Long lines linger at Houston’s biggest airport as TSA agents miss work during partial government shutdown

The ongoing partial government shutdown has led to long security lines at airports across the country, but no airport has felt the effects as acutely as George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. On Thursday, wait times at Bush, one of the nation’s busiest airports, reached four hours or more, with lines extending outside its terminals. Passenger volume at Bush is expected to get worse this weekend, driven by major events in Houston, including the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. The lines are a result of many Transportation Security Administration officers — who aren’t getting paid during the shutdown — not coming to work. As airline passengers waited in long lines and congressional negotiators appeared far from a deal to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump late Thursday said on social media that he will sign an emergency order for the department, which oversees TSA, to immediately pay TSA officers. He did not elaborate where the money for the agency, unfunded by Congress for more than a month, would come from.
Northside ISD has nearly $200 million in 2022 bond project ‘on hold’

Nine school improvement projects totaling nearly $200 million from Northside Independent School District's 2022 bond issue are "on hold" with no indication of when the projects will be built. Just four years after its nearly $1 billion bond election, San Antonio's largest school district intends to seek voter approval in November on a bond package for security upgrades and other improvements. Northside's Building Committee got an update Wednesday on the $198.47 million in projects that were approved nearly four years ago but have not since been executed. Superintendent John Craft told a panel of trustees he wants to "be careful in not putting millions and millions of dollars into these facilities and then having to come back in a very short amount of time (and saying), 'Well, we really need more science labs.'
147 measles cases reported in Texas so far this year, most of them in federal detention centers

Local officials report that 108 of the cases originated in a contracted detention facility in Hudspeth County. The largest outbreak is in a single contracted federal detention facility in Hudspeth County, as of March 18, according to DSHS. Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie told The Texas Tribune that the 108 cases are all at the West Texas Detention Facility, which is managed by LaSalle Corrections, a private company. The facility has previously housed immigrant detainees, though it’s not clear if it still does. It does not appear on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s list of detention facilities. “Not having jurisdiction, my office is not involved in response,” MacKenzie added in a statement, “however I remain in communication with DSHS and LaSalle, as I regularly do.”
Why an East Texas rancher donated part of his water rights to the state

JEFFERSON COUNTY — Bob Sanders bumps along the dirt roads of his 1,100-acre ranch in a beat up burgundy Chevrolet Suburban, the engine roaring as his sprawling cattle operation, known locally for its wagyu beef, stretches around him. A shotgun rides in the passenger seat and battered binoculars sit on the dashboard. The sloping pasture where his rust-colored cows graze gives way to trees that flank a narrow ribbon of water. It doesn’t look like much, just a slow-moving channel threading through sweetgums and cypress, but this 2.6-mile stretch of the Big Cypress Bayou carries a lot of weight — it connects Lake O’ the Pines, the region’s main water supply, to Caddo Lake, the state’s only natural lake. Water feels abundant in the area. But even in this lush corner of the state, water is increasingly top of mind. For Sanders and many of his neighbors, the bayou represents something increasingly fragile in Texas: water that still belongs to the landscape it came from. The sloping pasture where his rust-colored cows graze gives way to trees that flank a narrow ribbon of water. It doesn’t look like much, just a slow-moving channel threading through sweetgums and cypress, but this 2.6-mile stretch of the Big Cypress Bayou carries a lot of weight — it connects Lake O’ the Pines, the region’s main water supply, to Caddo Lake, the state’s only natural lake. Water feels abundant in the area. But even in this lush corner of the state, water is increasingly top of mind. For Sanders and many of his neighbors, the bayou represents something increasingly fragile in Texas: water that still belongs to the landscape it came from.
Muslim parents, private schools sue Texas over exclusion of Islamic institutions in voucher program

