Former, current Winnsboro ISD superintendents arrested

Jail staff confirmed that Brian David Wilcox, 50, of Texarkana, and Aaron David Nation, 39, are being processed. Winnsboro ISD confirmed Ashley Wilcox, who was employed with the district until the summer of 2025, has also been arrested. — Criminal charges have been filed against the current and former superintendents of Winnsboro ISD. Jail staff confirmed that Brian David Wilcox, 50, of Texarkana, and Aaron David Nation, 39, were booked into the Wood County Jail. As of 6:15 p.m. Monday, Nation had bonded out; he had been held on $40,000 bond.
What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.
How Odyssey rose from tech startup to manager of Texas’ $1B school voucher program

When Texas chose a company to roll out the state’s $1 billion private school voucher program, it passed over more established vendors in favor of a four-year-old tech startup that said it could do it for almost half the cost. Now, Odyssey must execute on its promises to meet an aggressive timeline while avoiding missteps that have dogged other program launches. The New York-based company has rapidly expanded in recent years, launching programs in eight states that subsidize students’ private education costs with taxpayer dollars.
Lake Worth parents press state: Why force out superintendent now?

The question Lake Worth parents and community members pressed Texas education officials with Wednesday night was simple: Why remove schools Superintendent Mark Ramirez? Inside the Lake Worth High School auditorium, speaker after speaker returned to the same point — not to defend years of low academic achievement but to argue that the district is finally showing signs of movement. Lake Worth ISD’s 3,200 students will pay the price if state leaders force Ramirez out, they said. The meeting marked the first opportunity for residents to directly question Texas Education Agency officials since the state began its takeover that includes replacing the district’s superintendent. Meanwhile, an appointed board of managers will assume the duties of the locally elected trustees.
Hundreds of private schools are being shut out of Texas’ voucher program

Hundreds of private schools have been shut out of Texas’ new school voucher program while the state comptroller’s office awaits a decision in its bid to block some Islamic and allegedly Chinese-linked institutions. Nearly all schools accredited by Cognia, the largest private school accreditor in Texas, have been unable to submit applications in the month since the state began accepting them. As of Tuesday, only 30 of the 600 schools accredited solely by the nonprofit were added to the list of approved vendors, most of them offering only pre-K and kindergarten. The majority of those were added overnight on Monday, after Hearst Newspapers began inquiring about the issue.
TribCast: Can Texas zero out property taxes?

We’re a year out from the next legislative session and already, the battle lines are forming around a key issue that’s sure to divide Texas Republicans — how to go about lowering property taxes. Gov. Greg Abbott has shared his proposal, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has thrown his pitch, and we’ll all spend the next year nervously assessing whether their disagreement portends a special session or two in 2027. To discuss all this, Eleanor and Matthew are joined by John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy.

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Trial of former Uvalde CISD officer recesses early Thursday due to family emergency of jury member by: Dylan McKim

January 1608:40 AM

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Nexstar) — The ninth day of the trial against former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officer Adrian Gonzales continues in the Nueces County courthouse on Thursday. On Wednesday, the courtroom was still tense after Tuesday’s outburst from Velma Lisa Duran, the sister of Robb Elementary teacher Irma Garcia, who was killed in the shooting. “Y’all are saying she didn’t lock her door,” Duran shouted as she was removed from the courtroom by deputies. “She went into the fatal funnel!” The fatal funnel is a tactical term used by law enforcement to describe an area, like a doorway, where a police officer does not have cover and can be shot. view article

Former, current Winnsboro ISD superintendents arrested

January 1508:52 AM

QUITMAN, Texas (KLTV) — Criminal charges have been filed against the current and former superintendents of Winnsboro ISD. Jail staff confirmed that Brian David Wilcox, 50, of Texarkana, and Aaron David Nation, 39, were booked into the Wood County Jail. Nation bonded out Monday evening; he had been held on $40,000 bond. Wilcox was held on a bond of $30,000 and bonded out on Tuesday. view article

Texas A&M blocks readings on gender ideology in philosophy class: ‘Plato has been censored’

January 0808:40 AM

A Texas A&M professor has been told not to teach certain writings from Plato, a staple in introductory philosophy courses, because they may violate the university system's new rules against "advocating" race or gender ideology, or topics concerning sexual orientation, in core classes. view article

Preventive Law: New Year, New(ish) Grievance Procedures: A Review of the Recent Addition of Chapter 26A

January 0701:38 PM

The 89th legislative session has produced a staggering number of changes to the landscape of Texas education. Perhaps one of the more jarring changes was the addition of chapter 26A to the Texas Education Code. This new chapter codifies the grievance provisions that school districts are required to implement in policy. Some of the requirements in the Chapter simply mirror the procedures already common amongst school districts, such as the use of a multi-tiered grievance appeal process. Others, however, depart from the usual grievance procedures or create new procedures entirely. This article will highlight some of the largest departures from past grievance procedures and discuss the implications of these changes for Texas school districts.

