Gov. Abbott Signs Billions in Homeowner, Business Property Tax Relief

Gov. Greg Abbott has signed three measures providing new property tax relief to homeowners and businesses. During a press conference in Denton on Monday, Abbott signed Senate Bill 4, Senate Bill 23, and House Bill 9 into law, which he says will bring the total amount of additional tax relief passed this session up to $10 billion. That number, however, includes some existing property tax relief passed in previous sessions. All three measures in the tax relief package were worked on by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) and State Rep. Morgan Meyer (R–Dallas), who were in attendance at the signing. The first measure signed, SB 4, raises the homestead exemption to $140,000.
Patrick Accuses Abbott of Trying To Legalize Recreational Marijuana in Texas

Gov. Abbott’s veto of legislation banning THC has created a rare public clash between two of the state’s top leaders.
Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes THC ban, calls for regulation instead

The move infuriated Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful head of the Senate, who had called the ban among his top five bills over 17 years in the Legislature.
Did Texas lawmakers do enough for children with disabilities? These child care advocates say no.

Lawmakers added $100 million to a child care scholarship program but failed to expand access to free preschool for children with disabilities. LUFKIN — Texas lawmakers this year added $100 million to a scholarship fund to help families across the state pay for early child care, an extraordinary investment that may ease a waitlist to help thousands of children. However, advocates say legislators fell short in creating more opportunities for the state’s youngest living with disabilities. “Most families with children with disabilities are really struggling in one area, if not multiple,” said Bethany Edwards, director for research and evaluation at the Center for Transforming Lives, a North Texas nonprofit that helps single mothers. Edwards is also a parent of a child with disabilities. “And there's a lot that can happen from a policy standpoint to change these systems, but change seems to happen very slowly,” she said.
Gov. Greg Abbott orders special legislative session after vetoing 26 bills

Abbott will call lawmakers back to Austin to tackle Senate Bill 3, a proposed ban on THC products that he vetoed, as well as five others from his veto list.
Texas Gov Signs Bill Requiring Ten Commandments in Public School Classrooms

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that would require all public school classrooms in his state to display the biblical Ten Commandments. The law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1, requires classrooms to display a poster or framed English translation of the commandments that is at least 16-by-20 inches and is able to be read from anywhere in the classroom. Texas has more than 5.5 million students throughout its more than 9,000 public schools.

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Harlandale Independent School District Superintendent Gerardo Soto was named the region’s superintendent of the year by the Texas Association of School Boards.

July 0108:53 AM

Harlandale Independent School District Superintendent Gerardo Soto was named the region’s superintendent of the year by the Texas Association of School Boards. Region 20 includes all school districts in Bexar County, stretches out toward Kerr and Atascosa counties and reaches parts of the Southwest Texas border. Each year, the TASB picks one superintendent from each region to recognize “achievement and excellence in public school administration.” “I’m honored to serve a community that believes so deeply in the power of education,” Soto said in a statement after his family, campus leadership and school board members surprised him with the announcement on Tuesday morning. view article

Texas schools still struggle with deficits despite HB 2 funding boost

July 0108:51 AM

Many local school districts expect to collect millions from House Bill 2, an $8.5 billion funding package passed through the Texas Legislature and signed into law by the governor this month. The bill was the first comprehensive funding package state lawmakers have passed since 2019, though districts have received funding increases in areas such as tutoring, instructional materials and school safety. For many districts in Central Texas, HB 2 will provide some relief after two years of budget slashing, campus closures and staff layoffs. Despite the infusion of state funding, many local school leaders are still turning their attention to austerity measures next year to reduce lingering budget deficits. view article

Texas lawmakers have gotten used to state budget surpluses. That era may be ending.

July 0108:46 AM

The era of massive state budget surpluses in Texas could be coming to an end. As the last of the federal government’s COVID-19 emergency funds are spent and sales tax revenues return to historic averages after a large spike, budget analysts say state lawmakers will have far less wiggle room when it comes to funding their spending priorities. “I don’t think we’re in any kind of crisis, but I think the days of big budget surpluses are probably over,” said Bill King, a fellow in public finance for Rice University’s Baker Institute of Public Policy. “We’re going to be very careful how we spend money.” In addition to federal pandemic aid, sales tax revenues from inflation and a post-lockdown economic rebound led to state budget surpluses. Texas lawmakers leaned on a $33 billion surplus in 2023 to pay for an $18 billion property tax-cut package, a $5 billion infusion for the new Texas Energy Fund and a host of infrastructure projects. Lawmakers entered this year’s legislative session with a $24 billion surplus, which helped to maintain previous tax-cuts; upgrade energy, water and broadband infrastructure; and cover other new spending items in the upcoming two-year budget cycle. view article

Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election for open state Senate seat

