State Lawmakers Ask Abbott To Add Conservative Priorities to Special Session Agenda  

Multiple state lawmakers are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to include several conservative priorities that did not receive a vote during the regular session on the agenda of the upcoming special session. State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston) sent a letter to the governor requesting that specific measures that were not considered by the House during the general session be placed on the upcoming session’s agenda. “While this session boasts many conservative victories, each of these unfinished items is essential to securing a conservative future for Texas, ” wrote Middleton. “There has never been a more critical time to make these priorities the law of this Great State.”
Inside Elon Musk’s stellar year at the Texas Capitol

While Elon Musk took Washington, D.C., by storm, his company representatives and lobbyists were also notching up big political wins in Texas. While Elon Musk took Washington, D.C., by storm, his company representatives and lobbyists were also notching up big political wins in Texas. It was April 2013, and Musk stood at a podium in a small committee room in the basement of the Texas Capitol. The Tesla CEO asked the legislators gathered before him to change state law, allowing him to bypass the state’s powerful car dealership lobby and sell his electric vehicles directly to the public. He painted a bleak picture of what could happen if they didn’t give him his way. “We would, I’m afraid, we would fail,” Musk told the assembled representatives. “So for us, it’s a matter of life or death.” Clad in a dark suit instead of his now ubiquitous black T-shirt and baseball hat, the younger Musk was unable to persuade lawmakers in Austin. That year, the bill he wanted to pass died. More than a decade later, however, Musk’s fortunes inside the Texas Capitol have changed — dramatically.
Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election for open state Senate seat

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.
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.

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Del Valle ISD announces teacher pay raises amid budget overhaul

June 1908:25 AM

Del Valle ISD is balancing its budget and paying its teachers and staff more after approving its budget for the next school year. Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez said the budget has a strong focus on teachers. "Our teachers pour so much into the work they do. They pour their heart and soul and go above and beyond," he said. view article

College Station ISD adopts 2025-26 budget, new employee pay plan

June 1908:23 AM

College Station ISD’s Board of Trustees finalized the district’s 2025-26 school year budget during Tuesday night’s meeting, and the updated financial plan reflects both benefits and challenges for the district and staff. The district implemented a $2.1 million deficit budget for the upcoming school year despite increased state funding. “When you’re going into a deficit, your CFO’s (chief financial officer) going to be extremely concerned. But we’re going to continue to work hard, make sure that we can look for efficiencies, and then try to shave off a little bit more,” advised Heather Wilson, College Station ISD’s CFO. view article

New Braunfels ISD approves pay raises for 2025-26 school year

June 1908:23 AM

The New Braunfels Independent School District (NBISD) announced that all eligible staff will receive a 2% raise for the 2025-26 school year. This decision follows the Monday, June 17th, Board of Trustees meeting where it received unanimous approval. In addition to the general pay increase, eligible classroom teachers will benefit from the Teacher Retention Allotment, a provision of Texas House Bill 2. view article

Conroe ISD to name three new campuses after three former district educators

June 1908:21 AM

The Conroe ISD Board of Trustees approved the names of several new campuses that will honor the lives and contributions of three former educators. The board approved the names of Kacy Arnold for a new elementary in the Grand Oaks feeder zone, Janene Fowler and Lynn Cartwright for a new intermediate and junior high in the Conroe and Timber Mill feeder zones, respectively. view article

Former Elgin ISD basketball coach accused of having pornographic images of minor appears in court

June 1908:17 AM

A man facing charges of improper relationship between an educator and a student and possession of child pornography was in the 124th District Court on Tuesday for a status hearing. Devin Ryan Anderson, 26, of Manor, was indicted in February. He was a coach at Elgin ISD. He is accused of having an improper relationship with a student while working for the district. On Tuesday at the Gregg County Courthouse, attorneys speaking to Judge Alfonso Charles stated they believe the victim’s phone may contain evidence pertinent to the case. view article

Double capacity, new press box included in Chapel Hill ISD plans for Bulldog Stadium upgrade

