What you need to know about Texas’ school safety policies

Texas lawmakers have mandated armed guards at every public school, panic buttons in classrooms and more staff training. In response to the deadliest school shooting in Texas, lawmakers have upped legislation concerning gun and school safety. House Bill 3 passed late last year, which created the requirement for an armed security guard to be present on all campuses and also ramped up mental health resources for students. In Texas, the responsibility for establishing the guidelines for public school safety belongs to the Texas Education Agency and Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office along with the TxSSC. These rules have been updated since the 2022 tragedy in Uvalde, but some experts worry that parents and guardians still don’t know the intricacies of school safety policy. Brian Clason, program manager of training and education for the Texas State School Safety Center, says the best thing parents can do to protect their children is to develop relationships with teachers and school faculty to learn more about safety protocols before an emergency occurs. “Your school leaders should know who you are, and you should know who they are,” he said.
Former Lake Travis football parent sues school district over peanut allergy incident

The family of former Lake Travis High School football player Carter Mannon has filed a lawsuit against the school district alleging officials failed to address an incident last fall in accordance with bullying and discrimination laws after two of Mannon's teammates stuffed his gear and shoes with peanuts before a game last fall. In the lawsuit, the family alleges the district failed to take any action to prevent bullying against their son and that the teammates knew Mannon was severely allergic to peanut products. The lawsuit was filed Saturday by Shawna Mannon, Carter's mother. "There's no rhyme or reason to the timing (of the complaint)," she told the American-Statesman on Tuesday. "We had exhausted our resources. We had done our due diligence. We're going the legal route because we didn't get what we wanted."
Bonham ISD hires new superintendent, Dr. Joy Wilson

The board unanimously approved hiring Dr. Joy Wilson as the new superintendent and approving the superintendent contract. The meeting adjourned amid applause for the new superintendent. Wilson signed the contract after the meeting ended and then stayed for multiple photographs, including one with Audrey Rayford, who was Wilson’s Head Start teacher in Bonham many years ago.
A First: Texans to Elect Appraisal District Directors in May

Voters in Texas counties with a population of 75,000 or more will elect three new members to their appraisal district board of directors. On May 4, many Texans will have their first opportunity to elect representatives to the governing boards of their local appraisal districts, making the agencies that assess property values for tax purposes more accountable to citizens. A new property tax relief law, passed last year and approved in November by voters statewide, included a provision for voters in counties with a population of 75,000 or more to elect three new members to their county appraisal district board of directors. The three elected board members will serve alongside the five appointed directors and the county tax assessor-collector, who will become an ex-officio board member. Directors elected in May will take office on July 1 and serve a term that expires on December 31, 2026.
Gov. Abbott wants to end property taxes, but is that realistic?

AUSTIN, Texas — After months of delay, a plan to cut your property taxes is on the fast-track. On Wednesday, the Texas Senate passed a key portion of an $18 billion package that would help both homeowners and businesses. What You Need To Know On Wednesday, the Texas Senate passed a key portion of an $18 billion package that would help both homeowners and businesses While Democrats joined Republicans in passing the bills, they raised concerns about a lack of new money for schools One even criticized House leadership for removing a Senate-backed amendment to give teachers a bonus, which Republicans say that will be addressed in the next special session The full property tax relief package is expected to be voted on and sent to Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday While Democrats joined Republicans in passing the bills, they raised concerns about a lack of new money for schools. One even criticized House leadership for removing a Senate-backed amendment to give teachers a bonus. Republicans say that will be addressed in the next special session
Lufkin ISD taps James Hockenberry as superintendent finalist

James Hockenberry is now the lone finalist for the job of superintendent at Lufkin ISD, positioning him to be appointed once the state’s 21-day mandatory waiting period elapses. The Lufkin ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to nominate Hockenberry as the lone finalist during a special meeting Monday. Wayne Haglund, the Lufkin ISD legal counsel, said that based on state law the board must wait 21 days after announcing a superintendent candidate before entering into a contract. Hockenberry has served for the last four years as assistant superintendent of Longview ISD, part of his 29 years of work as an educator. He also served as superintendent of Center ISD and Chireno ISD for a total of 13 years, said Lufkin ISD Board president Kristi Gay as she introduced Hockenberry. She also noted his experience as a teacher — including four years as a high school science teacher.

