Austin ISD trustees spent hours Thursday listening to public comment and discussing a proposed budget aimed at closing a projected $181 million deficit. Educators, parents, and community members urged the board to protect programs and services they say students rely on. The proposed budget comes after months of debate over district spending and follows the closure of 10 schools in November 2025. District leaders say a combination of stagnant state funding, declining enrollment, lower-than-expected property values, and rising operating costs has left the district facing significant financial challenges. view article

Austin ISD leaders on Thursday approved an $887 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year, which includes $205 million in cuts. view article

Investing in education, or real estate?  According to a new report, Barbers Hill ISD shoveled more than $97 million into its education foundation, which is investing in real estate.  The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) reports that these transfers took place from January 2012 to June 2025. School board resolutions showed that a majority of the funds came from supplemental payments under Chapter 313 agreements that were routed to the education foundation instead of the district.   Chapter 313 was a corporate welfare program that allowed Independent School Districts to offer decade-long tax breaks to businesses, including unreliable solar and wind generators.    State Rep. Terri Leo Wilson (R–Galveston) raised concerns this year about the exact nature of the relationship between the school district, its foundation, and her March 2026 primary opponent Nathan Watkins, who is one of the foundation’s directors.     BHISD and BHEF share much of the same leadership, including Greg Poole, who is superintendent of the school district and the foundation’s executive director.  Nathan Watkins serves on the BHEF board of directors, but he also occupies the position of vice president for Americus Holdings—a private development firm that has partnered with BHEF to develop a luxury apartment complex. view article

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Three Austin school district middle schools at the center of the district’s fight to avoid a state takeover posted modest gains on this year’s state exams, but passing rates remained critically low, signaling the campuses could be headed toward a fifth consecutive failing state accountability rating. view article

In the Big Bend region, where some families have lived for generations, government letters seeking access to their land is sparking fear and resistance. view article

Houston ISD's board of managers delayed a vote Thursday night to approve the district's proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year. The state-appointed managers are now scheduled to vote on June 25. The board must approve a budget by the end of the fiscal year on June 30. view article

Austin ISD officials said Thursday in an email to KXAN that the district’s savings account has dropped to a critical level as leaders prepare to adopt a budget that will require significant cuts. The district’s fund balance, often viewed as a financial safety net, is projected to end the year at about 10% of the overall budget. view article

Austin ISD, the largest school district in central Texas, is back at the table tonight as leaders work through a major budget plan. The district is trying to close a projected $181 million shortfall before the next school year. The proposed plan would eliminate or restructure more than 500 positions districtwide. view article

Goliad ISD said Monday that trustee Daniel San Miguel has not resigned and remains a member of the school board following his arrest because the district does not have the authority to remove an elected trustee. view article

The El Paso Independent School District voted during a special board meeting 5-1 on Thursday to declare financial exigency, allowing for termination of contracts, employment agreements and programs without penalties. This comes as district leaders have been working to balance the district's budget by the end of June, as the district is projecting a shortfall of roughly $42.1 million for the 2026-2027 budget year. view article

Mansfield ISD Board President Jandel Crutchfield is facing renewed scrutiny over her residency after tax records surfaced showing a Mansfield ISD property listed as nonhomestead while other records identify a residence outside the district as her primary homestead. view article

Conroe ISD trustees will consider adopting a new code of conduct and operating policy this month that two members say gives the board president too much control. view article

The Austin Independent School District's proposed budget makes deep cuts to programs, transportation and as many as 558 positions. At a meeting Thursday night, teachers, staff and parents urged district officials and the board of trustees to reconsider the proposals being made to reduce the $181 million budget deficit. view article

The court unanimously ordered the policy withdrawn, calling courtroom mask mandates an “unfair and unduly burdensome” imposition on attorneys, jurors, witnesses, and the public.  Benson was defeated in the Democrat primary in March and will leave office in January.  view article