June 1908:08 AM

Big changes are coming to Chapel Hill’s home turf. The district announced a $12 million dollar renovation plan for the 50-year-old Bulldog Stadium. The school said the decision comes at the recommendation of the Long Range Facility Planning Committee, consisting of students, staff, families and others and organized in 2021 that created a three-year, three-phase plan to improve the district. view article

Hereford ISD opens low-cost daycare for staff and students

June 1810:03 AM

The Hereford Center for Accelerated Learning is set to open the first daycare for staff and students this fall, aiming to address a critical need for affordable childcare and attract more teachers to the district. Dr. Ray Garza, the director of the Hereford Center for Accelerated Learning Daycare, said, "We had quite a few teachers who would say we desperately need help. We have two kids in daycare. We can't afford to make ends meet." view article

Texas students make gains in reading but struggle with math, STAAR scores show

June 1808:42 AM

The mixed-bag results showed early literacy improvements, a key indicator of future academic success, but underline the challenges of preparing children for STEM-related jobs. Texas’ students saw some wins in reading but continued to struggle to bounce back from pandemic-related learning losses in math, state testing results released Tuesday showed. Elementary students who took the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam this year made the biggest gains in reading across grade levels. Third graders saw a three percentage point increase in reading, a milestone because early literacy is a strong indicator of future academic success. Progress among middle students in the subject, meanwhile, slowed. view article

Austin ISD eliminating jobs at its central office to reduce ...

June 1808:42 AM

view article

Key Election Security Efforts Met Resistance in the Texas House

June 1808:40 AM

While some legislation to better secure Texas elections passed, activists were disappointed to see several key bills fail. view article

Texas Railroad Commission shuts down defiant Houston oil field operator after third earthquake

June 1808:40 AM

The Texas Railroad Commission voted Tuesday to immediately suspend a permit that allowed a defiant Houston operator to inject oil field wastewater deep underground in an area of West Texas plagued by earthquakes. The vote is the latest milestone in a yearlong legal battle over whether Blackbuck Resources could be causing a string of earthquakes, including one of record strength last month that triggered the commission to issue an emergency order. The earlier order compelled Blackbuck to stop operating for at least 15 days. Blackbuck has not resumed operations, the commission said in a statement. view article

STAAR test results for elementary, middle schools: See how Houston-area districts compare to Texas

June 1808:35 AM

Texas elementary and middle school students are passing STAAR exams at higher rates across many subjects in 2025 compared to 2024, according to new scores data released Tuesday by the Texas Education Agency. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, measures elementary and middle school student performance and academic readiness across Texas schools. Students “pass” if they approach, meet or master expectations on the exams. view article

Alleged Noncitizen Voters Under Investigation by Texas AG

June 1808:30 AM

The secretary of state identified 33 potential noncitizens who may have illegally voted in Texas elections in 2024. view article

HISD STAAR scores for elementary, middle schools show growth, outpacing most statewide gains

June 1808:30 AM

Students made gains in most State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness tests from the prior year, with steady improvements within Houston ISD that prompted leaders to tout a "Houston Comeback. " STAAR results released for third- through eighth-graders Tuesday show that students lost ground on math and social studies exam. End-of-course high school exam results were released last week, showing steady gains in Houston that outpaced more mixed results statewide. view article

Killeen ISD Board of Trustees won’t release findings in fatal stabbing at Roy J. Smith Middle School

June 1808:28 AM

The Killeen ISD Board of Trustees said June 17 it will not release any findings from an internal investigation into the fatal stabbing at Roy J. Smith Middle School in March, citing federal privacy laws and a pending criminal case. “We received a briefing from legal counsel today about the internal investigation of the tragic and shocking incident at Roy J. Smith Middle School on March 10, 2025,” the board said. The incident involved an altercation between two students that resulted in the stabbing death of Serenity Baker. view article

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President of Boling ISD board arrested on child porn charges, records show

June 1808:28 AM

The president of a Wharton County school board was arrested Tuesday, accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, according to jail records. Jerry James Svatek, Jr., 59, was taken into custody Tuesday morning. The jail website showed the charge against him was possession of child porn for a child younger than 10 years. view article