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Lone Finalist	Iraan-Sheffield Collegiate ISD - Gary Laramore, Principal,Balmorhea ISD; Search by: Dr. Nelson Coulter assisted by Collegiate Edu-NationINFO
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INTERVIEW: Denton ISD Superintendent talks state funding issues

April 0208:28 AM

Denton ISD Superintendent Jamie Wilson talks about the issues the lack of state funding is causing his district. view article

New Dallas ISD police chief brings a heart of service

April 0208:28 AM

Education has always played an important role in Dallas ISD Police Chief Albert Martinez’s life. Now, in his new role as the top police officer for the district, he is combining his support for education with his passion for serving others. While growing up, education was strongly emphasized by his mother, who was born and raised in Mexico and who didn’t have the same educational opportunities available to him, so it was always something she pushed, he said. view article

Rivercrest ISD Calls Bond Election

April 0208:25 AM

Rivercrest ISD trustees have called a $23 million dollar bond issue election Money raised will fund improvements to the district’s facilities. The election will be held May 4 with early voting with early voting April 22 to 30. view article

Neches ISD reassigns 3X state champ coach Andy Snider

April 0208:25 AM

Neches Independent School District informed Lady Tigers Head Basketball Coach Andy Snider last week that he will be reassigned, effectively ending the three time State Champion coaches 16-year tenure at the helm of the Lady Tigers program. In his time with the Lady Tigers, Snider posted a career record of 368-155. Coach Snider has led the Lady Tigers to four state championship games in his 16-year career, going 3-1 in said games, including three consecutive State Championships from 2011-13. Snider has also led Neches to the regional tournament 11 times, and the state tournament eight times. view article

Brianna Young wins KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Judson ISD

April 0208:24 AM

From the countryside, the big city, and traveling the world, Brianna Young seems to standout wherever she goes. Her sincere and accepting nature is a people magnet, helping shape the leader she is today at Judson ISD Early College Academy. In fact when the Principal is gone, they call on Young to lead the campus. view article

El Paso ISD announces 2024-25 initiatives: bilingual education, resource centers, algebra

April 0208:15 AM

El Paso Independent School District recently unveiled a slate of new educational initiatives to coincide with its 2024-25 school year registration, which opens Monday. A slate of new educational initiatives are being rolled out across the El Paso ISD system, which are "designed to support student success both inside and outside the classroom," EPISD said in a statement. view article

Rusk ISD cancels high school classes for Monday after classroom fire

April 0108:39 AM

Rusk ISD has canceled classes for Rusk High School Monday after a fire inside of a classroom Sunday evening. Superintendent Grey Burton said the fire was contained, but there is smoke in the building. Classes will be canceled Monday so the building's electrical system can be checked. view article

Concrete truck driver that hit Hays ISD school bus charged with criminally negligent homicide

April 0108:31 AM

The driver of a concrete truck that drifted into oncoming traffic and collided with a Hays ISD school bus last Friday has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, according to Bastrop County criminal records. The charge is a state jail felony, the least severe of all felonies, punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. view article

Students held as political hostages

April 0108:28 AM

School security and school vouchers have absolutely nothing in common except the word “school” and yet Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to block funding for state-mandated security measures without passage of his pet school savings account legislation. The impact on public schools, particularly those in rural areas like ours, has been dramatic. view article

Texas school districts face tipping point with incoming budget cuts, measures taken to prevent resignations

April 0108:25 AM

School districts across the state are bracing for substantial budget cuts and layoffs as they plan for the upcoming school year. The cripplingly insufficient financial support and politicization of state government funds has led to a decline of education and the elimination of critical resources for students. There has been no increase in education funding from the state since 2019, leaving school districts forced to operate on a pre-pandemic established budget, according to Fox 4 News.“It’s a totally different world, but we’re still expected to operate on 2019 dollars,” Tracy Johnson, Keller ISD superintendent, told Fox 4 News. view article

Hays ISD releases dash camera video of bus colliding with truck in western Bastrop County