The federal lawsuits argue Texas officials are engaging in religious discrimination by preventing Islamic private schools from accessing state voucher money. Four Muslim parents and three private schools have sued Texas leaders for excluding Islamic private schools from participating in the state’s private school voucher program. The two federal lawsuits ask the court to block the voucher program from discriminating on the basis of religion. The first suit, filed March 1 by a parent acting on behalf of two children who attend a Houston private school, names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Education Commissioner Mike Morath as defendants. A second suit filed March 11 by three parents and three schools names Hancock and Mary Katherine Stout, education savings account program manager, as defendants. Here’s what to know.
As Superintendent Karen Molinar exits takeover, Texas signals a hard reset for Fort Worth ISD

FWISD Superintendent Karen Molinar observed the children learning as she visited classrooms Monday and Tuesday, knowing the clock on her three decades in Fort Worth schools was winding down. Molinar, 51, learned her time in the district that grew her from a reading teacher into a principal and, eventually, the leader of its schools was over after the Texas education commissioner told her last week she won’t serve during the state takeover. She informed families and staff Wednesday that she will not remain as superintendent. “I promised them at the beginning of this that I would be transparent, and I would give them updates,” Molinar told the Fort Worth Report. “I had to do that even when it came to what would happen to me personally and professionally. I had to stand up to my word.” Her impending departure from FWISD drew mixed reactions. Some teachers, parents and city leaders praised Molinar’s decades of service and insisted she should remain in the role during the takeover. Others argued new leadership is necessary as state leaders try to turnaround years of failing academics in Fort Worth.

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School Choice Account Applications Surpass 174,000

March 2608:51 AM

Funding was only made available for approximately 100,000 students. With a week still remaining for families to submit applications for the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, the Office of the Comptroller has announced that more than 174,000 students have applied for the 2026-2027 school year. Lawmakers budgeted $1 billion for the program last year, which is estimated to cover 100,000 students. That spending was in addition to historic increases in public school spending. view article

Texas suburbs lead U.S. for population growth as international migration slows, census finds

March 2608:47 AM

Waller County, near Houston, was the second fastest growing county in the U.S. Another three Texas counties were among the 10 fastest growing in U.S. Population growth in Texas is slowing amid a decline in immigration — but the state’s suburbs continue to boom and lead the nation in adding new residents. Texas’ population, now over 31 million, grew by 391,243 or 1.2% between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, census data released Thursday show. Much of the state’s growth in recent years has been in the suburbs outside Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Growth in the state’s most populous cities has started to slow, or in the case of Dallas County, decline. view article

Paxton, Hancock Clash Amid Lawsuit Over School Choice Program

March 2608:41 AM

A dispute over Texas’ new school choice program has escalated into a public clash between Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Attorney General Ken Paxton, highlighting tensions within state leadership as litigation continues over the program’s implementation. In a March 24 letter to Paxton, Hancock raised concerns about alleged terrorism ties among certain schools seeking to participate in the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program and urged additional legal action. The letter follows a recent federal court order extending the application deadline for families and requiring the state to provide Islamic schools access to apply while lawsuits over their eligibility proceed. Hancock pointed specifically to Houston Quran Academy, one of the schools the court has temporarily allowed to participate. view article

‘We failed our kids’: New Fort Worth ISD board signals urgency as state takeover begins

March 2608:35 AM

Fort Worth’s new state-appointed school board opened its tenure with a blunt assessment: Most students in the district cannot read at grade level — so there’s no time to waste. “We failed our kids for over a decade,” board President Pete Geren said at a Tuesday press conference as the new leadership team took control of Fort Worth ISD. view article

Aaron Reitz Endorses Former Rival Mayes Middleton in Attorney General Runoff

March 2608:30 AM

The Republican runoff between Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy is scheduled for May 26. Former DOJ official Aaron Reitz has endorsed State Sen. Mayes Middleton in the Republican runoff for Texas attorney general, backing the candidate he previously opposed in a competitive primary. Reitz, who finished fourth in the March 3 primary with more than 277,000 votes, announced his support for Middleton in a statement Wednesday. Middleton and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy advanced to the runoff after placing first and second, respectively, with neither candidate securing a majority. “In my last public statement, I said that the next Attorney General of Texas must have three qualities,” Reitz said. “As between Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy, only Mayes meets those criteria—and that is why he has earned my enthusiastic endorsement to be the next Attorney General.” view article