North East ISD trustees use HB 2 to give San Antonio teachers raises, shrink deficit

June 1808:25 AM

Trustees for the North East Independent School District approved a compensation package Monday that largely aligns with the new school funding law House Bill 2. The law gives districts a relatively robust allotment to boost the salaries of experienced classroom teachers, and a smaller allotment for support staff. NEISD leaders told trustees the law's targeted funding limits their ability to give raises to other employees, including counselors, nurses, and librarians. view article

Plano ISD Approves Largest Pay Increase For Teachers In District History

June 1808:25 AM

In a landmark decision for local educators, the Plano ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the largest and most comprehensive compensation plan in the district’s history during its June 10, 2025, meeting. Months in the making, the 2025–26 compensation package was the result of extensive collaboration between district leaders and trustees. It not only exceeds previous pay increases but also meets the new standards set by Texas House Bill 2. At its core is an investment in retaining and supporting teachers. view article

Boling ISD board president arrested on felony child pornography charge

June 1808:25 AM

The president of the Boling Independent School District board is facing a felony charge. Authorities arrested Jerry James Svatek Jr., 59, Tuesday on a charge of possession of child pornography involving a victim under the age of 10. The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security, with assistance from the Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety, and the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office. view article

Killeen ISD Board receives update on March 10 middle school stabbing death

June 1808:24 AM

Killeen ISD’s Board of Trustees received a legal update Tuesday on the internal investigation into the March 10 incident at Roy J. Smith Middle School, calling the event both “tragic and shocking.” While board members said they would like to share more about the findings, they noted in a statement that federal privacy laws and an ongoing criminal case prevent them from releasing details at this time. view article

Austin ISD students in grades 3-8 improve STAAR reading scores, but still struggle with math

June 1808:24 AM

Austin ISD students in third through eighth grade exceeded their pre-pandemic scores for reading across the board, results from the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test, show. The scores, released Tuesday, show nearly all grades saw at least a small increase in the percentage of students meeting grade level. The only exception was seventh graders, who saw no change year over year, with 53% of students meeting grade level in 2024 and 2025. view article

Kilgore ISD on track to open new high school by spring 2026

June 1808:23 AM

In 2021, Kilgore voters approved a bond worth $113 million to develop new Kilgore ISD facilities. That money was used towards purchasing land, along with designing and constructing a new Kilgore High School. Dr. Andy Baker, superintendent at Kilgore ISD, talks about progress in building the new high school and what all the new school will bring to the community. “We’re right about 50% completion, as we sit here today,” Baker said. “We’re looking at spring of 2026 right now as a potential move in date for the new school.” view article

Tarrant’s 2025 STAAR results show Carroll ISD, charters lead in math, reading

June 1808:23 AM

Charter schools across Tarrant County are outpacing public school districts — except for one — in third-grade test scores, according to statewide assessment data released on Tuesday morning. The Texas Education Agency released the spring 2025 test scores for grades 3-8 on Tuesday, June 17, for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exam. The district-level and campus-level data shows education leaders, community members and parents how well students performed in reading, math, science and social studies at the end of the 2024-25 school year. view article

‘Job well done’ | Dallas ISD Superintendent says latest STAAR results show progress

June 1808:23 AM

The Dallas ISD superintendent said newly-released preliminary data from the STAAR state test showed the district's strategies are largely working to improve student results, even as she continued to raise concerns about some aspects of the assessment. Dallas posted higher reading scores across grades three through eight and saw improvements in math scores for most grades. view article

Willis ISD to issue $87.7M in bond funds

June 1808:21 AM

WISD Chief Financial Officer Garrett Matej said the district will issue the total amount of $87.7 million because the taxable value of homes in Willis ISD could be reduced by an increase in the homestead exemption under Senate Bill 4, which was signed June 17. Matej said the higher homestead exemption would result in less tax revenue, so it would be more advantageous to issue debt before that takes effect Sept. 1. view article