April 0108:25 AM

Hays Independent School District has released two videos from cameras on a school bus involved in Friday’s deadly crash with a concrete truck. One video shows the front of the bus as it’s driving in western Bastrop County, bringing pre-K students from Tom Green Elementary School and 11 adults home from a field trip to the Bastrop Zoo. The other video is from a camera on the side of the bus. view article

Mansfield ISD voters call for review of trustee candidate’s eligibility

April 0108:25 AM

Some residents in Mansfield ISD are asking the board to review a trustee candidate’s eligibility after records showed he wasn’t registered to vote when he filed to run. County records show Place 2 candidate Angel Hidalgo, a Spanish instructor at Tarrant County College, registered to vote in Tarrant County on Feb. 25, a week after the filing deadline. Under state law, candidates must be registered voters in the territory where they are running. view article

Fort Worth ISD board approves contract to start closure of Forest Oak Sixth Grade

April 0108:25 AM

Facing a $40 million budget shortfall, decreasing enrollment and low student performance, Fort Worth ISD declared last week its intention to close a second school beginning in the 2024-25 school year. During a March 26 board meeting, Fort Worth ISD trustees approved a contract to relocate students from Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade to Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Middle School for the 2024-25 school year, effectively closing Forest Oak Sixth Grade’s campus. view article

Lewisville ISD asks voters to OK $102M bond for athletic projects

April 0108:25 AM

Lewisville ISD voters will reconsider funding for athletic-focused projects during the May bond election. The $101.8 million package features three propositions that would generate additional funding to conduct maintenance, repairs and renovations at various athletics and recreation facilities across the district. If voters approve all three propositions, there will be no increase to the tax rate, according to bond details. view article

Sherman ISD provides update on high school stadium project

April 0108:25 AM

Sherman ISD has been working to design a new multipurpose stadium for Sherman High School since the fall of last year. After cost estimates came in the district said it will need to make adjustments to keep the project on track, and it is working with the architect and general contractor to explore cost saving options that will keep the desired design elements. view article

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Behind the scenes of Houston ISD teacher evaluation rollout: TEA called classroom observation approach ‘odd,’ liaison said training sessions ‘much larger than is recommended’

April 0108:25 AM

Houston Public Media obtained correspondence showing concerns raised by state education staffers about Houston ISD’s rushed rollout of a deeply controversial performance evaluation system for educators. According to experts, the messages call further into question the systems that will determine which teachers and principals are removed from their schools. view article

Former Cy-Falls HS teacher sentenced to 9 years for having improper relationship with a student

April 0108:24 AM

A former Cy-Fair ISD staff member will spend nine years in prison for inappropriately touching an 18-year-old Life Skills student, according to court documents. Ennis Hernandez pleaded guilty to inducing a child into sexual performance and having an improper relationship with a student. In each case, he was sentenced to nine years, but both sentences must be served concurrently. view article

Caddo Mills ISD employee charged with possession of child porn

April 0108:22 AM

A Caddo Mills ISD employee has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, according to the district. The employee, Sean Day, worked in the district warehouse overseeing custodians and did not supervise any students. view article

Denton ISD announces postponement of new school opening as it deals with budget cuts

April 0108:21 AM

Denton ISD, which is dealing with the budget cuts that are plaguing school districts across the state, said it is postponing plans to open a new elementary school. It also announced it is closing dozens of vacant positions. Denton ISD’s superintendent told FOX 4 Thursday "the reality is that we can no longer do more with less." view article

Crowley ISD shares design of new high school as elementary nears completion

April 0108:21 AM

Crowley ISD Superintendent Michael McFarland started a chant as he kicked off a 2023 bond discussion. “Can you repeat after me? Promises made,” McFarland said, letting his words trail.“Promises made,” the audience gathered in the school board meeting room echoed the district’s leader. “Promises kept,” McFarland said, the audience repeating after him. view article

DX Spotlights Troubled Dallas ISD Campus

April 0108:21 AM

While the Texas Education Agency continues to keep the latest accountability reports for the state’s public school systems under wraps due to a lawsuit, The Dallas Express is putting a spotlight on one of Dallas ISD’s underperforming campuses. According to the most recent available accountability report, which is for the 2021-2022 school year, South Oak Cliff High School earned a 63 out of 100 for student achievement outcomes. view article

