What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.
How Odyssey rose from tech startup to manager of Texas’ $1B school voucher program

When Texas chose a company to roll out the state’s $1 billion private school voucher program, it passed over more established vendors in favor of a four-year-old tech startup that said it could do it for almost half the cost. Now, Odyssey must execute on its promises to meet an aggressive timeline while avoiding missteps that have dogged other program launches. The New York-based company has rapidly expanded in recent years, launching programs in eight states that subsidize students’ private education costs with taxpayer dollars.
Lt. Gov. Patrick Counters Abbott’s Plan to Reduce Property Taxes

Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, has proposed tackling rising appraisals and local tax increases. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a property tax reform plan aimed at increasing the homestead exemption for millions of Texas homeowners. The plan falls short of many of the elements of the property tax cut proposal introduced by Gov. Greg Abbott just last month. At a Tuesday press conference, Patrick outlined reforms that build on past efforts to raise homestead exemptions. He also introduced a new initiative known as “Operation Double Nickel.”
Paxton Launches Financial Transparency Investigation Into Nearly 1,000 Cities

Attorney General Ken Paxton is escalating his confrontation with local governments over property tax compliance, launching a sweeping investigation into nearly 1,000 Texas cities. This comes just months after previously ordering four municipalities to pause their newly adopted tax rates amid allegations of audit violations. Paxton’s office said the widened review is aimed at ensuring strict adherence to Senate Bill 1851, the new state law that bars any city out of audit compliance from raising property taxes above the no-new-revenue rate.
UNT is the first college in the state to get a naloxone vending machine

The University of North Texas is the first public college in Texas to get a free naloxone vending machine, and Regan Browne, director of the Recovery and Intervention Support and Education Center — called RISE — considers it a win. Browne is new to the director’s chair at RISE, and she was among locals who attended the unveiling of a naloxone vending machine at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, a storied Denton music venue, in June. A teen survived an overdose there in April because a quick-thinking patron knew the signs and administered naloxone, the generic form of the brand-name drug Narcan. Naloxone is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of opioids, even a potentially lethal dose.
A slate of new Texas laws go into effect December and January. Here’s what to watch.

Dozens of new Texas laws will take effect in December and January, bringing wide-ranging changes to the state’s education system, law enforcement, taxes and more. Over 800 laws from this year’s regular legislative session already took effect on Sept. 1, but more measures from that period as well as the second special session will soon activate. Some also had to wait for voters’ approval, such as more tax exemption for businesses’ inventory.

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What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year

January 0508:43 AM

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually. view article

Preventive Law:Celebrate the Holidays

December 0208:35 AM

My favorite article that I have written over the years is one on official state holidays and recognitions. I find it fascinating to see which lobbyists succeed in recognitions for their cause. I look at this calendar and wonder why Monarch butterflies and veterinarian technicians get their own week, Lung Cancers Awareness gets only one day, Gold Star mothers get a day but not fathers, and there are no recognition days in December? Did you know that the 11 th day of each month is a recognition “day?”

Judson ISD school board postpones decision on cutting Spanish Immersion Program

January 0709:00 AM

A spirited discussion and new economic figures prompted the majority of the Judson Independent School District’s school board to table a vote on whether to eliminate the Spanish Immersion Program at one of its elementary schools. Four of the seven board trustees voted in favor of postponing action during the district’s school board meeting on Thursday night. view article

James Talarico reports raising nearly $7 million, continuing cash influx to U.S. Senate bid

January 0709:00 AM

His primary opponent U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, said in a statement that every quarter last year was a record one for her as a fundraiser, but did not say how much she had hauled. view article

Officer did nothing until it was too late during Uvalde school shooting, prosecutor says

January 0708:40 AM

CORPUS CHRISTI — In the crucial, chaotic minutes before a gunman in Uvalde began firing inside an elementary school, a police officer now accused of failing to protect the children stood by without making a move to prevent the carnage, a prosecutor told a jury Tuesday. School officer Adrian Gonzales arrived at the scene of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history while the teenage assailant was still outside the building. But he did not try to distract or engage him, even when a teacher pointed out the direction of the shooter, special prosecutor Bill Turner said during opening statements of a criminal trial. view article

