’s something that attracts them,” Wells said.​ “To see them enjoying this, my heart is so happy.”​ view article  

SNAP cutoff could hurt Texas grocers and the rest of the economy, experts say

The ongoing government shutdown means more than $600 million per month won’t go to millions of Texas SNAP beneficiaries who pump that money into the state economy. view article  

Houston ISD sues state AG to keep PR firm emails from 13 Investigates

The Houston Independent School District filed a lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General's Office in an attempt to keep public information from our 13 Investigates team. 13 Investigates has been formally requesting information about the district's relationship with the agency for months and hasn't gotten any answers, so sending an open records request for emails was our next move. view article  

Killeen ISD approves school closures, consolidations to save $100 million

The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees approved a series of school closures and consolidations Tuesday designed to save more than $100 million over five years, according to district officials. The optimization plan includes closing three schools at the end of the 2025-2026 school year and making several program changes as part of what district officials call a strategic effort to improve efficiency and strengthen student programs. view article  

Ex-Killeen ISD custodian pleads guilty to illegally re-entering U.S. after deportation

A former Harker Heights High School custodian pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally re-entering the United States after her deportation 14 years ago. Ofelia Negrete-Arriaga, 57, who worked at different times for the Killeen school district for a total of 19 years, faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation after her guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek Gilliland. view article  

Half a million Texans voted in first week of early voting for the Nov. 4 Election

AUSTIN — Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson today released early voting numbers for the first week of early voting ahead of the Nov. 4 Election. Texas counties reported that as of Sunday evening, 561,819 ballots were cast. In-person voting reflected the vast majority of the votes. The vote-by-mail cumulative was 23,510.    “Statewide, Texans are going to the polls to vote on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, and many will also have the opportunity to weigh in on local or special elections,” said Secretary of State Nelson. “Now is a good time for eligible voters to make a plan for voting early or casting their ballot on Election Day.”  view article  

Unpacking the constitutional amendments

Texas Politics Project’s Joshua Blank joins the TribCast to walk through the 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot this November view article  

How a single Fort Worth ISD campus prompted a state takeover

The Texas Education Agency is taking over the Fort Worth Independent School District — a district with more than 70,000 students — because a campus with just over 300 sixth graders repeatedly failed to meet state academic standards. While Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade ultimately set off the state’s ability to intervene, the threat of a state takeover has been looming over the district for nearly two decades — with the first dating back to 2008. The district has a history of struggling to bring students’ grades up across the city, especially at campuses in low-income neighborhoods with large Black and brown populations.   TEA Commissioner Mike Morath announced last week his decision to remove all decision-making power from elected Fort Worth ISD school board members. Soon, the state will replace them with a board of managers and a superintendent handpicked by Morath. The new set of appointed leaders will wield substantial power. They will preside over one of North Texas’ biggest school districts — around 135 campuses — and their responsibilities will range from deciding how to spend the district’s $1 billion budget to hiring the directors who will lead day-to-day operations such as bus transportation and campus maintenance.  view article  

Texas attorney general sues Tylenol company over autism claims

This lawsuit comes a month after U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. updated guidance discouraging pregnant women from taking acetaminophen, citing it as a possible cause of autism.  This lawsuit, the first of its kind from a state government, comes a month after President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced updated guidance discouraging pregnant women from taking acetaminophen, citing it as a possible cause of autism. The announcement set off a wave of controversy in the health care community, and confusion among pregnant women unsure how they should manage fever and pain during pregnancy.  The science around Tylenol and autism is uncertain. While some studies suggest a correlation between taking Tylenol while pregnant and having a child with autism, others have repudiated those findings. Major medical associations rejected Kennedy and Trump’s claims as overly generalized and potentially harmful. view article  

Fort Worth ISD superintendent must reapply for her job as TEA takeover begins

As the Texas Education Agency moves forward with its takeover of Fort Worth ISD, Superintendent Dr. Karen Molinar’s contract will be reviewed in closed-door meetings this week, and she’ll be required to reapply for her position as part of the process. view article  

Celina ISD Employee Arrested for Child Pornography Draws Attention from Attorney General, Lawmakers

State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on October 23, requesting his office “undertake an outside and independent investigation into the shocking reports out of Celina ISD in Collin County.”  view article  

Veteran educator honored for dedication to English language learners

ABILENE, Texas — A longtime Abilene ISD educator was recognized on Saturday for decades of dedication to teaching English as a second language.  Clack Middle School teacher Veronica Long was honored during Summit K-12's annual award ceremony with the Lifetime Achievement Award. view article  

Longview ISD, Kilgore College and UT Tyler set to expand college pathways for Longview students

In a milestone day for education in East Texas, Longview ISD, Kilgore College, and The University of Texas at Tyler formally signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) creating new college pathways for Longview students. The agreement was followed by two major family engagement events that drew hundreds of parents and students eager to learn more about higher education opportunities. view article  

After millions in cuts, Liberty Hill ISD’s Prop A would surge funding to the district

The Liberty Hill Independent School District is asking voters to weigh in on a proposed tax rate increase on Nov. 4. If passed, the measure, which appears on the ballot as Proposition A, would generate an additional $10.7 million in tax revenue for the 2025-26 school year. view article  