Loss of pandemic-era funding impacts Corpus Christi ISD after-school program

April 0108:21 AM

As pandemic-era education funding disappears, Corpus Christi ISD is bracing for impacts to learning loss recovery efforts like its after-school program. The after-school program was funded by the Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports grant program. Both TCLAS and the third round of the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Education Relief Fund, another pandemic-era program, are coming to an end. view article

Spring Branch ISD parents raise $570K to fund programs cut in budget crisis

April 0108:20 AM

On a warm March afternoon across from Bendwood Elementary School, students took Spring Branch ISD's financial crisis into their own hands. Beneath a sign blaming the Legislature for the “lemons” it handed the district in the form of a $35 million budget deficit, students sold lemonade at the park as a token gesture to keep afloat their beloved gifted-and-talented program, called Spring Branch Program for Improving Reasoning and Accelerating Learning, or SPIRAL. view article

Former Cy-Fair ISD paraprofessional sentenced for improperly touching student

April 0108:20 AM

Ennis Hernandez, the former Cy-Fair ISD paraprofessional who was found to be inappropriately touching a student at the school he worked at, has been sentenced. Hernandez was sentenced to nine years in Harris County Jail after being charged with having an improper relationship with a student and the sexual performance of a child. view article

Kerrville: Retaining and finding staff mulled by KISD Board

April 0108:19 AM

Retaining teachers and staff, while also facing the possibility of adopting a deficit budget, remained the theme during the Kerrville Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting Monday night, with trustees hearing about expanded Teacher Incentive Allotment potential, ongoing recruitment efforts and aggressive plans to balance the 2024-2025 year budget. view article

Lubbock ISD donates elementary school buildings to local organizations

April 0108:17 AM

Thursday, in a unanimous vote, the Lubbock ISD school board approved a resolution donating the Guadalupe Elementary School building to the Diocese of Lubbock and Jackson Elementary School building to Tomorrow’s Leaders. Guadalupe and Jackson were part of the consolidation of three schools into the new Anita Carmona-Harrison Elementary School, part of the 2018 bond initiative. view article

Sivells Bend ISD to unveil new campus plans ahead of May bond vote

April 0108:15 AM

Sivells Bend ISD could overhaul its campus soon, should voters agree to pay for it. The Sivells Bend ISD board voted in February for a $19.9 million bond election to be held on May 4, 2024. If approved by the voters, the bond will address facility improvements throughout the district, including: view article

The State Board of Education Unveils New Website

March 2809:00 AM

AUSTIN, Texas – April 1, 2024 – The State Board of Education (SBOE) today announced the official launch of its brand-new website, https://sboe.texas.gov/, designed to provide the public with easy access to valuable resources and information related to the SBOE’s roles and responsibilities. The SBOE’s new website serves as a comprehensive landing point for educators, parents, policymakers, and community members to stay informed about board action related to Texas education policies, rules, regulations, and curriculum updates. Information and updates solely related to actions of the State Board of Education can be found on the new website. Rules information, proposed rules and rules comment features can still be found at State Board of Education Rules – Texas Administrative Code. The rules comment feature can also be accessed via the SBOE website under Related Content. The Texas Administrative Code (TAC) is a compilation of all Texas state agency rules published by the Office of the Secretary of State. The State Board of Education (SBOE) and commissioner of education rules listed below are codified in the TAC under Title 19, Education, Part 2, Texas Education Agency. view article

Texas criminal appeals court takes man off death row over intellectual disability

March 2808:45 AM

Since Randall Mays was sentenced to death in 2008 for the murder of two sheriff’s deputies, his lawyers have argued his intellectual disability exempts him from execution. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals re-sentenced a 64-year-old man on death row to life in prison without parole on Wednesday after a state expert confirmed in trial court that he is intellectually disabled. Randall Mays was sentenced to death in 2008 for the murder of two sheriff's deputies in Henderson County but in the years since his legal team has filed multiple appeals arguing he is exempt from execution due to his mental competency and intellectual disability. Over two decades ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing people with intellectual disabilities violates the Eighth Amendment’s restriction of cruel and unusual punishments, which the criminal appellate court cited in its resentencing decision. view article

