As Schools Increase Use of AI, Experts Warn of Impact on Children’s Development

As tens of millions of children head back to school, parents and teachers are grappling with questions about how much artificial intelligence (AI) is too much.The education system will be one of the primary laboratories for the global AI experiment, according to author Joe Allen. “Schools—to the extent that they either mandate or encourage the adoption of AI—are going to be massive petri dishes in which we’ll find out whether it’s better to maintain traditional cultural norms, or if we turn every child possible into a cyborg,” he told The Epoch Times. No one knows what the long-term effects will be, said Allen, who authored “Dark Aeon: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity.”
Northside ISD starts school year with smaller budget deficit, fewer vacancies

Northside Independent School District is entering its new school year planning to spend roughly $1 billion, which would mean a $38 million budget deficit. The district’s board of trustees approved the 2025-26 budget on Tuesday, after months of budget talks and negotiations over how much funding could be expected under House Bill 2, the $8.5 billion public school funding bill passed by state lawmakers in May. Never miss San Antonio Report's biggest stories. Sign up for The Recap, a newsletter rundown of the most important news, delivered every Monday and Thursday.
NO MORE EXCUSES: Texas Set to End Schools’ ‘Sovereign Immunity’ in Sex Abuse Cases

The State Senate unanimously approved a House measure to hold school districts accountable for protecting students from sexual predators.
Supreme Court Sets Month-Long Briefing Schedule for Quorum Busters Case

Gov. Greg Abbott wants the Supreme Court of Texas to declare Gene Wu’s seat vacant. The Supreme Court of Texas has announced a briefing schedule in Gov. Greg Abbott’s bid to remove the House Democrat Caucus chairman, Gene Wu of Houston, from the legislature. It combined that with the case brought by Attorney General Ken Paxton against Wu and a dozen other quorum-busting lawmakers. The Court requires briefing papers to be filed from Wednesday, August 20, through Thursday, Sept. 14.
Special Session Ending, and Starting, Today

Even though the 30-day clock is not set to expire until Tuesday, the House and Senate are expected to adjourn out of the special session today. They will, however, be called immediately by the governor into a second special session that restarts the legislative process. The Senate has completed all of the work set forth by the governor in the original special session call. In contrast, nothing was accomplished in the House because Democrats—rather than fight—fled out of the state to disrupt the quorum requirements for conducting legislative business. The governor has said this second special session will have the same agenda, including congressional redistricting. Speaking at an event in Williamson County yesterday, State Sen. Charles Schwertner said he expects his chamber to move quickly to re-file and pass all the legislation again within the first few days. Constitutionally, the legislative process must start anew with each special session.
Some Texas private schools hire relatives and enrich insiders. Soon they can do it with taxpayer money.

An investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found more than 60 instances of nepotism, self-dealing and conflicts of interest among 27 private schools that likely would have violated state laws had the schools been public.

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Lone Finalist	Seguin ISD - Dr. Jack Lee, Superintendent,Bullard ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
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Lone Finalist	Conroe ISD - Dr. David Vinson, Superintendent,Wylie ISD; Search by: Texans for Excellence in Education, President, John Petree, 432-557-6581INFO
New Super	Plains ISD - Scott Mills, Principal,Quannah ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO
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1 in 4 Texas school districts signs up for new Bible-infused curriculum

August 2805:00 AM

The numbers may grow as the state collects more data. Some districts adopted the plan not for its religious emphasis but for more funding and to better align with teaching requirements. view article

NEISD hasn’t held a bond election in 10 years. Superintendent Sean Maika explains why they need it now.

August 2805:00 AM

Putting a $495 million bond package up to voters in North East Independent School District this November — after going 10 years without a single bond election — was not a spur of the moment decision for Superintendent Sean Maika. It was a yearlong process, he said, sparked by a 2021 incident in which the district spent $2 million replacing an R-22 chiller at Madison High School. That kind of chiller became obsolete in 2010, and Maika became superintendent at the NEISD in 2019. “I really started to ask a lot of questions” after the chiller incident, Maika said. “How didn’t we know this needed to be done? I don’t like unexpected surprises.” To understand exactly what the school district facility needs were, NEISD hired government contractor Gordian and put together a steering committee of community members to take inventory of everything the district owns and prioritize what needs fixing or replacing. The findings of that study, Maika recalled, took him by surprise. view article

A Texas congressman is quietly helping Elon Musk pitch building $760M tunnels under Houston to ease flooding

August 2805:00 AM

Experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels to divert floodwaters. Musk’s company wants a piece of the project. view article

A Texas congressman is quietly helping Elon Musk pitch building $760M tunnels under Houston to ease flooding

August 2805:00 AM

Experts in Houston have been studying the idea of building massive tunnels to divert floodwaters. Musk’s company wants a piece of the project. view article

Did Harris County slap Daikin Park with 1st-ever property tax bill? Astros aren’t happy.