July 0108:46 AM

The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures. view article

Texas schools still struggle with deficits despite HB 2 funding boost

July 0108:40 AM

Up in the air: Pasadena City Council member Bianca Valerio wins coin flip to retain seat

July 0108:31 AM

Many forms of gambling are outlawed in Texas, but chance decided who would represent District B on the Pasadena City Council. The seat was chosen Monday by a coin toss – incumbent council member Bianca Valerio was sworn in for another term minutes after successfully calling heads at Pasadena City Hall, located about 20 miles southeast of Houston. "I freak out when I lose $20, so to lose an entire position of representation, it's a lot to put on the line," Valerio said after the toss. "And it's not something that I can work for – that's what's really important to me. I would have rather had the chance to go and campaign again and get some more (votes), but that wasn't an option this time." view article

As Birdwell plans retirement from Senate, Cook launches campaign to be his successor

July 0108:31 AM

AUSTIN — In a further reshuffling of Tarrant County’s legislative delegation, state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, announced his plans to retire after 15 years in the Texas Legislature’s upper chamber while Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, unveiled his candidacy for Birdwell’s seat. Birdwell’s planned departure deals a second blow to Tarrant County’s seniority in the Republican-led Senate, coming just over a week after former Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, resigned from his North Texas Senate seat to become head of the Texas comptroller’s office. view article

Parents sue Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD over school closures

July 0108:27 AM

A group of parents is suing Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD for allegedly violating the state open meetings laws ahead of a vote earlier this year to permanently close four schools. The lawsuit alleges trustees and district officials abandoned community recommendations for their own benefit and discussed a consolidation plan in private as they moved ahead with closing Central, Furneaux and McCoy elementaries and Long Middle School, and redrawing attendance zones. view article

Humble ISD officials approve 3% on-average raises for most staff members in FY 2025-26

July 0108:23 AM

Raises for most Humble ISD employees will range between 3%-7% in fiscal year 2025-26, HISD Chief Financial Officer Billy Beattie said during a June 17 meeting. Trustees approved HISD's budget and compensation plan for FY 2025-26 during the meeting. According to budget documents, the adopted general fund budget for FY 2025-26 includes $543.6 million in expenses, $543.7 million in revenue and a proposed tax rate of $1.1052 per $100 valuation-the same as FY 2024-25. view article

MAP: How your school is rated as Austin ISD faces possible state intervention

July 0108:22 AM

The Austin Independent School District’s Board of Trustees approved plans for how it hopes to turn around three middle schools on track to receive a third failing state accountability rating soon. The district risks its school board being temporarily replaced by a state-appointed board of managers if any single campus racks up five consecutive failing scores. The ratings for each individual campus are calculated by looking at performance in several areas: view article

Tensions are growing at Judson ISD. Here’s what to know about Superintendent Milton Fields.

July 0108:20 AM

Judson Independent School District Superintendent Milton Fields has faced a series of challenges since his appointment in 2023, from a historic budget deficit to a divided board. The last few weeks have been especially turbulent, as a newly formed board majority has pressured the administration to offset a projected $40 million shortfall next year. Last week, the board met four times to continue debating cost-cutting measures. view article

As ESAs reshape Texas schools, Northside ISD responds by opening its enrollment

July 0105:20 AM

With the passage of education savings accounts and enrollment decreases in San Antonio’s biggest school districts, it’s no surprise that “school choice” has become more competitive for public and private schools alike. Northside Independent School District, the largest district in San Antonio, recently started “Excellence Without Boundaries,” an open enrollment program allowing any student in the San Antonio area to apply to attend any one of its schools. While the district has long housed magnet schools and in-district charters that enroll students regardless of their address, Superintendent John Craft said it was the “right time” to go ahead with a more competitive strategy. view article

Texas medical marijuana industry to push for hemp age restrictions and delta-8 ban

July 0105:00 AM

Texas’ medical marijuana dispensaries entered into this year’s legislative session with a two-prong strategy to expand: to loosen the state's rules on their industry that has made the program largely inaccessible to those who need it and to eliminate the competition, consumable hemp, which has been allowed to proliferate unregulated, cannibalizing users and profits. The medical marijuana industry, also known as the Compassionate Use Program, notched victories on both fronts with state lawmakers, but, on the latter, failed to win over the man who has the ultimate say — Gov. Greg Abbott. Now that the governor has vetoed a bill that would have criminalized the sale and possession of hemp-derived THC, medical marijuana dispensaries fear they can’t continue to operate if Texas doesn’t agree to heavily regulate the hemp industry or at least, give the medical program the same freedom. “I was surprised, just extremely surprised and borderline in disbelief when I heard about the veto,” said Nico Richardson, CEO of Texas Original, a Central Texas medical marijuana company. "The expansion [to the medical marijuana program] was meant to include the hemp restrictions." view article