Dallas ISD names interim Woodrow Wilson HS principal after ‘incident’ at school

The principal of Dallas ISD's Woodrow Wilson High School has been replaced by an interim leader after three years in the job after a "recent incident" on campus. In a letter to families sent Monday, Aaron Aguirre-Castillo, executive director of the Woodrow Wilson vertical team, said Chandra Hooper-Barnett will be replaced while the district reviews the details of what happened. The incident did "not reflect the values and expectations of our community," the letter reads, but it doesn't include details. view article  

Collinsville baseball coach placed on leave over inappropriate behavior claims

A Collinsville ISD high school baseball coach has been placed on administrative leave over allegations of inappropriate communication with a student. Collinsville ISD superintendent Matthew Davenport confirmed that Collinsville High School baseball coach Derrick Jenkins has been placed on leave after receiving a report of inappropriate communication between Jenkins and a Collinsville ISD student. view article  

Coppell ISD’s former assistant superintendent arrested for theft

Kristen Eichel, Coppell ISD’s former assistant superintendent for administrative services, was arrested Oct. 7 for property theft. According to Denton County bond records, Eichel was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 7 for theft of property valued between $100 and $750. Eichel posted a $1,000 cash bond on Oct. 8 and was released from the Denton County Jail. view article  

Why 81 books are under review in New Braunfels ISD

Students in the New Braunfels Independent School District can once again check out books from their school libraries after a temporary closure last week. The district shut down all campus libraries to review its catalog of materials for compliance with Senate Bill 13, a state law that gives parents more access to what their children read and requires districts to establish a review process for library content. view article  

Checkmate! Thousands of Dallas ISD students learn life lessons through chess

South Oak Cliff High School is known for excellence on the football field, but there's another activity where students excel...chess. "We're on the football team, we're also on the basketball team," SOC football player Criston Ivy said as he played chess. "We're trying everything!" "These are the people that are playing," Chess Club Coach Tyne Thompson said. "It's not just the nerd with a book. Chess is a very inclusive sport, because it is a sport." view article  

Brownsville ISD releases statement on death of security officer

The Brownsville Independent School District issued a statement Monday, saying it is mourning the loss of a middle school security officer. In the statement, the district reports that Ramiro Torres, a security officer at Manzano Middle School, has died. view article  

2 Cedar Hill ISD employees placed on leave amid investigation into allegations involving former students, school official says

Cedar Hill ISD is working with police to investigate allegations involving former students and two of the district's band directors, according to a letter from Cedar Hill High School's principal sent to parents that was obtained by WFAA. According to the letter, the two employees were placed on leave pending the result of the police investigation. The letter stated that there are no allegations involving current students. view article  

The federal shutdown will halt November SNAP benefits. Here’s what you need to know.

In Texas, 3.5 million Texans — including 1.7 million children — rely on SNAP, also referred to as food stamps, each month. view article  

ELECTION 2025 | Fund for dementia research among proposed Texas constitutional amendments

The establishment of state-funded research into dementia and similar maladies is one of 17 propositions before Texas voters next week in the general election.  If approved, the amendment would create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the related Dementia Prevention and Research Fund. The fund would receive an initial injection of $3 billion from the state's general revenue to support research into dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and related disorders.   The institute was proposed by the state Senate during the 89th Legislature. Besides supporting therapies, the fund would back public and private research grants and the purchase or construction of facilities for the institute. view article  

Here are Houston ISD’s top elementary and middle schools for 2026, according to a new ranking

Houston ISD's T.H. Rogers School ranks as the No. 2 middle school in Texas, according to newly released ratings from U.S. News & World Report.  Ten HISD schools — including two K-8 campuses, four elementary schools and four middle schools — made the top 100 in Texas on the outlet's 2026 Best K-8 Schools list. T.H. Rogers, which serves gifted and talented students as well as students with multiple impairments, landed in the top 20 for its elementary and middle school programs.  T.H. Rogers trailed behind only Dallas ISD's William B. Travis Academy/Vanguard for the Academically Talented and Gifted for the state's top middle school slot. Like Travis, T.H. Rogers hosts students within the district's Vanguard program for gifted and talented children. The campus also serves students in the district's program that prepares children with disabilities for independence. view article  

For reasons in and out of its control, AISD enrollment falls to 30-year low

Jessy Reyes didn’t go looking for the neighborhood charter school. Her daughter enjoyed sixth grade at the Austin school district’s Dobie Middle School, where she made friends, learned from her teachers and joined the school band. But in the spring, after hearing from administrators that Dobie could close, Reyes thought she had no other option. She found a charter school and enrolled her daughter there for seventh grade. view article  

When is daylight saving time 2025?

When is daylight saving time 2025? view article  

Texas ranked 3rd least safe state in U.S., WalletHub safety report says. See which is safest

Texas ranked 3rd least safe state in U.S., WalletHub safety report says. See which is safest  The 2025 "Safest States in America" report ranked Texas 48th out of 50, ahead of only Arkansas and Louisiana.   view article