August 2805:00 AM

Houston's home ballpark is at the center of a lawsuit filed by Houston Astros LLC late last week, which challenges a pain all-too-familiar to residents of the Lone Star State: property taxes. The Astros aim to avoid paying any form of property taxes on Daikin Park, claiming Texas tax code exempts "large-scale sports venues" from taxation. Friday's lawsuit added that Harris County "has no authority beyond what is conferred by the Texas Constitution or statute." view article

RFK Jr. joins Greg Abbott in Austin to tout new ‘Make Texas Healthy Again’ laws

August 2805:00 AM

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., stopped by the Capitol on Wednesday to tout new Texas laws requiring warning labels on food products containing certain chemicals and mandating exercise and nutrition courses in schools as critical to his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. view article

Driver involved in Leander school bus crash no longer employed by district

August 2805:00 AM

The driver of the Leander school bus that rolled over on Aug. 13 no longer works for the district, officials said in a letter sent to parents. A district spokeswoman on Wednesday said she did not know if the driver, Tim Gall, quit or was terminated. He had been a driver for the district since 2019. Sixteen students and Gall were taken to hospitals on Aug. 13 after the bus Gall was driving rolled over in the 22500 block of a wet Nameless Road in western Travis County. None of the injuries turned out to be life-threatening. view article

House Democrats’ frustration with STAAR bill highlights divide over how new test should look

August 2708:40 AM

Democrats say recent changes to the bill give too much power to the TEA and fall short of meaningfully easing the pressures of standardized testing. view article

Fresh off Texas Senate’s approval, new congressional map is target of lawsuits

August 2708:37 AM

One lawsuit, filed by LULAC on behalf of 13 Texas residents, states that the redrawn districts in the new map are racially discriminatory and violate voter protection laws. Hours after the Texas Senate approved a new congressional map early Saturday morning that more heavily favors Republicans — legislation Gov. Greg Abbott plans to “swiftly” sign into law — a lawsuit against the governor was filed, alleging that the redrawn districts are racially discriminatory. The 67-page complaint against Abbott and Secretary of State Jane Nelson supplements legal action filed by LULAC in 2021 challenging the state’s original maps and argues that redrawing districts mid-decade is unconstitutional. view article

Texas lawmakers delay bill keeping unsubstantiated complaints against officers from the public

August 2708:35 AM

Senate Bill 15’s supporters say police shouldn’t be publicly maligned for unproven allegations. Critics say the bill disincentivizes agencies from properly investigating complaints. view article

State After Regular Session Defeat, House Votes To Restore AG’s Election Fraud Powers

August 2708:35 AM

This renewed effort comes after a breakdown earlier this year, when similar legislation advanced during the regular session but died in conference committee. view article

Trial Court Shields LGBT Organization From Investigation

August 2708:34 AM

PFLAG refuses to produce documents for Attorney General Ken Paxton. An LGBT organization is fighting a demand to produce records regarding illegal gender mutilation procedures on minors and has taken the Texas attorney general to court. After more than a year of litigation filled with delays, a trial court ordered sweeping injunctions against the attorney general in favor of PFLAG. The Supreme Court of Texas is set to hear this case in October, which may determine the future of the attorney general’s investigative powers. view article

Marfa ISD Teacher Arrested for Sexual Misconduct With Student

August 2708:33 AM

Educational aide Rebecca Ontivero is charged with a second-degree felony. A teacher for Marfa Independent School District is accused of sexual misconduct with a student. Rebecca Romijn Ontiveros, 25, was arrested and charged with improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison. The offense includes sexual contact or sexually explicit communication with a student, regardless of the student’s age. view article

Adult charter school New Heights plans expansion into former Fort Worth ISD campus

