Galveston ISD becomes latest local school district to reject daily prayer periods, Bible readings

Houston ISD and several other area districts have voted against adopting designated prayer sessions, which are optional for students and staff under Senate Bill 11, while Magnolia ISD has approved them. All Texas districts face a March 1 deadline to make a decision about whether or not to implement them. Galveston ISD on Wednesday became the latest local school district to reject school prayer periods, which are permitted by a new Texas law.
Tyler-area school districts evaluate ties with Lifetouch amid corporate controversy

Several East Texas school districts are considering reviewing or terminating their contracts with Lifetouch following public scrutiny of the company’s corporate ownership. The controversy stems from alleged financial ties between Leon Black, the former CEO of Lifetouch’s parent firm, and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. Following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in late 2025, mandating the release of millions of previously sealed Department of Justice records, and the recent 3.5 million-page “document dump” of the files, the public has raised concerns about any entities with ties to the individual named in the Epstein files. Read more at: https://tylerpaper.com/2026/02/17/tyler-area-school-districts-evaluate-ties-with-lifetouch-amid-corporate-controversy/ Black was recently mentioned in the newly released files. He resigned from Apollo in 2021. at: https://tylerpaper.com/2026/02/17/tyler-area-school-districts-evaluate-ties-with-lifetouch-amid-corporate-controversy/
READ! How Radioactive Oil and Gas Waste Could Lie Beneath a North Texas Elementary School

On a cold winter morning in Johnson County, at the southwestern edge of the booming Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, 52-year-old Lee Oldham stands beside the Pleasant View Elementary School and wonders what the drilling waste he helped lay underneath might mean for the children inside. Surrounding the school is the partially complete 2,500-home Silo Mills development that will supply it with children and that is also built atop drilling waste, according to satellite maps and interviews. The first families moved in two years ago.
Students describe barricading classroom doors as nine killed and 25 injured in Canada shootings

A student describes how he and his classmates barricaded the classroom doors with tables during a deadly shooting in western Canada Nine people have been killed and at least 25 injured in attacks at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in British Colombia - here's how they unfolded Six victims were found dead inside the school, which is around 415 miles north of Vancouver. A seventh died on the way to hospital
Commissioner Morath names Levi Fuller Inspector General for Educator Misconduct

AUSTIN, Texas – February 4, 2026 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today announced the selection of Levi Fuller as Inspector General for Educator Misconduct. As Inspector General, Fuller will closely oversee the enforcement of Educator Misconduct policies and processes within TEA to help foster safe learning environments for all of Texas’ nearly 5.5 million public school students. “I look forward to the impactful work Levi Fuller will do in service of our students, families and school systems,” said Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. “With more than a decade of experience holding bad actors accountable, Levi will help root out the flawed few that sew distrust among families and school communities while helping to restore confidence in the teaching profession.”
To avoid state takeovers, Texas districts are spending millions to outsource struggling schools. Here’s how it works.

Longer school days. Fewer electives. Improved test scores, at least for a time. Inside the pricey new experiment aimed at turning around schools with failing grades. WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Texas school districts are opting to outsource their failing campuses to third-party operators in a little-known, but increasingly common attempt to avoid state takeovers, a WFAA investigation found. In exchange for paying millions to a third party with the promise of improved accountability scores, the TEA grants a two-year reprieve from state intervention and sends the district additional public education funds to help cover the cost. In these scenarios, superintendents and school boards keep their jobs and retain at least partial local control over their schools — all of which would be at risk with a state takeover. Texas school districts are opting to outsource their failing campuses to third-party operators in a little-known, but increasingly common attempt to avoid state takeovers, a WFAA investigation found. In exchange for paying millions to a third party with the promise of improved accountability scores, the TEA grants a two-year reprieve from state intervention and sends the district additional public education funds to help cover the cost. In these scenarios, superintendents and school boards keep their jobs and retain at least partial local control over their schools — all of which would be at risk with a state takeover.