What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year

January 0508:43 AM

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually. view article

Lake Worth parents press state: Why force out superintendent now?

January 1609:00 AM

The question Lake Worth parents and community members pressed Texas education officials with Wednesday night was simple: Why remove schools Superintendent Mark Ramirez? Inside the Lake Worth High School auditorium, speaker after speaker returned to the same point — not to defend years of low academic achievement but to argue that the district is finally showing signs of movement. Lake Worth ISD’s 3,200 students will pay the price if state leaders force Ramirez out, they said. The meeting marked the first opportunity for residents to directly question Texas Education Agency officials since the state began its takeover that includes replacing the district’s superintendent. Meanwhile, an appointed board of managers will assume the duties of the locally elected trustees. view article

How teaching middle school in one of Texas’ poorest neighborhoods spurred James Talarico’s U.S. Senate bid

January 1608:42 AM

Talarico’s two years as a public school teacher is central to his Democratic Senate campaign after shaping his policy goals and driving his political rise through the Texas House. Texas’ Senate Republican primary, meanwhile, looks headed for a runoff. The survey found U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a dead heat against Attorney General Ken Paxton, with neither eclipsing 30%. view article

Texas school tied to federal point-shaving probe; player faces 20-year sentence

January 1608:40 AM

One Texas college basketball program was among the 17 Division I schools investigated by federal prosecutors in recent months in an alleged point-shaving scheme. Former Abilene Christian forward Airion Simmons is among the 39 players allegedly involved in point-shaving and game-fixing between 2022 and 2025, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Simmons, 25, played for Abilene Christian from 2019-24, with his first alleged misconduct occurring in March 2024. view article

Brenham Rejects Tax Breaks for Foreign Data Center

January 1608:40 AM

City council members rejected a tax incentive for the property. Brenham residents packed a recent city council meeting to voice their concerns about the foreign-owned data center project planned in their community. City council members unanimously voted against an ordinance that would grant the project a tax break after hearng public comment. One local news outlet estimated that more than 100 residents attended the meeting. As previously reported, data centers are surging in number around Texas, often drawing opposition from local residents. view article

Collin County Rejects Plan for Controversial Islamic Development

January 1608:40 AM

Developers of The Meadow, formerly branded EPIC City, can submit missing documents and have their application re-evaluated. Collin County officials have rejected a development plan submitted for the proposed Islamic community The Meadow, formerly branded as EPIC City. Officials found the application was incomplete but said the plan will be re-evaluated if and when all required items are submitted. County Judge Chris Hill announced the update on Thursday via social media. Hill said Community Capital Partners (CCP) officially submitted its development plat to Collin County Development Services on December 23, initiating the county review process. CCP is the team behind the controversial community planned for property in unincorporated areas of eastern Collin County and western Hunt County. view article

In Ink and on Airwaves, Texas Media Grows Ever More Concentrated

January 1608:34 AM

n the realm of Texas newspapers, one media mogul now rules them all—or close to it at least. Last February, Hearst Communications acquired the Austin American-Statesman. Seven months later, the privately held New York-based conglomerate bought up the Dallas Morning News, one of the country’s last locally owned metro papers, for just over $80 million—outbidding the notorious hedge-fund outfit Alden Global. Considering the alternative, this was seemingly welcome news for the journalism business in Texas, where over 200 local papers have shuttered in the past 20 years. Under the vampiric regime of Gannett/Gatehouse, the Statesman was bled and hollowed out into a husk of a paper. And the Morning News had steadily slipped away from its glory days, when it had bureaus around the world, and was mired by turnover, layoffs, and declining print circulation. view article

‘Support religious freedom’: Texas clergy warn law undermines church-state lines

January 1608:31 AM

An open letter said the 2025 policy allowing schools to implement prayer times "threatens to drive a wedge" between Texas students. Since Senate Bill 11 passed in the 2025 Texas regular legislative session, it has been a source of contention among secular and religious communities alike. The law, which allows schools across the state to implement a daily period of voluntary prayer and Bible reading, has been seen in various spaces as either a move to promote religious freedom or a policy that will ultimately harm it. One group of faith leaders is insistent that SB 11 squarely falls into the latter category, urging Texas school boards to ensure that all students will be welcome in their learning environment. view article

Texas A&M abruptly cancels ethics course over race, gender policy

January 1608:30 AM

The university said content of the graduate course, which was already underway, was not adequately disclosed, forcing the cancellation. The professor disagrees Texas A&M University canceled a graduate ethics course three days after the semester began, saying Professor Leonard Bright did not provide enough information to let administrators determine if the course meets new standards for discussing race and gender Bright disputes that characterization. view article