Texas teachers union files lawsuit against TEA over Charlie Kirk investigations

January 0708:35 AM

One of the state's top teachers unions filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to block the Texas Education Agency's investigation into public educators who commented negatively about Charlie Kirk after his assassination, saying the probe has “unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers” by their local school districts. “Texas AFT members have been placed on administrative leave, reprimanded, and even in some cases terminated for expressing their views about Mr. Kirk and other matters of public concern in social media posts made on their own time,” the filing states. The lawsuit, filed in federal court by the American Federation of Teachers’ Texas chapter, alleges the TEA investigations infringe on educators’ First Amendment rights and exercise of free speech on social media, including on their private accounts. The group represents roughly 66,000 educators in the state. The state agency launched the inquiry last fall and has yet to dole out any disciplinary action. view article

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Arlington ISD about First Amendment, retaliation

January 0708:27 AM

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Arlington ISD over a resident’s complaints about the district’s grievance process and transparency. Plaintiff David Jarvis, a retired attorney, said he doesn’t plan to appeal the ruling, but he would use the outcome to push for Texas lawmakers to change state law about how school districts handle grievances. view article

Odem-Edroy ISD student charged with indecency with a child after reported assault on district school bus

January 0708:24 AM

An 18-year-old Odem-Edroy ISD student has been arrested following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault that occurred aboard a district school bus returning from a basketball game in Hebbronville. view article

Bonham ISD holds ribbon cutting for new junior high school

January 0708:24 AM

(Video Only) view article

Connally ISD not appealing TEA takeover; parent applies for role on new board of managers

January 0708:24 AM

A spokesperson with Connally ISD told 25 News on Tuesday the district will not be appealing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) decision to oversee the district following several district campuses not meeting state standards in recent years. Officials with the TEA also updating 25 News on Tuesday and said there is now new information at this time regarding future steps for the takeover. view article

‘Ripped out of his chair’: Parent says arrested Watts Elementary School educator assaulted students

January 0708:21 AM

Three former employees at Watts Elementary School in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District were arrested and charged with felonies on Dec. 29 in connection with a misconduct investigation. Jessica Longo and Veronica Guerra-Ulrich were charged with unlawful restraint, a state jail felony. Julia Cantu was charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony. view article

Former Azle ISD student sues district, officials over alleged sexual abuse by coach

January 0708:20 AM

Azle ISD is hoping to get a lawsuit against them dismissed as a former student seeks damages for alleged sexual abuse by a district coach. The attorney for the victim told FOX 4 he believes the evidence in the case will be enough for a judge to deny the motions made by Azle ISD and other officials, and allow the case to move forward to trial. view article

Seguin ISD Details Campus, District Level Strategy to Improve Academic Performance

January 0708:20 AM

The Seguin ISD is working to improve the academic achievement of all students at all of its campuses. The district recently released its plans to improve performance within the state’s accountability measures. Superintendent Jack Lee says the district is taking a strategic approach to improving academic performance across its campuses. Dr. Lee says there must be a critical focus on leadership at both the campus and district level, along with a clear and sustained commitment to teacher support. He says those elements are essential to driving meaningful change across the district. He went on to layout the full strategy during a recent meeting of the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees. view article

Aging bus fleet to potentially put La Joya ISD in financial straits

January 0708:19 AM

La Joya ISD faces a possible $20 million price tag on replacement school buses due to questionable decisions from previous administrations. Chief of Operations & Infrastructure S.B. Pierson stated that La Joya ISD must replace about 80% of its aging bus fleet within the next three to five years. With 168 buses in-house and $150,000 per bus (not accounting for yearly cost increases), the district is looking at a hefty financial investment they need to start addressing soon. view article

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Families can soon apply for Texas’ $1 billion school voucher program. Here’s how it works

January 0708:18 AM

Applications for Texas Education Freedom Accounts can be submitted starting Feb. 4. The initiative reshapes how families can use public education dollars and sparks debate over equity, oversight and cost. view article

Pearland ISD leads Houston area in average SAT Scores

January 0708:16 AM

Pearland ISD received the highest average Scholastic Assessment Score, or SAT, in the Houston area, according to data from the Texas Education Agency. The district outperformed all 24 school districts in Region IV, TEA’s service region that includes the Houston metro, across all SAT subjects, surpassing state and national averages. The district’s average score increased slightly from 1147 in 2023 to 1158 in 2024. view article