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Texas Detransitioner Urges Court to Let Her Malpractice Lawsuit Proceed

February 1208:30 AM

Detransitioner Soren Aldaco spoke on the steps of the Texas Capitol Wednesday morning prior to oral arguments in her medical malpractice case being heard before the Supreme Court of Texas. During the press conference hosted by Protecting Texas Children (PTC), speakers highlighted the significance of Aldaco’s case. Aldaco is seeking over $1 million in damages from a transgender clinic, claiming medical malpractice. The Court is currently considering whether her lawsuit was filed within the limitations period. view article

Chip Roy, Don Huffines, Sid Miller Lead GOP Primary Field in New Poll

February 1208:30 AM

Polling also shows Ken Paxton leading the U.S. Senate race and Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright heading to a runoff. view article

Burton ISD board extends Curry’s contract, approves calendar

February 1208:29 AM

Burton ISD trustees voted Monday to extend the contract of Superintendent Vikki Curry following an executive session, approving a one-year extension with no change in salary. Curry was originally hired in June 2024 under a three-year contract with an annual salary of $130,000. “I’m excited,” Curry said following the vote. “I love what I do. I love working here. I love the community and our students. To see the hard work that we’re doing — working with administrators and building something strong for Burton — and to receive another year just shows that the board has confidence in my leadership and the direction of the district.” view article

Property taxes will increase if $250M Sharyland ISD bond is approved by voters

February 1208:25 AM

Voters in the Sharyland Independent School District will soon decide on a three-part bond package totaling more than $250 million. The proposals would fund campus repairs, classroom technology upgrades and the construction of an aquatic center. view article

Mass ‘sickout’ planned across Houston ISD as parents continue protesting state takeover

February 1208:25 AM

A mass “sickout” is planned across Houston ISD on Thursday, as parents, students and community members continue protesting the state takeover of the district. Organizers are calling on families to keep students home or bring them to school after lunch so they will be counted absent. The goal, they say, is to send a message to state leaders and demand the return of the district’s elected school board. view article

Dallas ISD board to vote on moving ahead with record $6.2B bond package

February 1208:25 AM

The largest school bond package in Texas history is on the table for the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees on Thursday night. If approved by the trustees, the $6.2 billion bond package will be on the ballot for voters in the school district for the May 2 elections. The bond committee has been working on this plan since February 2025, and details went public this week. It includes new classrooms, new buses, new fields and more. view article

2 Kilgore ISD buses involved in crash; students evaluated by medics out of caution

February 1208:25 AM

Two Kilgore ISD buses were involved in a crash after one rear-ended another Thursday morning. According to the school district, the crash happened when a bus was in the process of stopping and then struck the other bus from behind. Out of caution, any student who reported any discomfort or any concern was evaluated by medical crews on site. view article

Round Rock ISD launches first‑offender program for students caught with THC

February 1208:25 AM

Round Rock Independent School District has launched a First Offender Program (FOP) aimed at diverting students caught for the first time with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vape products away from the criminal justice system. Under Texas Law, possessing a THC concentrate is a felony. Possession of less than one gram is a state jail felony, punishable by 180 days to two years. Penalties increase sharply with weight, with the highest being up to life in prison for more than 400 grams. view article

Three staff members removed from campus after physical altercation at Killeen ISD elementary school

February 1208:25 AM

Three staff members at Alice W. Douse Elementary School were removed from campus after a physical altercation in front of students during dismissal, according to Killeen ISD. In a letter to parents, school officials said the incident happened during dismissal and involved three staff members. The message stated that some students were physically impacted by the situation. view article

McAllen ISD approves $335 million bond election

February 1208:24 AM

In a meeting on Tuesday, the school board here voted to call for a $335 million bond election in May for safety and security improvements, facility repairs and updated learning spaces, all with the district saying there won’t be a tax rate increase. After close to a year of planning, meetings with the Facilities Forecast Advisory Committee (FFAC), campus tours and a facilities assessment have culminated into a $335 million bond recommendation to the board. view article

