Game Over? Texas Senate Unanimously Moves To Eliminate Lottery Commission The legislative session ends on June 2.

The proposal would shift the operation of the lottery to a different agency for a two-year trial period.
Private school vouchers are now law in Texas. Here’s how they will work.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday signed legislation authorizing a private school voucher program into law, marking the grand finale of an oftentimes ugly conflict that has largely defined Texas politics this decade.Senate Bill 2 will allow families to use public taxpayer dollars to fund their children’s education at an accredited private school or to pay for a wide range of school-related expenses, like textbooks, transportation or therapy. The program will be one of the largest school voucher initiatives in the nation. “When I ran for reelection in 2022, I promised school choice for the families of Texas. Today, we deliver on that promise,” said Abbott during the bill's signing before hundreds of applauding supporters gathered outside the Governor's Mansion.
How Greg Abbott took a flailing school voucher movement and turned it into a winning issue

Abbott tapped into a powerful national conservative movement and his own campaign war chest to turn turned legislative races into multimillion-dollar affairs.
Texas lawmakers push to enforce election transparency law after newsrooms found school districts failed to comply

ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found nearly three dozen school districts were missing required campaign finance reports online. Now lawmakers are pushing to impose steep penalties on local governments that fail to abide by the law.
Exclusive: Texas Lottery Commission Calls in FBI Amid Explosive Allegations

The Texas Lottery Commission has referred a high-profile investigation into alleged fraud and criminal activity surrounding the state lottery to the Federal Bureau of Investigation following a detailed complaint and mounting public scrutiny. The referral, included in a previously undisclosed investigative report, is the latest escalation in a scandal that has rocked the Texas Lottery, implicating former executives and ticket reseller companies and raising questions about the integrity of multi-million dollar jackpots. In a letter dated February 26, 2025, then-Executive Director Ryan Mindell informed state lawmakers that the agency had completed an initial review of allegations raised in a letter sent to the agency in January. John Brier submitted a 20-page letter and 32 supporting exhibits detailing years of alleged criminal conduct by principals of Lottery.com—a so-called lottery courier company—and former Lottery Commission Executive Director Gary Grief.
Texas bill to overhaul STAAR test clears the House but faces a skeptical Senate

The Texas House gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would eliminate STAAR, the high-stakes standardized test that the state and school districts use to monitor student learning and teacher performance.The STAAR test “leads to anxiety in our classroom with our teachers, and it leads to absolutely no information that a parent can understand,” Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said on the House floor Monday. “Assessment should be instructionally relevant and actionable.” House Bill 4 got a near unanimous vote in the House on Monday, but faces a tough road in the Senate. The upper chamber has its own idea for what an overhaul of the state standardized test, and the school rating system largely based on that test’s outcomes, should look like. The gulf between the proposals is wide — one lawmakers will need to close in the final weeks of this year’s legislative session.

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Longview ISD approves district-wide police department

May 1408:27 AM

Longview ISD is in the process of establishing a police department. “Safety is our top priority for our students. Our students need to feel safe,” LISD chief of facilities and operations Samuel Kington said. And at Monday’s meeting, LISD board members prioritized that safety by approving the establishment of a district-wide police department. This is despite concerns from several board members about the possibility of a negative and harmful policing culture for the students. view article

After a violent school fight, this Katy ISD dad is still showing up

May 1408:26 AM

The video is disturbing. Though the incident occurred almost two months ago, a father continues to attend school board meetings, demanding more action. Danny Gianfrancesco's daughter was in a fight with a male student at Taylor High School, and disturbing cell phone footage shows the incident. The father has been attending school board meetings consistently since the March 25 incident, demanding changes to the district's disciplinary policies after both his daughter and the boy received equal punishment. view article

Area school district warns parents of viral TikTok trend

May 1408:25 AM

Dalhart ISD is just one school district keeping parents aware of the dangers and repercussions of a circulating TikTok trend. The trend encourages students to insert pencil lead, foil or other materials into school issued Chromebook USB ports. This can cause the device to smoke and spark. view article