Pre-K expansion and budgets: 2 key updates from Lake Travis-Westlake ISDs

January 0708:14 AM

Following the Eanes ISD board of trustees’ Nov. 18 discussion on four potential budget optimization packages, a ThoughtExchange survey opened from Nov. 20-Dec. 5 to gauge the community's thoughts on potential next steps to reduce future projected multimillion dollar budget shortfalls. view article

Frisco ISD Expands Course Options With New Offerings

January 0708:11 AM

Students planning for the 2026–27 school year in Frisco Independent School District will have more academic choices than ever, thanks to new course offerings and expanded flexible learning options through the Frisco Flex program. According to the district, the updates are designed to give students greater control over how they learn while still meeting graduation requirements and preparing for college, careers or industry certifications. view article

Sherman ISD parents to vote on a proposed 2026-27 schedule

January 0708:05 AM

Staff with Sherman ISD are asking parents for feedback on 2 proposed calendars for the 2026-27 school year. Both options are posted on the district's website and differ in the number of instructional days, daily class time, and built-in planning time for staff. Through the survey, staff at the district will determine if the duration of the school day will remain the same — or be shortened by 10 minutes. view article

Uvalde trial takes dramatic turn as key witness changes testimony

January 0705:00 AM

CORPUS CHRISTI — The trial of a former Uvalde school district police officer accused of child endangerment in the Robb Elementary shooting took an unexpected turn Tuesday after testimony from a teacher prompted defense objections and halted proceedings for the day. The shooting on May 24, 2022 killed 19 children and two teachers. Stephanie Hale, a former teacher at the school, testified that she saw the gunman on the south side of the campus — the same area where former Uvalde CISD officer Adrian Gonzales was located. Defense attorneys immediately objected, arguing Hale’s testimony differed from statements she gave to a Texas Ranger during a 2022 legislative investigation. The jury was dismissed until Thursday while attorneys prepare arguments on motions related to the testimony. Judge Sid Harle is scheduled to hear those arguments Wednesday, without the jury present. The defense has raised the possibility of a mistrial. view article

From school vouchers to flood warning systems, these are the Texas developments to watch in 2026

January 0705:00 AM

On top of dozens of laws taking effect on Jan. 1 and the incoming midterm elections, the new year also comes with developments on numerous policy issues affecting the state. They range from criminal justice to education to international trade, setting up a year that could bring about sweeping changes for Texans. Here are some important issues to watch in 2026. view article

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz wants legal status for migrant workers in struggling construction industry

January 0705:00 AM

South Texas builders said a growing number of ICE arrests at construction sites have made it difficult for work to continue. U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz promised to explore new ways for migrants to work legally in the construction industry. The Edinburg Republican announced on Monday her plans to meet with the U.S. Department of Labor, after South Texas builders voiced frustration with how immigration arrests at construction sites were negatively impacting their industry. De La Cruz suggested the U.S. should create a special visa program for construction workers, similar to the H-2A visa program that allows foreign nationals to work in the agriculture sector. “We’d like to see where the construction industry would fit,” De La Cruz said. President Donald Trump won reelection after promising to step up deportations. During the last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have arrested more than 9,100 people in South Texas alone. view article

Jury seated in trial for ex-officer accused in police response to Uvalde school shooting

January 0705:00 AM

Former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales faces 29 counts of child endangerment for those killed and hurt in the 2022 shooting. CORPUS CHRISTI — A Texas judge seated a jury Monday in the trial of a former school police officer in Uvalde who was part of the hesitant law enforcement response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history and has been charged with failing to protect children from the gunman. Adrian Gonzales, one of the first officers to respond to the 2022 attack, is charged with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment in a rare prosecution of an officer accused of not doing more to save lives. Authorities waited more than an hour to confront the teenage shooter who killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary. view article

Texas teachers union sues state education agency for investigating social media posts about Charlie Kirk

January 0705:00 AM

The Texas Education Agency received hundreds of complaints about educators’ online reactions to the conservative activist’s death. One of Texas’ largest teacher unions wants a federal court to block Education Commissioner Mike Morath and the state education agency from investigating teachers accused of making inappropriate remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination on social media, saying the act violates legally protected speech. A lawsuit the Texas American Federation of Teachers filed Jan. 6 argues that Morath “unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers” when he urged school districts to report “reprehensible and inappropriate” content about Kirk’s killing last year. view article