United ISD parents oppose school consolidation plans at workshop

February 1208:24 AM

Dozens of parents, students and community members spoke out during a public workshop Feb. 11 over possible campus consolidations or closures, a move United ISD leaders say could help address a multi-million-dollar budget deficit. The meeting lasted more than three hours, with families demanding answers and accountability from district leaders. view article

Former Elon Musk lawyer emerges as frontrunner in GOP primary for Michael McCaul’s congressional seat

February 1208:21 AM

Ten Republicans, including Trump-endorsed attorney Chris Gober, are competing for the red-leaning 10th Congressional District in Central Texas. In the race to replace Rep. Michael McCaul in Congress, Republicans in Texas and Washington are consolidating behind prominent GOP attorney Chris Gober, who served as chief lawyer of Elon Musk’s super PAC and has raised more than $1 million for his campaign McCaul, an Austin Republican who has represented Central Texas’ 10th Congressional District for more than two decades, announced in September he wouldn’t seek reelection. Gober is one of 10 Republicans competing to succeed him in the red-leaning district, which covers all or parts of 13 counties spanning from Austin to East Texas. While the district added more residents of liberal Travis County under Republicans’ redrawn congressional map, it also now stretches farther into bright-red East Texas. Nearly one-third of the seat’s population remains situated in Brazos County, home to Texas A&M University and College Station. The district would have given Donald Trump about 60% of the vote had it existed during the 2024 presidential election. view article

Jury trial set for former Academy ISD bus driver indicted on sexual abuse charges

February 1208:18 AM

A jury trial has been set for William Blackburn, the former Academy ISD bus driver indicted on three charges for alleged sexual abuse, officials announced Thursday. The trial is set for June 15, 2026. Blackburn was also charged with the sale, distribution or display of harmful material to a minor, according to the Bell County Sheriff's Office. view article

Tuloso-Midway ISD to begin long-awaited junior high project

February 1208:14 AM

Tuloso-Midway ISD is moving ahead with construction of its new junior high school after land disputes delayed the bond-funded project. The district ultimately secured the site through an eminent domain process, clearing the way for construction to begin this spring. Superintendent Steve VanMatre told 3NEWS the nearly $100 million-dollar facility will sit on 40 acres of land purchased for $2 million dollars. He said the search for a safe, viable location was a challenge, but one that is worth it in the end. view article

Harris County Sergeant Faces Federal Charges in Online Child Exploitation Case

February 1208:13 AM

A Harris County Sheriff’s Office sergeant is facing both state and federal charges after authorities say he engaged in explicit online communications with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old child. A Harris County Sheriff’s Office sergeant is now facing federal charges after being arrested last week in connection with an online child exploitation investigation initiated by Florida authorities. Sgt. John Frederick Black, 46, was taken into custody last Monday after the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Tallahassee issued a warrant related to alleged online communications with someone Black believed to be a 13-year-old child. He was arrested in Harris County and booked into jail on multiple state charges before federal prosecutors announced additional charges tied to the same conduct. According to investigators, the case began in January when Leon County detectives working with a human trafficking and exploitation unit initiated contact with Black on an online chat platform while posing as a minor. Court records indicate Black asked the individual’s age early in the conversation and continued communicating even after being told the person was 13. view article

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DAEP Placement Essentials: Legal Requirements, Practical Decisions, and Legislative Updates

April 23, 2026

Three-vehicle crash on SPID involves Flour Bluff ISD school bus

February 1208:06 AM

A Flour Bluff Independent School District bus was involved in a three-vehicle crash on South Padre Island Drive near Everhart Road early Feb. 12. The Corpus Christi Police Department said the call came at 7:57 a.m. and no injuries were found. Bob Chapman, a spokesperson for the school district, said the school bus was transporting high school students to a track meet at Cabaniss Multipurpose Stadium. view article