Edgewood ISD board approves partnership with charter school network

March 2608:28 AM

Third Future Schools will partner with the Edgewood Independent School District to operate Brentwood Middle School after the district’s school board approved the vote on Tuesday evening. Several people who live in the Edgewood ISD community spoke out against the decision ahead of the school board’s vote. view article

22-year-old Denton ISD employee charged with injury to a child after on-campus incident, police say

March 2608:26 AM

A former Denton ISD employee was arrested last week and charged with injury to a child following an incident at Strickland Middle School, officials say. According to the Denton Police Department, 22-year-old Alexis Ray turned herself in on Friday on a warrant for the charge. The incident the charge stems from reportedly took place on March 17. view article

Texas education board urges Austin ISD to cancel Pride Week amid new state law

March 2608:25 AM

Controversy is growing around Austin ISD’s Pride Week, set for this week, as the State Board of Education calls on the district to get rid of the themed week altogether, and some parents argue there are more pressing issues. The debate comes as a new state law, Senate Bill 12, has recently gone into effect. The law bans the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public schools and clubs. view article

5 Dripping Springs ISD campuses impacted by boil water notice on Wednesday

March 2608:17 AM

Five Dripping Springs ISD campuses were impacted by a boil water notice issued Wednesday for some people along Highway 290. view article

Quick-thinking Gatesville ISD employee saves choking student with Heimlich maneuver

March 2608:08 AM

Chris Morrall sprang into action when a student swallowed a water bottle cap. Gatesville ISD honored him for his calm, life-saving response. view article

Hood County Commissioners Postpone Further Action On Two Data Center Projects

March 2608:07 AM

Commissioners appear to have turned a corner after weeks of citizen protests. Hood County commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to postpone action on two data center projects in order to receive and review information. They also prohibited County Judge Ron Massingill from signing on to a solar project without a concept plan. Citizens who showed up at the March 24 meeting again expressed concerns about the effects of these projects on the local environment, including draining precious water resources, as well as the potential for bad actors to access critical infrastructure through components made in hostile nation view article

Forced to sell medications at a loss, rural Texas pharmacies seek new survival tactics

March 2606:38 AM

Independent rural pharmacists are starting other businesses or selling baby shower gifts to keep their stores operating. Pharmacy deserts affect 4 million Texans. “It’s all in your mindset, because it is a lot. When I’m at the pharmacy, I focus on the pharmacy. And when I’m working on the cattle, I focus on loading the cattle in the chute,” McEntire said. McEntire never planned on owning both a cattle business and pharmacies. But as the profits from her pharmacy dropped since she opened it in 2009, she needed to use McEntire Red Angus — her family’s cattle business across the border in Sweetwater, Okla. — to float her pharmacies. view article

Measles spike in federal detention facility reaches the Texas public, records show

March 2605:00 AM

Most of the state’s measles cases reported so far this year are inside the West Texas Detention Facility in Hudspeth County, where four infected El Paso residents worked. An explosion of reported measles cases in Texas’ federal detention facilities broke through to the public last month, infecting at least four El Paso residents who worked in one of the centers and potentially exposing the highly contagious disease to the wider population, according to emails obtained by The Texas Tribune through record requests. The emails also reveal that as they grappled with infections, El Paso city officials became frustrated at times by a lack of information from federal and facility authorities, who were apparently not forthcoming with information about how many detainees were vaccinated and who came into contact with them. The closure of the facility in Val Verde, home to Del Rio, had not been previously reported or acknowledged by state officials until Tuesday. DPS spokesperson Sheridan Nolen confirmed the closure to The Texas Tribune in response to questions about internal records that suggested no one had been booked at the facility since May 2025. view article