Texas education board approves Native Studies course, skirting concerns about state’s K-12 DEI ban

July 0105:00 AM

The long-awaited vote survived objections from the panel’s most right-leaning Republicans, who criticized the lessons as “un-American woke indoctrination.” The Texas State Board of Education on Friday renewed an elective course that teaches high school students about the history and cultures of Indigenous peoples, overcoming criticism from some Republican members about potentially violating a state ban on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The American Indian/Native Studies course gained reapproval on a bipartisan 9-5 vote, a long-awaited decision that will allow Texas public schools to offer the class for state credits. Republicans LJ Francis, Brandon Hall, Tom Maynard, Julie Pickren and Audrey Young voted against it. Advocates for the ethnic studies course have repeatedly shown up to quarterly state board meetings throughout the last year, pleading for Republican board chair Aaron Kinsey, who did not cast a vote, to put it on the panel’s agenda. The Grand Prairie Independent School District, near Dallas, is the only district to have piloted the class. Friday’s vote opens it up to the rest of the state. view article

Katy ISD’s 2025-26 compensation plan removes benchmark raises, opts for staff raises

June 3010:00 AM

Veteran teachers in Katy ISD will no longer receive benchmark raises in the 2025-26 school year. Instead, the district will use the funds to provide raises and stipends for new teachers and other employees not covered by the state’s $28.9 million compensation package for the district. view article

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Here’s how much HISD teachers will be paid in 2025-26

June 3009:29 AM

The Houston Independent School District has released its 2025–2026 Compensation Plan, outlining changes that will tie teacher pay increases to performance evaluations rather than years of service. The plan continues the district’s ongoing shift toward performance-based compensation and comes as HISD implements broader reforms across the school system. view article

Parents Praise Passage of Protections From Sexual Predators in Schools

June 3008:46 AM

An army of advocates worked with lawmakers to protect students from sexual abuse and exploitation. Parent advocates are praising a series of reforms designed to protect Texas children from sexualization and sexual predators in public schools, making education officials live up to their frequent claim that “student safety is our top priority.” An army of grassroots activists, parents, and survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of educators worked with state lawmakers before and during the 89th Legislative Session to ensure passage of measures to keep kids safe in taxpayer-funded schools. Gov. Greg Abbott has now signed the bills, adding his stamp of approval to the measures. view article

US Supreme Court Upholds Texas Age-Verification Law for Online Porn Sites

June 3008:35 AM

The Court found that the law is a constitutionally permissible exercise of the state’s authority to protect children from sexually explicit content. In a win for protecting children from the harmful effects of pornography, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification to access X-rated content online. Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the 6-3 opinion finding that the state’s age verification law, known as House Bill 1181, does not unconstitutionally burden First Amendment-protected free speec view article

Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election for open state Senate seat

June 3008:31 AM

The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures. The contest coincides with the state’s November uniform election, when voters across Texas will already be at the polls to decide local offices and ballot measures. view article

Conroe ISD weighs 6% raises for teachers and staff

June 3008:26 AM

In a budget presentation June 24, the Conroe ISD board of trustees discussed a 2025-26 compensation plan including 6% raises for teachers and staff and a 4% raise for police and other administrative positions. view article

El Paso ISD struggles with career readiness; just 16% of seniors earn certifications

June 3008:26 AM

They’ve crossed the stage, diploma in hand. But for most seniors in the El Paso Independent School District, something is missing: a career credential that proves they’re ready for work. Newly released district data from the June 18 school board meeting shows that just 16% of EPISD seniors in the Class of 2025 earned an industry-based certification, or IBC. view article

Austin ISD approves new budget with a $47M deficit, despite new state funding

June 3008:25 AM

Austin ISD trustees have approved a new budget for the 2025–26 school year, one that still leaves the district tens of millions of dollars in the red. Despite months of cost-cutting, layoffs, and new state funding, the budget closes with a $47.3 million deficit. That includes a $19.7 million shortfall in the district’s general fund, which pays for daily operations like teacher salaries, transportation, and school services. view article

Seguin ISD to consider zoo school partnership at SOLC

June 3008:25 AM

The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees is set to consider tonight what district officials say could be a new exciting early childhood education initiative. Trustees will review a proposed partnership pilot between Seguin ISD and the Will Smith Zoo School (WSZS), an innovative early learning program operated by the San Antonio Zoo. If approved, the partnership would establish a nature-based pre-kindergarten program at the district’s Irma Lewis Outdoor Learning Center (ILOLC), along with co-enrollment opportunities for Seguin ISD students at the WSZS campus in San Antonio. view article

Keller ISD plans for $150K surplus for 2025-26 school year budget

June 3008:25 AM

The board of trustees adopted the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year during a special board meeting June 26 for $413.4 million. Chief Operations Officer John Allison said the budget is required to include a general, debt service and child nutrition fund. view article