August 2708:32 AM

Kendra Howard-Horn dropped out of high school in the late 1990s but always knew she wanted a diploma. The 42-year-old Fort Worth resident tried different paths over the years, including GED classes, but they never fit her learning style, she said. She needed accountability. She needed structure. Now Howard-Horn is one of hundreds of adult learners at New Heights High School, a Fort Worth-based charter that’s the first in the state to offer adults a pathway to earn a diploma. Soon, New Heights will expand, moving into a former school building owned by Fort Worth ISD. The charter’s new home will be at the former Rosemont Sixth Grade — and Applied Learning Academy — campus on McCart Avenue. The school plans to open Oct. 20, doubling its capacity across two sites. view article

Texas power plants and chemical companies benefit as Trump eases pollution rules, experts say

August 2708:30 AM

A two-year delay on new mercury rules benefits coal-fired power plants, while chemical plants got an exemption from stricter air pollution standards. view article

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Paxton Instructs Texas School Districts To Follow State’s Ten Commandments Law

August 2708:30 AM

Despite a federal judge’s court order halting display of the Ten Commandments in 11 districts, the rest of the state is still required to follow the new law. view article

American Parents Fear Effects of Screens More Than Drugs and Obesity: New Poll

August 2708:30 AM

wFrom junk food to TikTok, parents’ biggest health fears have changed significantly. American parents have become more worried about the content of their children’s Instagram feeds than that of their lunch boxes. According to a new national poll, the screens their children can’t seem to put down are the greatest of many threats. The top three concerns for kids’ health all touch back to technology: social media, excessive screen time, and internet safety. view article

Hudson ISD board approves tax rate

August 2708:30 AM

HUDSON — The Hudson ISD board of trustees held a public hearing for the district’s fiscal year 2025-26 budget and tax rate Tuesday evening inside the district’s boardroom. The maintenance and operations (M&O) rate will be $.7552 per $100 taxable property valuation and the interest and sinking (I&S) rate will be $.084 per $100, for a total rate of $.8392, down from last year’s rate of $.8792. The average homeowner in Hudson ISD will see a tax decrease of $173.52 compared to fiscal year 2024-25, according to assistant superintendent Barrett Lankford. The board unanimously adopted the property tax rate, which is the lowest in the county. The board also unanimously approved a final amendment to the Hudson ISD and Stubblefield Learning Center budgets for fiscal year 2024-25, which ends Sunday. The district will end the fiscal year with a budget surplus of up to $367,379, Lankford said. view article

Austin ISD says it will not display Ten Commandments in classrooms after court ruling

August 2708:28 AM

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District said it will not display the Ten Commandments, at least temporarily, after a preliminary injunction was filed by a district judge last week, according to a statement provided by the district to KXAN. view article

Denton ISD’s communication of student stabbing criticized by parents

August 2708:28 AM

In Denton, parents are criticizing the school district’s communication and timeliness after a student was stabbed at Ryan High School. The stabbing, according to Denton police, was reported just after 9 a.m. Friday. One student was taken to the hospital on Friday morning; the teen suspect was taken to the Denton County Juvenile Detention Center for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. view article

Arp ISD assistant principal, son arrested in investigation involving child sexual assault

August 2708:28 AM

An Arp ISD elementary assistant principal and her son were arrested Monday following an investigation by the Arp Police Department. Police said Karla Florence was taken into custody and charged with failure to report and false report to a peace officer. Investigators say she failed to provide truthful information and did not meet her legal duty under Texas law to report knowledge of a felony offense while serving in her role as an educator. view article

Grassroots group rallies support for Rockwall ISD tax measure

August 2708:25 AM

A newly formed political action committee is pushing for voter approval of a tax measure aimed at boosting Rockwall ISD funding. The Vote Yes for Rockwall ISD PAC emerged shortly after the school board authorized a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election on Aug. 18. Four days later, more than 150 residents gathered at a kickoff event hosted at the home of Dr. Mary Courtin. Parents, students, educators and business leaders attended, signaling early interest in the proposal. view article

Copperas Cove ISD asking voters to approve $165M bond; not everyone is on board

August 2708:25 AM

The school district in Copperas Cove is asking voters to approve a massive bond after the last one failed at the ballot box more than a year ago. CCISD is asking voters for to approve $165-million for much needed improvements around the district. Superintendent Brent Hawkins told KWTX the improvements are absolutely necessary. view article

Leander ISD driver ‘no longer employed’ by district after crash

August 2708:24 AM

The driver of the Leander ISD school bus that crashed earlier this month is no longer an employee of the district. A message sent to staff and families of Bagdad Elementary School on Tuesday said that the driver, Tim Gall, was cited by Texas DPS for failure to drive in a single land and improper use of a seatbelt, though the investigation into the crash found no criminal wrongdoing on Gall's behalf. The message then said that Gall "is no longer employed" with the district. view article