Elon Musk company selects proposed mile-long Dallas tunnel

March 2508:40 AM

The Boring Company said it would begin assessing the feasibility of building an underground tunnel connecting a university with a new development. Elon Musk’s tunneling company will begin assessing its ability to construct a mile-long underground tunnel in South Dallas after a proposed project in the area was one of three winners of a company contest on Tuesday. The Boring Company has built a number of underground tunnels across the United States for public and industrial use, including in Austin and Bastrop. In January, the company announced an open call for new tunnel proposals up to a mile long, with the offer to build the winning submission at the company’s expense. A proposal to build a tunnel connecting the University of North Texas at Dallas with University Hills, a billion-dollar mixed-use development currently under construction, was one of three winners out of almost 500 submissions. view article

Texas will require proof of legal immigration status to get professional licenses

March 2505:00 AM

Officials approved the change after hearing from speakers who argued it would hamper the state’s economy and push immigrants to work without licenses in the black market. People seeking a host of professional licenses in Texas, from electricians to dog breeders, will soon have to prove they are in the country legally after the state’s Commission of Licensing and Regulation on Tuesday adopted a new rule that could affect thousands of workers. Commissioners unanimously approved the change after hearing from a parade of speakers who largely asked them to do the opposite because of worries that it will hamper the state’s economy and burden immigrants trying to make an honest living. The speakers also argued the move will push people to work without a license, and erode state oversight of crucial industries. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which plans to implement the rule May 1. view article

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School District Refuses To Return Property Gifted to It for ‘School Purposes’

March 2409:00 AM

The Blanco County property has not been used for school purposes since 1952. In Lindig’s case, the trial court came to a different conclusion. Judge Allan Garrett of the 33rd District Court determined that “although the conveyance for school purposes is set forth generally in the deed, the reverter clause does not terminate the grantees’ ownership of the property if it ceases being used for school purposes. Rather, the reverter clause expressly states that it is triggered only if a school house is removed from the land.” On appeal in 2015, the Third Court of Appeals in Austin affirmed this reasoning, adding that it was “undisputed that the building once used as a school remains on the property.” view article

Corpus Christi Receives Groundwater Permit Amidst Drought 

March 2408:50 AM

The permit will last for three years or until the governor’s proclamation ends, whichever is shorter.   view article

Author Problem’: White House Summit Exposes Rift Over Texas Bill To End Free Education for Illegals

March 2408:49 AM

State Rep. Andy Hopper’s legislation was never given a committee hearing. A Republican lawmaker is challenging his colleagues to advance legislation aimed at ending taxpayer-funded government education for illegals after the proposal was previously sidelined over what was described as an “author problem.” In the culture of the Texas House, that is when legislation is authored by someone whom the lobby or the chamber’s leadership simply does not like. State Rep. Andy Hopper (R–Decatur) announced Monday that he is offering last session’s House Bill 4707 to State Rep. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco), inviting him to refile the proposal in the 2027 legislative session. view article

Goliad ISD Employee Resigns Amid Misconduct Allegations

March 2408:40 AM

A middle school teacher was accused of having a relationship with a former student. Local parents identified the employee as an 8th grade educator who was named a 2023 Goliad ISD Teacher of the Year. They alleged she had communicated with students via Snapchat, describing the teacher’s actions as “grooming.” view article

Florida educator tapped to lead Fort Worth ISD under Texas takeover

March 2408:31 AM

A Floridian who briefly led one of the nation’s largest school districts will captain Fort Worth ISD while it is under state control. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath appointed longtime Florida educator Peter B. Licata as FWISD’s new leader. Licata, who served as Broward County Public Schools superintendent for less than a year, is now charged with driving rapid academic gains for FWISD’s nearly 68,000 students. view article