Breaking News: Texas teachers union files lawsuit over Charlie Kirk investigations

January 0705:00 AM

Three Austin ISD elementary schools receive social media threat

January 0704:00 AM

Three Austin ISD elementary schools receive social media threat AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District said Tuesday afternoon that the FBI warned them that a social media user made threats against 14 Texas schools, three of which are within the district. Those schools were Andrews, Baranoff and Barrington elementary schools, according to a letter shared by the district. The district didn’t provide the names of any other Texas schools included in the FBI’s warning. The FBI sent a statement to KXAN saying it’s aware of the online threats directed to the AISD schools. view article

From school vouchers to flood warning systems, these are the Texas developments to watch in 2026

January 0609:00 AM

After Minnesota Scandal, Abbott Orders Review of Texas Child Care Program

January 0608:45 AM

In a letter sent Monday to the Texas Workforce Commission and the Health and Human Services Commission, Abbott ordered the agencies to expand anti-fraud efforts and launch investigations into any misuse of taxpayer funds within the state’s Child Care Services program. “Recently, the Trump Administration and independent journalists have discovered potential systematic fraud in subsidized childcare systems of other states,” Abbott wrote, adding that such conduct “will never be tolerated in Texas.” view article

School resumes Jan. 6 in Georgetown ISD, other dates to know

January 0608:40 AM

Here are some important dates to know in Georgetown ISD as students head back for the spring semester. What you need to know: Students will return to classrooms in GISD Jan. 6, following the holiday break. view article

Jury seated in trial for ex-officer accused in police response to Uvalde school shooting

January 0608:40 AM

CORPUS CHRISTI — A Texas judge seated a jury Monday in the trial of a former school police officer in Uvalde who was part of the hesitant law enforcement response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history and has been charged with failing to protect children from the gunman. Adrian Gonzales, one of the first officers to respond to the 2022 attack, is charged with 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment in a rare prosecution of an officer accused of not doing more to save lives. Authorities waited more than an hour to confront the teenage shooter who killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary. Gonzales has pleaded not guilty, and his attorney has said the officer tried to save children that day. view article

Computers out, cursive in: Missouri lawmaker proposes bill to cut screen time, return to paper

January 0608:31 AM

Missouri’s proposed “Hands-On Learning Restoration Act” aims to put the state into the national spotlight of educational reform as literacy rates drop. Missouri State Representative Tricia Byrnes (R-Wentzville) pre-filed HB 2230 in response to ongoing national concerns of increasing screen time and decreasing educational outcomes amongst youth. view article

Jury selected from hundreds in trial testing accountability after Uvalde shooting

January 0608:30 AM

A jury has been selected in the trial of a former Uvalde school district police officer charged in connection with the law enforcement response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. On Monday, more than 400 potential jurors were questioned about their knowledge of the failed police response to one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history. From that pool, 12 jurors and four alternates were selected for the trial. Opening statements are set for Tuesday morning. The trial was moved from Uvalde to Nueces County, where it is being held in Corpus Christi, after a judge determined it would be difficult to seat an impartial jury in Uvalde. view article

Abbott directs agencies to increase anti-fraud measures for Texas child care programs

January 0608:30 AM

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants state agencies to implement new “strong anti-fraud measures” to a program designed to help low-income families pay for child care. The call for increased scrutiny follows the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal funding to Child Care Services programs due to a viral video claiming widespread fraud in Minnesota. In a letter sent Monday to the heads of the Texas Workforce Commission and Health and Human Services Commission, Abbott directs the agencies to identify “high-risk providers” participating in the program and conduct additional site visits “Texas’ percentage of improper payment rates is 0.43 percent, compared to Minnesota’s approximately 11 percent according to the most recently available federal data,” Abbott wrote in the letter. “However, more can be done to protect Texas children and taxpayers.” view article

Here’s your Texas 2026 March primary ballot

January 0608:30 AM

Texas will hold its 2026 primary elections on March 3. Here are all of the candidates who have filed for the Democratic and Republican primary elections, according to the Secretary of State. Voters in each primary will choose which candidates they want to represent their party in the November general election. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order in this ballot guide. Elections in Texas are run by the 254 counties, and each county determines the order of candidates on the ballots printed there. To see each county’s ballot order, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s site. 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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