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GOP House Candidate Amy Fennell Drops Out After Anti-Trump Posts Revealed

January 1608:30 AM

Amy Fennell, a Republican candidate who had been challenging State Rep. Mike Olcott in the GOP primary for Texas House District 60, has withdrawn from the race after previously posting a series of social media comments sharply critical of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Fennell’s withdrawal follows months of public posts opposing Trump’s return to the White House, promoting messaging from former Vice President Kamala Harris, and attacking Republican leadership and party priorities. view article

Llano ISD To Host Screening of Pro-Explicit Books Movie ‘The Librarians’ 

January 1608:30 AM

The film promotes the stories of librarians who support sexually explicit materials for children.  A public screening is scheduled at the Llano High School next week of the documentary “The Librarians,” which documents the stories of librarians across the country who have protested removing children’s access to sexually explicit books. Included in the documentary is Llano local Suzette Baker, who filed suit against Llano County after being fired for not removing sexually explicit books targeting children from the public library shelves despite orders from the county. The screening of the film is set to take place in the Llano High School auditorium and will include a “Q&A session with film participants and other special guests immediately following.” view article

Suspended Sanger ISD Policeman Jailed for Sex Crimes Against Student

January 1608:30 AM

“A criminal investigation was conducted by the Sanger Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of digital forensic investigators from the Denton County Sheriff’s Office and full cooperation from Sanger ISD.” Sanger ISD Superintendent Tommy Hunter notified parents Wednesday about the arrest. Hunter did not identify Demello or the charges against him but stated the officer is “no longer employed by Sanger ISD.” view article

Collin County Rejects Plan for Controversial Islamic Development

January 1605:00 AM

Hundreds of private schools are being shut out of Texas’ voucher program

January 1508:48 AM

Hundreds of private schools have been shut out of Texas’ new school voucher program while the state comptroller’s office awaits a decision in its bid to block some Islamic and allegedly Chinese-linked institutions. Nearly all schools accredited by Cognia, the largest private school accreditor in Texas, have been unable to submit applications in the month since the state began accepting them. As of Tuesday, only 30 of the 600 schools accredited solely by the nonprofit were added to the list of approved vendors, most of them offering only pre-K and kindergarten. The majority of those were added overnight on Monday, after Hearst Newspapers began inquiring about the issue. view article

Nearly 100 Extremist Groups Still Operate in Texas

January 1508:41 AM

Texas remains a leading state for hate groups promoting neo-Nazi, anti-government and anti-LGBTQ ideals. Editor’s Note, 1/9/2026: This article was originally published in January 2025. It has been updated with new and current information. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), nearly 100 groups dedicated to hate and anti-government ideals called the Lone Star State home by the end of 2024; only California and Florida surpassed Texas with 97 and 100 groups, respectively. Nine of the 92 groups found in Texas operate statewide, according to the nonprofit civil rights organization, with several of them being headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The SPLC has published a census of hate groups each year since 1990, and the data shows that Texas is growing more extreme with each passing year. In 2015, the group found 84 active hate groups across the state compared to the most recently recorded 97; in 2005, the SPLC identified 45 groups across Texas. view article

Brooks County ISD board appoints interim superintendent

January 1508:41 AM

The Brooks County Independent School District Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Ricardo Garcia II as Interim Superintendent, effective immediately. District officials said Dr. Garcia brings extensive experience within the district, having served in multiple teaching, campus leadership, and administrative roles. view article

Texas House Democrats raised record-breaking $2.2 million in 2025

January 1508:40 AM

The majority of the Democratic caucus’ haul came when the party broke quorum over the summer to delay the GOP-controlled Legislature from redrawing the state’s congressional map. With a little help from their quorum break last summer, the Texas House Democratic Caucus raised $2.2 million in 2025, a record-setting year for the minority party in the state’s lower chamber. The HDC is set to file those figures, shared early with The Blast, at the campaign finance reporting deadline Thursday. Caucus Chair Gene Wu says that will let Democrats “preemptively” plan for the 2027 legislative session. view article

Shallowater ISD names Strickland as lone finalist for superintendent

January 1508:40 AM

A longtime employee of the Shallowater Independent School District has been named the sole finalist to be its next leader. On Tuesday, Shallowater ISD announced that Dr. Aron Strickland — who currently serves as the assistant superintendent — has been named the lone finalist for the position of superintendent. view article

TEA to meet with Lake Worth ISD community amid possible takeover due to failing ratings