TEA names new, state-appointed leaders of Fort Worth ISD as takeover begins

March 2408:31 AM

The names of the 10 new state-appointed leaders of the Fort Worth Independent School District were announced on Tuesday morning, marking the start of a state takeover of the largest school district in Tarrant County. An early-morning press release from the Texas Education Agency contained the names of a new superintendent and a nine-person board of managers who are replacing current Superintendent Karen Molinar and elected school board members. They begin their positions immediately. view article

Some of Fort Worth’s top leaders named to ISD board of managers

March 2408:31 AM

Fort Worth ISD will have new leadership after Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on March 24 appointed a new superintendent and nine-member board of managers, marking the next step in the state’s takeover of the city’s largest school district. Peter B. Licata is the new superintendent of the nearly 68,000-student district. view article

Affidavit Alleges Celina ISD Teacher Drove Drunk With Student

March 2408:30 AM

Jainya Walder allegedly took a Moore Middle School student off campus without authorization and drove while intoxicated. Newly obtained court documents show a Celina middle school teacher, arrested last October for being intoxicated in class, had taken a student off campus and driven drunk with the girl in her car. Jainya Bystrova Walder, 40, was removed from her classroom on the afternoon of October 30, 2025, under suspicion of intoxication, then arrested and charged with endangering a child, a second-degree felony. view article

Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD votes to retain superintendent amid recent allegations

March 2408:29 AM

In a close vote, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD's board retained Superintendent Brent Jaco amid an alleged comment recently surfacing online. In a recorded video, sources tell NewsWest 9 that Jaco can be heard mocking former Pecos Mayor Venetta Seals’ disability while discussing an issue during a meeting last June. They also say you can hear the laughter of administrators in the background. view article

Austin ISD turns closed school into affordable housing to keep teachers in the city

March 2408:28 AM

Austin is launching a new effort to house and retain teachers as rising costs make it harder to live in the city. A widening gap between teacher pay and Austin housing costs has created an affordability crisis for district educators. This year, the Austin Independent School District took a step to address that problem by redeveloping the Anita Ferrales Coy facility, formerly Allan Elementary, into mixed-income housing that includes units for teachers. District leaders say the project could become a model as Austin ISD faces a growing number of soon-to-be vacant campuses and looks for ways to help educators find affordable housing. view article

Klein ISD increases police presence, safety audit in schools after multiple gun-related incidents

March 2408:26 AM

Klein ISD started its new security measures on Monday, including increased police presence, after multiple gun-related incidents on campuses, according to district officials. The three separate incidents include a gun being fired inside Klein Collins High School, a man with a gun walking into Zwink Elementary, and a student showing an unloaded gun to other students at Klein High School, according to the school district. view article

New Braunfels ISD bans books written by Obama, Shakespeare and Matthew McConaughey

March 2408:25 AM

Texas’ Republican-backed book banning law, Senate Bill 13, is rearing its head in the San Antonio suburb of New Braunfels this month as the school district there pulled more than 1,500 titles from school library shelves. Some of those books subjected to New Braunfels ISD’s ban include memoirs by former President Barack Obama and Texas actor Matthew McConaughey along with classic works by William Shakespeare. view article

Aldine ISD student hospitalized after being hit by truck while getting off school bus

March 2408:24 AM

A 16-year-old Aldine ISD student was rushed to the hospital after being hit by a driver while getting off a school bus Monday afternoon near Henry Road and Isetta Lane, district officials and family members said. Family members identified the student as Eric Osornio, a junior at Avalos P‑TECH School. Osornio remains hospitalized with a broken femur but is expected to recover, his family told KPRC 2’s Corley Peel. A neighbor captured cell phone video moments after the crash as relatives and bystanders rushed to Osornio’s side. view article

TEA names new superintendent and board of managers for Fort Worth ISD

March 2408:24 AM

Texas Education Agency has announced the appointment of a superintendent and a nine-member board of managers to govern the Fort Worth ISD. Commissioner Morath named Dr. Peter B. Licata as the new superintendent of Fort Worth ISD. Licata began working today under a 21-day interim contract, pending formal approval from the Board of Managers at an upcoming board meeting. view article