College Station ISD adopts 2025-26 budget, new employee pay plan

June 1808:21 AM

College Station ISD’s Board of Trustees finalized the district’s 2025-26 school year budget during Tuesday night’s meeting, and the updated financial plan reflects both benefits and challenges for the district and staff. The district implemented a $2.1 million deficit budget for the upcoming school year despite increased state funding. “When you’re going into a deficit, your CFO’s going to be extremely concerned, but we’re going to continue to work hard, make sure that we can look for efficiencies and then try to shave off a little bit more,” CSISD Chief Financial Officer Heather Wilson stated. During the meeting, the Board approved a compensation plan in line with recently passed House Bill 2, which ties new state funding directly to classroom teachers. view article

STAAR results: How Katy, Fort Bend, Cy-Fair and Conroe ISD middle and elementary schools performed

June 1808:20 AM

Katy, Cy-Fair, Fort Bend and Conroe ISDs, which educate a combined 365,000 students — consistently scored above state averages on the elementary and middle school STAAR scores released Tuesday. However Houston, Fort Bend and Cy-Fair ISDs saw the most growth from last year. view article

Austin ISD eliminating jobs at its central office to reduce budget deficit

June 1808:19 AM

Austin ISD is trying to slash up to $10 million in spending by restructuring its central administrative office. Staff will learn the future of their positions Wednesday. “The process will include eliminating positions, reassignments, new reporting structures and pay scales,” district officials told KUT News in an email. The changes at the central office, which will take effect on Aug. 1, are part of an ongoing effort to reduce Austin ISD’s budget deficit, which currently totals about $93 million. view article

Bigger paychecks and more teachers coming to Argyle ISD on the heels of HB2

June 1808:18 AM

On the heels of Texas House Bill 2 being signed into law, Argyle ISD is making bold investments in its classrooms that go beyond the historic investment from the state. Bigger Paychecks for Teachers While House Bill 2 limits additional funding to classroom teachers with at least two years of experience, in its June meeting, the Argyle ISD board unanimously approved: view article

Argyle ISD approves pay increase for teachers, staff for 2025-26 school year

June 1808:17 AM

The Argyle ISD Board of Trustees approved the district’s 2025-26 compensation plan, which includes pay increases for teachers and staff, at a June 16 meeting. The plan was approved with a unanimous vote, with President Sam Slaton abstaining. view article

Chapel Hill ISD announces many renovations to Bulldog Stadium

June 1808:13 AM

According to a Facebook post from Chapel Hill ISD, their Long Range Facility Planning Committee (LRFPC) composed of students, families, community members and experts worked together to create a master plan for the new Bulldog Stadium. view article

Canyon ISD issues statement after student injured in crash near West Plains HS

June 1808:10 AM

After receiving multiple inquiries, the Canyon Independent School District released the following statement June 17 in regard to an accident involving a vehicle and pedestrian near West Plains High School that took place June 16: "Monday morning, a West Plains High School student was leaving campus on foot and was struck by a vehicle while crossing Loop 335 in the crosswalk. We are grateful for the quick actions of first responders and we are keeping the student and family in our thoughts as they focus on recovery. Canyon ISD continues to work with TxDOT to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in this area." view article

Texas Education Agency Calls New STAAR Results for Grades 3-8 ‘Encouraging’

June 1805:00 AM

The 2025 results show that a quarter to a third of elementary and middle school students fail to even approach grade level in reading and math. view article

Texas GOP: Legislature Must Finish Work on Key Conservative Reforms

June 1805:00 AM

The Republican Party of Texas is calling for a special session of the state legislature on a series of unaddressed priorities. With unfinished Republican priorities still lingering after the close of the regular legislative session, the Republican Party of Texas is calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to immediately convene a special session to address several key issues—including the elimination of property taxes, a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, and bail reform. The resolution, adopted unanimously by the State Republican Executive Committee, lays out a series of demands for lawmakers that largely mirror the party’s legislative priorities approved by grassroots delegates at last year’s Republican convention. At the top of the list: property tax elimination. view article

House Leadership Blocking Ban on Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying, Says Texas Lawmaker

June 1709:00 AM

State Rep. Brent Money says State Affairs Committee Chair Ken King won’t give the legislation a hearing. 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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