Leander ISD bus crash: Driver no longer employed with district

August 2708:24 AM

School officials announce that the Leander Independent School District bus driver involved in a rollover crash is no longer employed with the district. view article

Spate of hoax calls about active shooters stir fear at college campuses around the US

August 2706:40 AM

A rash of hoax calls about active shooters on at least a dozen college campuses around the U.S. has spread fear among students as the school year begins view article

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD lays out plan to cut $16M shortfall

August 2705:33 AM

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD lays out plan to cut $16M shortfall Eagle Mountain-Saginaw school leaders want a balanced budget by 2029 but, for now, they face a $16 million shortfall. In unanimous decisions Aug. 25, trustees approved maintaining the northwest Fort Worth district’s property tax rate at $1.2457 per $100 of valuation and signed off on a $286.5 million general fund budget. view article

Proposed THC ban has stalled in Legislature

August 2705:00 AM

Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the proposed ban on hemp-derived THC late on Sunday, but told lawmakers he would be calling them back to Austin next month to impose some regulation on an industry that has grown dramatically in recent years with little state oversight. Abbott said that the ban, known as Senate Bill 3, was "well-intentioned" but would not have survived legal challenges. view article

HHS Threatens to Cut Funds for 46 States Over Gender Ideology in School Curricula

August 2705:00 AM

The agency recently canceled California’s grant program after giving it 60 days to comply with a June 20 order to remove the content. view article

Round Rock ISD Board Pres. Tiffanie N. Harrison to Step Down; Trustees Approve Process to Fill Seat

August 2609:14 AM

Round Rock ISD Board Pres. Tiffanie N. Harrison announced Aug. 21 that she will be stepping down from her role on the board to focus on her growing family. With the announcement, the board will now be tasked with appointing a new trustee to complete Harrison’s unfinished term, which ends in 2026. “It has truly been one of my greatest honors to serve on this board. As someone who has walked these halls as a student, taught in our classrooms, and served as a trustee in roles from secretary to vice president and ultimately president, I have been honored by the trust this community placed in me,” Harrison said. “Round Rock ISD has been at the heart of my life’s journey. The students, families, and staff of this district are incredibly special to me, and I am proud of the work we as a board have done to support the Round Rock ISD community. view article

Texas House approves stricter limits on cities and counties when it comes to raising property taxes

August 2608:30 AM

The legislation would further limit how much more in property tax revenue cities and counties can collect each year without voter approval. Texas cities and counties have already had their budgets compressed by a variety of factors, including the state’s current property tax limits. view article

As measles exploded, West Texas officials looked to CDC scientists. No one answered.

August 2608:30 AM

Emails show how overwhelmed West Texas officials were as they asked CDC for guidance on how to respond to the explosive outbreak. “CDC hasn’t reached out to us locally,” Katherine Wells, the public health director in Lubbock, Texas, wrote in a Feb. 5 email exchange with a colleague two weeks after children with measles were hospitalized in Lubbock. “My staff feels like we are out here all alone,” she added. view article

Texas’ $7.2 billion loan program for gas power plants has approved two projects in two years

August 2608:30 AM

When Texas legislators conceived of the Texas Energy Fund in the spring of 2023, its goal of jump-starting the construction of more natural gas power plants to support the state’s strained power grid seemed reasonable. In the two years since that vote, however, experts say the energy market has turned against the development of gas-fired power plants. Experts and energy companies say the fund’s $7.2 billion worth of low-interest loans and bonus grants may not be appealing enough to overcome those economic headwinds. “It is a challenging market for natural gas developers right now, and it has been for a good amount of time” said Walt Baum, CEO of Powering Texans, a trade association representing Calpine, Constellation, NRG and Vistra, the state’s four largest operators of dispatchable power. view article

‘Might want to brush up”: Cornyn urges Ken Paxton to review Ten Commandments

August 2608:30 AM

Paxton posted a memo from his office earlier on Monday, writing that he would "not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country. Cornyn's sharp reply didn’t go unnoticed — and neither did the public's. Dozens of X users weighed in, many echoing the senator's sentiment and pointing to Paxton's personal life. "Should you stick it up in your office so you can be reminded not to cheat on your wife?" Another reminded the attorney general that "Thou shalt not commit adultery" is one of the Ten Commandments. view article

Denton ISD’s communication of student stabbing criticized by parents

August 2608:28 AM

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