Canutillo ISD to discuss non-renewals and cuts to address budget deficit

May 1408:25 AM

The Canutillo Independent School District is among the districts in the El Paso area struggling with a budget deficit, leading the district to contemplate significant reductions. At a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Canutillo ISD board officials are expected to finalize decisions on addressing the deficit, which the district attributes to inadequate state funding, the pandemic, and increased service demands. view article

Judge revokes probation for former Beaumont ISD electrician who stole $1.2M from district, orders assets to be turned over to BISD

May 1408:25 AM

A Jefferson County judge, on Tuesday, revoked the probation of and sentenced a former electrical contractor to nine years in prison for defrauding the Beaumont Independent School District of $1.2 million more than a dozen years ago. Calvin Gary Walker, of Beaumont, is currently free on a personal recognizance bond pending the outcome of his appeal. He appeared before Judge John Stevens in Jefferson County's Criminal District Court on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, for a hearing on a motion to revoke his probation. view article

Austin ISD to consolidate schools by 2026-27 to prevent deeper budget cuts

May 1408:25 AM

Austin Independent School District says it will consolidate schools starting in the 2026-27 school year to avoid deeper budget cuts. In an online release, the district says resources are spread too thin, leaving schools under-resourced. view article

Killeen ISD Names Experienced Military Leader as Deputy Superintendent

May 1408:24 AM

The Killeen Independent School District has named a seasoned leader with more than 25 years of experience in strategic planning, program management and operational oversight as its next deputy superintendent for business and operations. The KISD Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Scott Hequembourg on Tuesday. Hequembourg will oversee human resources, business services, facilities, transportation and technology. view article

Interim superintendent named to lead Gunter ISD

May 1408:23 AM

A leadership change is coming to the Gunter Independent School District. The school board on Monday named Josh Barton as interim superintendent, stepping in to guide the district following the resignation of current Superintendent Scott Martindale. Barton, who has served as Gunter High School principal for the past three years, will assume the role of acting superintendent next month. view article

Katy ISD community calls for repeal of book bans, transgender policies after board member ousted

May 1408:23 AM

After voters rejected conservative Katy ISD board member Victor Perez on Election Day, his critics are calling for the removal of policies regarding book bans and transgender students that he once championed. Perez lost his seat to newcomer James Cross in the May 3 election. Perez ran a campaign that promoted conservative values; Cross avoided partisan politics into his campaign. view article

Bryan ISD to hold Seamless Summer Food Program

May 1408:20 AM

Summer is coming up, and while it’s the time when lots of kids are going to be out having fun in the sun, others are left worrying about where their next meal may come from. Bryan ISD is looking to lend a hand with that. The school district will be holding its Seamless Summer Food Program. This program provides free lunch and breakfast to anyone 18 years old and younger. This means they can be from anywhere: Bryan-College Station, Navasota, etcetera. view article

Texarkana ISD Unveils Mobile STEM Lab, Bringing Hands-On Learning to Students

May 1408:18 AM

Texarkana ISD is rolling out an exciting new initiative aimed at bringing cutting-edge STEM education directly to students: the Mobile STEM Lab. This state-of-the-art learning space, custom-outfitted with high-tech equipment, is designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills among elementary students. view article

Fort Worth ISD school closures could save millions. But would they help students?

May 1408:15 AM

Officials in the Fort Worth Independent School District say that closing and consolidating more than a dozen campuses would save the district millions of dollars over the next five years, allowing them to redirect more money toward academic priorities. District officials presented a proposed five-year facilities plan at a school board meeting Tuesday. The plan includes the closure and consolidation of 18 small and under-enrolled schools, including S.S. Dillow Elementary School, which is scheduled to close this summer due to structural issues.

Lufkin ISD considers moving administrative operations into shuttered campuses

May 1408:15 AM

The Lufkin ISD Administration building and the Lufkin ISD District Education Center may be up for sale soon. The district says the consideration is just one more step in their efforts to get back on track financially. In LISD’s Board Work Session Tuesday morning, members talked about potentially selling the two properties. This comes after the district voted to close Kurth Primary and Coston Elementary School in February and make cuts to admin staff. view article

Fort Worth ISD board meets to reveal school closure, consolidation plans

May 1408:12 AM

Fort Worth ISD leaders are meeting to present a list of schools proposed for closure or consolidation over the next five years. Education reporter Wayne Carter is on the scene with the latest developments. view article