Alvin ISD community comes together to mourn 8-year-old who died at school last month

March 2408:05 AM

A grieving Alvin ISD community came together Saturday morning to honor the life of 8-year-old Nicholas Gray, a Pomona Elementary student who died last month after choking on a grape at school. Dozens of friends, family members, teachers and classmates gathered at a park in Manvel for a memorial bubble release — a tribute his mother says reflects who he was. view article

Texas Education Agency appoints Board of Managers and Names New Superintendent to Lead Fort Worth ISD

March 2405:00 AM

Texas Education Agency appoints Board of Managers and Names New Superintendent to Lead Fort Worth ISD AUSTIN, Texas – March 24, 2026 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) today announced the appointment of a nine-member Board of Managers and selection of a new superintendent to lead the Fort Worth Independent School District (ISD). “Fort Worth wants the best possible academic outcomes for every student, as evidenced by the hundreds of community members that showed their willingness to serve,” said Texas Education Commissioner, Mike Morath. “Possessing a diverse range of experiences and expertise, the governance and leadership team appointed today is comprised of individuals with an aligned vision and collective belief that all students, when properly supported, can achieve at high levels. I look forward to seeing this belief in action and their leadership of Fort Worth ISD’s next chapter.” view article

Blocked from Texas vouchers, this private Islamic school wants a chance to prove its pro-America values

March 2405:00 AM

Several Islamic schools sued Texas for excluding them from the voucher program. Iman Academy is instead calling for fairness while hoping to be judged by its work — not stereotypes. HOUSTON — Iman Academy, an Islamic private school on the southwest side of town, opened 30 years ago with three core values: Love America. Respect self, family and American institutions. Be a positive, contributing American citizen.School leaders want students, almost all of whom are Muslim, to graduate with the understanding that they are essential to America — that being a good citizen has more to do with what they contribute and how they treat others than their religion. “We are all Americans at the end of the day,” said Manha Navaid, an 18-year-old senior who is secretary of the student council. “Apart from religion, politics or whatever, we all want the best for this country.” view article

Medicaid cuts could add pressure to already-stressed psychiatric units

March 2308:54 AM

Federal Medicaid cuts could exact a heavy toll on psychiatric units at hospitals across the country, many of which are already struggling to keep their doors open but provide essential mental health care to people who need it. Psychiatric units are costly and, like labor and delivery services, typically lose money for hospitals and tend to be reimbursed at lower rates than other health services. In contrast, some specialty units, such as cardiovascular care, are lucrative: Cardiologists can generate up to seven times their salaries for hospitals. Between 2023 and 2024, 126 hospitals across the U.S. shut down their inpatient psychiatric units, according to data provided to Stateline by the American Hospital Association. view article

Judge dismisses Paxton lawsuit over Bexar County immigration program

March 2308:33 AM

A Bexar County judge on Friday dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit challenging the county’s immigration legal services program, bringing an end to weeks of legal battles before any court could hear the merits of the case. In Bexar County’s presiding court, 408th Civil District Court Judge Angelica Jimenez granted the county’s motion to dismiss filed earlier this week, ruling the case is moot after the remaining funds tied to the program were already distributed. view article

Statue of Christopher Columbus installed on White House grounds

March 2305:00 AM

A statue of Christopher Columbus has been erected outside of an ornate federal office building on the White House grounds — the latest sign of the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape cultural and historical representations across the nation’s capital. The installation of the statue — which is a replica of one toppled in Baltimore during racial justice protests in 2020 — occurred over the weekend outside of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. It comes as the Trump administration pushes forward with its efforts to bring back statues that were removed in the wake of the protests. President Donald Trump, in a letter published by the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, praised the group for its “incredible generosity” in bringing the statue to Washington after the original was “torn down by anti-American rioters.” 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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