Texas immigration law remains on hold after late-night appeals court ruling

March 2808:42 AM

Late March 26, a federal appeals court further blocked a Texas law that would allow police officers to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally. In a 2-1 ruling issued minutes before midnight, a panel of judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Texas’ request to allow the law, known as Senate Bill 4, to take effect as a legal battle continues. The court is scheduled to hear arguments April 3 on the legality of SB 4. One week earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court briefly allowed SB 4 to take effect March 19 before it was halted by the appeals court. view article

Cows at two Texas dairy farms have bird flu, another blow to Cattle Country following wildfires

March 2808:42 AM

LUBBOCK — Cows in the Texas Panhandle have tested positive for the bird flu, another blow to the Texas dairy industry following historic wildfires that killed at least 7,000 livestock. The discovery, reported at two different dairies, is believed to be the first time the disease was found in livestock, researchers say. Strains of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as the bird flu, were confirmed Monday by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The state agriculture department is also monitoring the outbreak. Similar outbreaks have been reported at dairies in Kansas and New Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said there is no safety concern to the commercial milk supply. Consumer health is also not at risk, the department said. The milk from impacted animals is being dumped or destroyed and will not enter the food supply. view article

Lindale ISD submits Surratt for superintendent of the year

March 2808:42 AM

The school said under Surratt’s leadership, the school district has passed two bond elections, three tax ratification elections and received A ratings. “First, I want to thank the Board of Trustees for wanting to nominate me for the honor of Region VII Superintendent of the Year,” said Surratt. “Superintendents get nominated when things go very well in a school system. Because of our wonderful students and families, plus our fantastic staff, things have gone extremely well for Lindale ISD for many, many years. I am so blessed to be a part of this great school district and excited about the future of Lindale ISD.” view article

Archer City ISD hires Hartgraves as next superintendent

March 2808:42 AM

The Archer City ISD school board officially hired Hico Superintendent Jon Hartgraves as the district’s next superintendent during its board meeting Tuesday, March 26. Hartgraves has served as superintendent of Hico ISD since 2012 and served as superintendent of Gordon ISD before that. He grew up in Hamilton and attended Tarleton State University. His first job was at Waco Connally as a math… view article

Small nuclear reactors may be coming to Texas, boosted by interest from Gov. Abbott

March 2808:41 AM

view article

Once the Texas GOP’s “weak link,” Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful

March 2808:41 AM

Ten months ago, things looked bleak for Attorney General Ken Paxton. The beleaguered Republican had just been impeached and suspended from office by more than 70% of his own party in the Texas House. He faced an array of career-threatening legal battles: a federal investigation into corruption allegations lodged by his former top deputies, a whistleblower lawsuit from those deputies who said they were illegally fired for reporting Paxton to law enforcement, a separate lawsuit from the state bar seeking to penalize Paxton for attorney misconduct, and of course, an indictment on three felony counts of securities fraud that have loomed over nearly his entire tenure as attorney general. The outlook is now considerably brighter for Paxton, whose political stock continued its ascent this week when prosecutors agreed to drop the nine-year-old fraud charges if he fulfills the terms of a pretrial agreement. It was another major vindication for Paxton after the Senate acquitted him of the House’s impeachment charges last fall, bringing him one step closer to a political career devoid of legal drama and burnishing his reputation among the party’s most conservative flank as a fighter who has defied political “persecution.” “The pundits, lobbyists and consultants have written his political obituary many times and yet they greatly underestimated General Paxton’s tenacity and grit,” said Nick Maddux, a Paxton adviser and political consultant, in an email. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. Once seen as a political liability within his own party, Paxton now has the wind at his back. With two major political and legal wins behind him, he’s poised to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2026, a prospect he has openly entertained. The end of Paxton’s most persistent legal woe also provides another burst of momentum for the Texas GOP’s hardline wing as it looks to build on a March primary where a record number of House Republicans were unseated by Paxton-aligned firebrand challengers. 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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