Texas Congressmen Highlight Incompatibility of Sharia With US Law  

February 1206:25 AM

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas warned that the Sharia system of law derived from Islam is everything that the U.S. has fought against for over 250 years. During a Tuesday hearing before the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, Roy emphasized Sharia’s incompatibility with state and federal laws. “Sharia encourages violence, silences dissent, rejects religious freedom, and subjugates women and children,” said Roy. “Let’s be clear, this is not about having the freedom of worshiping a religion of one’s choosing, such as Islam, but forcing a foreign legal code that is incompatible with our laws and legal system that provides unwanted consequences to the American people.” Roy discussed the growing population of Muslims in the U.S., specifically highlighting the growth seen in Texas and proposed Islamic enclaves like The Meadow, formerly called EPIC City. view article

Texas lawmakers push to improve public education | NBCDFW

February 1204:46 AM

4 views Feb 10, 2025 #news #DFW #dallas The state’s top education official briefed state lawmakers in Austin Monday morning. The state of education in Texas is not the best. Texas spends below-average per student and is getting below-average results according to national standards. NBC 5's Phil Prazan reports with how lawmakers want to address the issue. ---- view article

CFISD board reverses controversial textbook policy that banned certain chapters of science textbooks

February 1111:10 AM

The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District has officially rescinded a controversial policy the board adopted two years ago that banned certain chapters from science textbooks. view article

Johnny can’t read — even in college. I lead a university and it’s terrifying

February 1108:31 AM

A stunning report revealed that many university professors now find themselves teaching students who struggle to read, not just to interpret literature or write essays, but to understand basic text on a page. According to Fortune, a growing number of Gen Z students enter college unable to "read effectively," forcing professors to break down even simple passages line by line. view article

Texas labor unions are increasingly divided on which candidate to endorse for governor

February 1108:30 AM

Gov. Greg Abbott was endorsed by Texas Teamsters, a labor union that has historically supported Democrats. Other large unions still back his Democratic opponent. A host of labor unions backed Gov. Greg Abbott last week in his bid for reelection, endorsements the Republican governor says represent a historic break from the Democratic Party by organized labor. Teamsters Joint Council 58 and Joint Council 80, representing 40,000 workers across Texas, endorsed Abbott last Wednesday, joined by several other unions representing multiple industries. The endorsements split organized labor’s support in the governor’s race between Abbott and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, a shift from unions’ historic support of Democratic candidates in Texas. view article

Jury selection starts in trial for father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect in Georgia

February 1108:30 AM

Jury selection starts in trial for father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect in Georgia Jury selection has begun in the trial of Colin Gray, whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school in September 2024 ATLANTA (AP) — Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial of a man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school in September 2024. Colin Gray faces 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and numerous counts of second-degree cruelty to children related to the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder. He is one of a handful of parents around the country charged with crimes after their children are accused of committing acts of violence. view article

Student is shot in a Maryland high school and another student is in custody, police say

February 1108:30 AM

A 16-year old student has been shot inside a high school in Maryland, and police say another student is in custody ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — A 16-year-old student was shot inside a suburban Maryland high school on Monday and another student was in custody, police said. One student was found with a gunshot wound in a hallway and was taken to a hospital in stable condition, the Rockville City Police Department said in a post on Facebook. The suspect was also a 16-year-old student, the department said. He was identified and arrested near the school shortly after. Both students were boys. view article

Houston ISD students join statewide walkouts protesting ICE amid threat of school penalties

February 1108:27 AM

More than 50 students from the Houston Academy for International Studies walked out of school Tuesday protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the United States. The protest, which students said they started planning last week, started just after noon. While chanting "ICE off our streets, ICE off our streets," several students said they were there to call attention to the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration. view article