What to know as Fort Worth ISD works on its 2025-26 school year budget

May 1406:59 AM

Fort Worth ISD is in the middle of assembling the final pieces of its 2025-26 school year budget. Trustees are expected to receive an update on the budget during their May 13 workshop meeting, Chief Financial Officer Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria recently told the school board. Here’s what you need to know about the financial document, which will focus on jump-starting literacy efforts across the district: view article

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After a sometimes graphic debate, Texas House advances bill limiting kids’ access to sexually explicit books in libraries

May 1406:28 AM

The bill would bar those under 18 from checking out books with sexually explicit material without parental permission. view article

Texas bill to overhaul STAAR test clears the House but faces a skeptical Senate

May 1405:35 AM

The Texas House gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would eliminate STAAR, the high-stakes standardized test that the state and school districts use to monitor student learning and teacher performance.The STAAR test “leads to anxiety in our classroom with our teachers, and it leads to absolutely no information that a parent can understand,” Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said on the House floor Monday. “Assessment should be instructionally relevant and actionable.” House Bill 4 got a near unanimous vote in the House on Monday, but faces a tough road in the Senate. The upper chamber has its own idea for what an overhaul of the state standardized test, and the school rating system largely based on that test’s outcomes, should look like. The gulf between the proposals is wide — one lawmakers will need to close in the final weeks of this year’s legislative session. view article

ICE says it deported more than 500 people in the Houston area in one week

May 1405:16 AM

The agency did not offer details about the types of crimes or immigration violations the majority of the people were accused of. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday said it has deported more than 500 people and arrested more than 400 suspected undocumented immigrants as part of a weeklong operation in the Houston area. “This initiative will save taxpayers millions of dollars each year by significantly reducing the time that aliens who have exhausted due process and been ordered removed from the U.S. need to be in ICE custody,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. view article

Pressing deadlines, unfinished business: Where the Legislature stands on abortion, water, property tax and more

May 1405:03 AM

A raft of social conservative priorities backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick hang in the balance, including efforts to infuse more religion into public schools A raft of social conservative priorities backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick hang in the balance, including efforts to infuse more religion into public schools.. Making their way through the legislative gauntlet — and soon facing end-of-session deadlines — are measures to lower property taxes, tighten the state’s bail laws, dedicate money for water projects and clarify when doctors can perform life-saving abortions. Also unresolved is the final makeup of the state’s more than $330 billion two-year budget, along with a nearly $8 billion package to boost public school funding. view article

Texas lawmakers want to spend millions on Child ID kits. Experts say there’s no evidence they work.

May 1405:00 AM

Texas legislators slipped millions for child ID kits into a 1,000-page budget proposal. The move comes two years after they quietly cut funding for such kits following a ProPublica and Texas Tribune report that showed there’s no evidence they work. view article

Texas lawmakers debating DEI ban in K-12 schools ask: Do students benefit from teachers who look like them?

May 1405:00 AM

Lawmakers debating a bill that would ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in Texas public schools briefly sparred over a question that has been answered by years of research but is often overlooked in political discussions: Should the state help staff classrooms with teachers who look like their students? view article

Texas House passes $315 million bill focused on students’ early literacy, math skills

May 1308:51 AM

Texas lawmakers are seeking to support kindergarten readiness and bolster literacy and numeracy skills with legislation aimed at improving students’ reading and math knowledge in earlier grade levels. House Bill 123, which the lower chamber passed Wednesday with overwhelming bipartisan support, builds on previous legislation aimed at increasing teacher training and providing supports for students. The $315 million proposal would revise requirements for teachers to attend and complete literacy and numeracy academies and require skills assessments for students in Kindergarten through third grade. The bill would also mandate tutoring interventions for certain students, based on their performance on the assessments. view article

It’s not just about vouchers and school funding. Here are the other Texas public education bills you should track.