Parents sue Houston ISD over child’s use of different pronouns

June 3008:25 AM

A new lawsuit against the Houston Independent School District (HISD) is accusing the district of using a name and pronouns that does not match the child's assigned sex at birth –a case that could have severe implications for Texas educators. Two parents have filed a lawsuit alleging that several HISD employees referred to their child, who attends Bellaire High School, with he/him pronouns and a different name. view article

‘Unjust’: Judson ISD board cuts pre-K program, staff positions, athletics to offset deficit’

June 3008:25 AM

The Judson Independent School District board is cutting early childhood education, athletics, staff positions and employee workdays in an effort to offset a historic budget deficit. The board has undergone a dramatic shift since the May 3 election, with the addition of three new trustees who ran campaigns on the need to address the district’s fiscal crisis more aggressively. At the behest of a new majority and its pariah-turned-presiding president, the seven-member board has spent the last month working tirelessly to reduce expenses. view article

2 accused in Longview ISD elementary abuse case wants charges tried separately

June 3008:25 AM

Two women accused in the abuse of multiple disabled Longview elementary students are asking their charges be tried separately. Cassandra Renee James, 51, of Hallsville, and Linda Kaye Brown Lister, 63, of Longview, are each charged with 18 counts related to child abuse. They are two of six people accused of abusing 11 students at J.L. Everhart Elementary from 2019 to 2021. view article

Howe ISD head coach accused of child sex crimes

June 3008:25 AM

Head coach and athletic director Andrew Harvey was arrested by the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. He’s charged with online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct, sale/distribution/display of harmful material to a minor and solicitation of prostitution person under 18. Howe ISD said in a release to parents that Harvey was placed on administrative leave immediately after they were notified of the charges, and he is not permitted on district property, nor is he allowed to have contact with students or faculty at this time. view article

Health reason forces Dallas ISD’s “Animal Man” to leave the classroom for good

June 3008:24 AM

Harry Monroe has been an educator for 51 years. He spent 33 of those with the Dallas Independent School District. Now, he's leaving for health reasons. It may not be the retirement chapter Monroe envisioned, but he lived to see it. For that, he's grateful. "I consider myself the last of the dinosaurs," Monroe said. view article

Dallas ISD cellphone ban to start this fall. See possible fines for students, parents

June 3008:24 AM

The Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a new cellphone ban, which will take effect this fall. The decision comes in response to House Bill 1481, which requires all school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt policies prohibiting the use of personal communication devices during the school day on school property. view article

Comal ISD board approves pay increase for district employees for 2025-26 school year

June 3008:24 AM

The Comal Independent School District board of trustees approved pay increases for all teachers and staff members on Thursday, according to a news release. The raises are part of the district’s $341 million budget for the 2025-26 school year and were made possible by Texas House Bill 2 and the Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA). view article

Dallas ISD board approves cell phone ban

June 3008:22 AM

The Dallas Independent School District board early Friday approved a new cell phone ban ahead of the statewide policy that's also set to go into effect this upcoming school year. Dallas ISD experimented with different ways to keep cell phones out of the classroom, but now that it is state law, the school board moved quickly to approve a new district wide policy. view article

Texas Water Development Board Declares Interregional Water Conflict

June 3005:10 AM

The Texas Water Development Board has declared an interregional conflict between water Region C and Region D over the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir. According to the Texas Water Code, if a water region planning group voices that an interregional water conflict exists with another region group in the development of its proposed water plan, the Texas Water Development Board is responsible for determining the validity of the claim. If a conflict does exist, the board is to coordinate mediation between the two water region groups. view article

Texas To Become ‘Bitcoin Sanctuary’

June 3005:04 AM

Cryptocurrency advocates rejoice as Texas invests in Bitcoin. view article

Texas capital murder case attempts to severely punish abortion pill use by treating a fetus as a person

June 3005:00 AM

A North Texas man charged with capital murder after slipping mifepristone into his girlfriend’s food signals another attempt to rein in abortion pills. A North Texas man charged with capital murder this month after he allegedly slipped his girlfriend abortion-inducing medication and caused a miscarriage marks the first time a murder charge has been brought in an abortion-related case in Texas. The case tests a new method for reining in abortion pills — by threatening to prosecute individuals who provide them with the most severe criminal charge — while advancing the longstanding legal provision that defines an embryo as a person, legal experts say. The latter could raise serious implications about the legality of fertility treatments and in other legal realms such as criminal and immigration issues. “It is shocking to people that the law can be used this way… that this is the extent and result of the more than 20 year old fetal personhood laws,” said Blake Rocap, a Texas attorney who works in abortion rights advocacy and studies pregnancy criminalization. Legal experts say the case will not change Texas laws that prevent women who receive abortions from being prosecuted. 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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