January 1508:40 AM

The Texas Education Agency will meet with the Lake Worth community Wednesday as the school district braces for a state takeover. The meeting is an opportunity for parents, teachers and the community to ask questions and learn more about the takeover. Marilyn Miller Language Academy is the campus that is triggering this state takeover. They have been rated an 'F' for five years. Under Texas state law, that rating allows the TEA to intervene. view article

Why Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s endorsed candidates always win

January 1508:40 AM

No GOP candidate for the Texas Senate has ever defeated a Patrick-endorsed primary opponent since he became the state’s second-in-command over a decade ago. Jon Gimble says he has plenty to offer GOP primary voters in his bid for an open Texas Senate seat. He’s a lifelong Texan and a local public servant, upsetting a Democrat in 2014 when he was elected district clerk in McLennan County. And he says he has political relationships in Austin while also being in touch with residents living in rural areas outside of Waco, who feel some of their biggest problems are neglected at the Capitol. But the one thing Gimble can’t offer might kneecap his chance of representing the district southwest of Dallas he seeks: an endorsement from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the upper chamber’s kingmaker. view article

Celina football coach retires after district clears him of cover-up allegations amid son’s sex abuse scandal

January 1505:00 AM

Bill Elliott was placed on administrative leave in October after his son Caleb, a football coach at Celina’s middle school, was accused of secretly filming boys in the school’s locker room and possessing child pornography. Bill Elliott, who has been employed by the district for more than three decades, was placed on administrative leave in October after his 26-year-old son Caleb, a football coach at Celina’s middle school, was accused of secretly filming boys in the school’s locker room and possessing child pornography. Caleb Elliott surrendered his teaching license and remains in Collin County Jail on multiple federal charges. view article

TribCast: Can Texas zero out property taxes?

January 1408:25 AM

We’re a year out from the next legislative session and already, the battle lines are forming around a key issue that’s sure to divide Texas Republicans — how to go about lowering property taxes. Gov. Greg Abbott has shared his proposal, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has thrown his pitch, and we’ll all spend the next year nervously assessing whether their disagreement portends a special session or two in 2027. To discuss all this, Eleanor and Matthew are joined by John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy. view article

Saginaw ISD appoints new career and technical education director

January 1408:24 AM

Saginaw Intermediate School District (ISD) officials appointed Joshua Miller as its new director of career and technical education, the district announced following board approval. Miller brings more than two decades of experience working with students and families across Saginaw County to the position. He will oversee career and technical education programming for high school students throughout the county, preparing them for careers and college through hands-on learning experiences. view article

Man arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting Spring ISD student, records show

January 1408:22 AM

A Spring man has been arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old who said she was leaving school when he picked her up, according to court records. Records show the teenager told police he even carried her into his home so she couldn't get away. view article

Conroe ISD appoints board member to vacant position; some trustees question process’ transparency

January 1408:21 AM

After a three-hour executive session on Tuesday, the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees appointed Agueda “Aggie” Gambino to fill the board’s vacancy following former Trustee Tiffany Nelson's resignation. Nelson resigned last month and announced her bid for the State Board of Education. view article

Texas Taxpayers Will Fund Dozens of Private Schools that Openly Discriminate

January 1405:00 AM

pon signing school vouchers into law last May, Governor Greg Abbott pronounced that he had delivered “education freedom to every Texas family.” But the billion-dollar program, which opens to parents on February 4, has enrolled dozens of private schools that openly discriminate against Texas families on the basis of religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, according to a Texas Observer analysis of information gathered from the schools’ websites and handboos, and survey responses and phone calls with school leaders. The Observer gathered information about all 291 schools selected by the state that offer education beyond the kindergarten level. More than 90 percent are affiliated with or owned by a religious or faith-based group, the analysis found. More than 100 of those schools require or prioritize for admission students of the same faith, and more than 60 have a written policy that discriminates against LGBTQ+ students, the schools’ own data shows. view article

Texas Teacher Caught in Scandal With Student in Walmart Parking Lot, Police Say

January 1405:00 AM

A Texasteacher and mother-of-four is at the center of a sprawling crime investigation after authorities say she carried out a predatory pattern of abuse involving multiple students, culminating in an inappropriate act at a Walmart parking lot while other minors were present in the vehicle. The allegations against Jaden Renee Charles, 26, have stunned parents and prompted a deep review of safeguards meant to protect students. view article

Nearly $100 million gone: How Austin ISD spent bond money on schools it will soon close

January 1308:50 AM

A $2.4 billion bond package was pitched as a way to improve campuses as the Austin school district faced mounting financial pressures and declining enrollment. view article

Texas hands over complete list of registered voters to Trump administration

January 1308:41 AM

The Justice Department has asked states for their voter rolls with an eye toward purging ineligible voters. Democrats say sharing the data could violate federal election law. view article

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