May 1308:45 AM

Private school vouchers, public school finance and teacher pay have been the focus of heated debates during this year’s legislative session over how to direct taxpayer dollars to support Texas children’s education. But those haven’t been the only education-related issues up for discussion. Many other bills aim to reshape public education in Texas. Some offer additional resources, while others introduce new restrictions. Proposed legislation would boost funding for campus safety, support students who are falling behind in math and reading, and prohibit the use of cellphones during school hours. view article

What to know as Fort Worth ISD works on its 2025-26 school year budget

May 1308:44 AM

Texas bill could eliminate Dallas’ equity and inclusion office

May 1308:40 AM

Dallas’ Office of Equity and Inclusion, which was heavily featured in the region’s human rights proposal required to host next year’s FIFA World Cup, could be on the chopping block if a Texas Senate bill intended to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion departments in local governments becomes law. view article

AG Paxton Secures Record $1.375B Data Privacy Settlement With Google

May 1308:31 AM

The settlement follows a Texas lawsuit accusing the tech giant of violating state privacy laws. This historic agreement, announced late Friday, is the culmination of years of litigation. In 2022, Paxton’s office sued Google, alleging that the company unlawfully tracked and collected Texans’ private data. view article

Texas House votes to strictly define man and woman, excluding trans people from state records

May 1308:31 AM

Texas House votes to strictly define man and woman, excluding trans people from state records view article

Texas bill to overhaul STAAR test clears the House but faces a skeptical Senate

May 1308:31 AM

House Bill 4 would make the test shorter and base scores on how students’ performance compares to national averages. view article

Texas Senators Approve Measure Strengthening Right to Self-Defense

May 1308:30 AM

While Texas is already a castle doctrine state, individuals whom a grand jury declines to prosecute may still face civil action after exercising self-defense. view article

Catch up on what’s happening in Round Rock ISD

May 1308:20 AM

Learn more about what's happening in Round Rock ISD, from creative ways to recruit teachers to community safety efforts. view article

Jasper ISD mourns loss of longtime teacher and coach

May 1308:10 AM

Staff and students in the Jasper Independent School District are grieving the death of a longtime teacher and coach who died over the weekend. Raymanda Hafford Rigsby, 42, died on Sunday, May 11, 2025, according to a notice on the Coleman's Mortuary website. Rigsby was a junior high teacher and coach who served the district for more than 18 years, according to a statement sent to students by superintendent John Seybold. view article

It’s not just about vouchers and school funding. Here are the other Texas public education bills you should track.

May 1308:03 AM

Student discipline, uncertified teachers and school bans on DEI and cellphones are some of the topics being debated at the Texas Legislature this session. Private school vouchers, public school finance and teacher pay have been the focus of heated debates during this year’s legislative session over how to direct taxpayer dollars to support Texas children’s education. But those haven’t been the only education-related issues up for discussion. Many other bills aim to reshape public education in Texas. Some offer additional resources, while others introduce new restrictions. Proposed legislation would boost funding for campus safety, support students who are falling behind in math and reading, and prohibit the use of cellphones during school hours. view article

New Senate bill offers last-minute reprieve for troubled Texas Lottery

May 1305:50 AM

A key Senate critic threw a lifeline to the Texas Lottery when he proposed moving its oversight to a new agency instead of eliminating it entirely. A bill that would keep the Texas Lottery alive and enact sweeping changes by placing it under a new agency was heard in a Senate committee on Monday, a last-minute lifeline for the increasingly scrutinized department and its games. Senate Bill 3070, filed by Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, would abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and move supervision of the state-sponsored game under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. view article

Texas tells Fort Worth ISD ‘compulsory’ intervention required after string of failures at shuttered school

May 1208:40 AM

The Texas education commissioner is now officially weighing his options for Fort Worth ISD after a now-closed school triggered the state’s school intervention law. In a May 5 letter to Superintendent Karen Molinar and board President Roxanne Martinez, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the district’s accountability ratings triggered a state law that requires him to intervene. The issue: The Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade failed to meet state standards for five straight years — a threshold that mandates either a campus closure or the appointment of a board of managers to govern the entire district.This former Fort Worth ISD campus placed the entire district on state's potential takeover list view article

6 takeaways about Alex Fairly’s journey into Texas GOP politics

May 1208:30 AM

Texas’ newest Republican megadonor Alex Fairly got a look under the hood of Texas’ far-right political machine, and didn’t like what he saw. Here are six takeaways from his exclusive interview with The Texas Tribune. view article

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