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.
Liberty Hill ISD proposes potential tax-rate election

LHISD has lowered the tax rate 37 cents over six years. Prop A would add 6 pennies back to the tax rate. Prop A adds funding for teacher salary increases, instructional programs, and extracurricular programs. State and federal officials have cut education funding. At the same time, inflation has driven up LHISD operating costs such as utilities, fuel, and insurance. LHISD has already cut $2 million in expenses. If Prop A does not pass, LHISD will have to make additional cuts, which may include up to 10 percent of our teaching staff.
Abbott’s bid to expel the House Democratic leader goes to a court filled with his appointees

The Texas Supreme Court said in 2021 the Constitution allows members to thwart legislation by leaving the state. Abbott wants them to reconsider. Texas Democrats had been out of state for less than 48 hours when Gov. Greg Abbott moved to have their seats declared vacant. The emergency legal filing represents an unprecedented escalation of Abbott’s effort to pass a new congressional map that adds additional GOP seats, as demanded by President Donald Trump. It flies in the face of Texas’ own founding documents, centuries of legal precedent and a recent Supreme Court of Texas ruling, legal experts say. Even Attorney General Ken Paxton, a fellow Republican, threw cold water on Abbott’s strategy, filing his own brief saying that while he “appreciates the Governor’s passion,” he does not have the authority to bring this type of case.

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What the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on gender-affirming care ban means for Texas

June 1908:35 AM

The court split 6-3 along ideological lines on a case from Tennessee. About two dozen states have similar bans in place. view article

East Texas School Board President Faces Felony Child Porn Charge

June 1908:30 AM

Bolin , An East Texas school board president and longtime trustee was arrested for possessing child sexual abuse material following a joint investigation by federal, state, and local authorities. Jerry James Svatek Jr., 59, was arrested Tuesday and charged with possession of child pornography featuring a victim younger than 10 years of age. Svatek is the president of the board of trustees of Boling Independent School District, a three-school district in Wharton County southwest of Houston. Svatek has been an elected school board trustee in Boling ISD for more than 12 years. He ran for re-election unopposed in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Boling ISD Superintendent Keith Jedlicka issued a statement following Svatek’s arrest: g ISD Board President Jerry Svatek is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material showing victims under 10 years old. view article

A Decade Later, State Charges Against Ken Paxton Officially Dismissed

June 1908:30 AM

The dismissal marks a formal end to one of the most high-profile and politically charged prosecutions in Texas history. The dismissal marks a formal end to one of the most high-profile and politically charged prosecutions in Texas history. view article

Texas district urges Gov. Abbott to help abolish STAAR testing in special session

June 1908:30 AM

On the same day that Texas' top education department released its latest test scores, one North Texas school district called on Gov. Greg Abbott to push to abolish the state-mandated exams altogether. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams, taken each year by students in grades three through eight and in certain high school courses, is designed to measure how well a "student has learned and is able to apply the defined knowledge and skills in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills," according to the Texas Education Agency. State lawmakers in both chambers authored bills to scrap the exam for the first time since 2012 this legislative session but ultimately failed to reach a compromise before a key deadline. view article

Medina ISD teacher charged with improper relationship with a student, police say

June 1908:25 AM

A Medina ISD educator was arrested on a charge of an improper relationship with a student, according to Kerr County jail records. The district said Bradley Love worked as a teacher, and he is currently listed as a head basketball coach on the district’s staff directory. view article

Progreso ISD school board president arrested on intoxication and possession charges

June 1908:25 AM

Progreso ISD's school board president was arrested on charges of public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance, Channel 5 News has learned. Heriberto Caraveo, a spokesperson for the Weslaco Police Department, confirmed the arrest of Juan J. Ramos Jr. Caraveo did not say when the arrest happened, and Ramos did not appear on a search of the Hidalgo County jail system. Channel 5 News filed a public information request for more details of Ramos' arrest. view article

Canyon ISD releases statement after West Plains student hit by car

June 1908:25 AM

Canyon ISD has issued a statement after a student was hit by a car Monday. The statement says, “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.” The statement continues to thank first responders and says, “We are keeping the student and family in our thoughts and prayers as they focus on recovery. Canyon ISD continues to work with TxDOT to improve traffic and pedestrian safety in the area.” view article

El Paso ISD unveils equity audit results amid school closure debate

June 1908:25 AM

The El Paso District unveiled the results of a long-awaited equity audit, which many in the community had anticipated before decisions on school closures were made. The audit, presented at the district headquarters, has been a focal point for years, with community members urging for its release before any closures. view article

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

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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

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

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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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