Judson ISD closing four schools amid $37 million budget shortfall

February 1108:25 AM

Judson Independent School District Board Trustees voted Monday to close four schools in the 2026-2027 school year as they face a budget shortfall of more $37 million. Judson ISD Board President Monica Ryan says the school district is also experiencing a decrease in enrollment which forced the trustees to make some tough decisions. view article

Fort Worth ISD loses appeal of state takeover, prompting a trustee’s resignation

February 1108:25 AM

Just after Fort Worth ISD trustees lost their legal fight to stop the state takeover of the district, school board member Wallace Bridges announced his resignation on Friday. A state administrative court ruled in favor of the Texas Education Agency, concluding no factual disputes would justify overturning Commissioner Mike Morath’s decision to intervene in the 70,000-student district because of failing academics. This clears the way for Morath to install new leadership over the city’s largest school system. view article

Fort Bend ISD school closures explained

February 1108:25 AM

Seven elementary schools closing, one new middle school opening, and a fresh map of school boundaries-- these are the solutions Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) officials proposed Monday as ways to handle the district’s budget and overcrowding issues. view article

Lampasas ISD announces $140 million bond election with three propositions

February 1108:25 AM

Lampasas ISD announces $140 million bond election. Proposition A seeks $115 million for new middle school and buses. Other props fund traffic solutions and athletics view article

Alba-Golden ISD calls for $20.6 million bond election

February 1108:24 AM

The total cost of the two projects is $20.6 million, the district said. The funds would contribute to a new Career and Technology Education facility and a gym. view article

Dallas ISD students hold large ICE walkout

February 1108:24 AM

Dallas Independent School District campuses saw a wave of walkouts on Tuesday. The walkout at Townview Magnet Center was one of North Texas’ largest walkouts in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. view article

Judson ISD board votes to close a middle school and 3 elementary schools this year

February 1108:23 AM

Judson Independent School District announced it will close four schools by the end of the school year to cut into its $37 million budget deficit. The school board approved the closures in a 6-1 vote during a Monday meeting, but did not name which schools would be shuttered. view article

Liberty Hill ISD considering calendar change amid hybrid schedule

February 1108:22 AM

Leaders at Liberty Hill ISD are considering a shift to the school district's current hybrid schedule, which includes some four-day weeks. view article

Fort Bend ISD said closing 7 schools could impact less than 1 percent of budget

February 1108:21 AM

After months of discussion, surveys, and meetings, some Fort Bend ISD parents can't believe it's all over less than one percent of the district's budget. The reality of what could be weeks away is starting to set in for some Fort Bend ISD parents, including Trey Boswell. "I've been that kid that's had to move through five elementary schools," Boswell said. "It's not fun making new friends." view article

Gregg County commissioners approve agreement with sheriff’s office, Longview ISD

February 1107:42 AM

Armed officers may patrol every Longview ISD campus by this fall after Gregg County commissioners approved an agreement to support the district’s new police force. Seventeen officers will stand guard at every campus. The new force will include five sworn officers, 11 school marshals and a police chief working across a district that stretches both inside and outside city limits. view article

Houston-area developer Colony Ridge reaches $68 million settlement with Texas, feds

February 1105:00 AM

The agreement seeks to remedy a variety of concerns raised by government officials, who accused the development’s owners of targeting Latino homebuyers with predatory loans and false promises. The owners of Colony Ridge, a Houston-area developer accused of running a predatory lending scheme that deceived Latinos, agreed to a sweeping legal settlement that will require them to invest in law enforcement and infrastructure on their properties and tighten selling practices to address a range of accusations from Texas GOP leaders and conservative media. Chief among the allegations was that Colony Ridge developers sold land to undocumented people, giving rise to a crime-ridden complex of subdivisions about 30 miles outside Houston allegedly being run by Mexican drug cartels. 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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DAEP Placement Essentials: Legal Requirements, Practical Decisions, and Legislative Updates

April 23, 2026