More issues surface about proposed 765-kV lines.  A committee of local governments in Erath and Somervell counties questioned Oncor representatives about the potential impacts of proposed extra-high-voltage lines. Concerns about ESG as a basis for the project were among the topics discussed.   At issue are three proposed 765-kV transmission lines set to bring power from East Texas to the energy-rich Permian Basin, which critics have equated to “hauling water to the ocean.” Brent Bennett of the Texas Public Policy Foundation estimates the project’s lifetime cost to be $90–100 billion. These proposed lines are part of the Permian Basin Reliability Plan, which state lawmakers had authorized as a targeted fix for a specific region. Critics have argued that the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), grid operator ERCOT, and Oncor expanded it into a much broader transmission buildout with minimal public input. view article

A self-governing people must be eternally vigilant. The first three words of our Constitution make it clear who is supposed to be in charge: “We the people.” Without the citizens taking an active and engaged role in civic life, the notion of self-governance collapses.  After begging for a king, the people of Israel saw their once prosperous (and self-governing) nation collapse within fifty years. When they recognized God as King and lived under His law, they prospered, but—just as they had been warned—the rule of man under a king didn’t work out, and their nation was split in two.   What is the difference between a landfill fire and a grass fire? view article

El Paso Independent School District employees could learn as soon as next week whether their jobs may be affected as the district confronts a major budget crisis and considers declaring a financial emergency. Trustees are scheduled to meet Tuesday for a special board meeting to consider declaring financial exigency for this fiscal year and extending it into the next fiscal year. view article

At their regularly scheduled meeting today (May 28), the Lubbock Independent School District (Lubbock ISD) Board of Trustees announced campus and district leadership appointments for the 2026-2027 school year. The board announced two campus principals and one campus director for the 2026-2027 school year and also announced the hiring of the district’s next Director of Parent & Student Resolutions and new Director of Federal Programs. view article

Parents rallied outside of the Pflugerville ISD Office on Friday in continued efforts to challenge the district on its decision to close four schools in 2027-28 as part of its balanced budget process. view article

The Austin Independent School District expects a $181 million deficit in its next budget. But officials still haven’t released a proposal for what cuts will be made. The district originally said it would release a plan for the next budget by Thursday. Now, it won’t be released until June 4, adding to the uncertainty teachers and parents have been feeling for the last few weeks. view article

The Grapevine-Colleyville school board had three new trustees sworn in, but that was not the only big news out of the May 18 meeting. GCISD board president Shannon Braun lost her position to trustee Dalia Begin, who was elected to the board in 2024.  Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/northeast-tarrant/article315633514.html#storylink=cpy view article

Voters across Texas will weigh in on over 30 races, including a closely watched battle between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton. Early voting begins May 18 and ends May 22.  Candidates in more than 30 state and federal races are expected to face off again in the May 26 runoff after failing to secure more than half of the votes cast in the March Republican and Democratic primaries. This includes Attorney General Ken Paxton’s challenge to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, as well as several candidates for statewide or district-based elected offices in Texas. view article

Pasadena ISD is considering school consolidations and possible campus closures as the district grapples with declining enrollment and mounting financial pressures, becoming the latest Houston-area district to weigh difficult cost-cutting measures amid changing student populations. view article

As leaders manage declining enrollment and tighter budgets, Keller ISD will decide the future of three schools this week. view article

Keller ISD parents respond after leaders announce one elementary school will remain open. The district will vote on the change tonight. view article

The Dallas County Commissioners Court hosted a full house of parents, pastors, nonprofit leaders and business representatives on Monday, many wearing red stickers that read “childcare supports working families.” view article

The Midway ISD Board of Trustees has appointed Stephen Carl to fill the vacant Place VII position on the Board following a comprehensive selection process.  Mr. Carl brings a unique blend of legal expertise, military leadership, and community service to the role. He currently serves as a family law attorney, where his work focuses on supporting children and families, and he regularly collaborates with educators and community partners.  Prior to his legal career, Mr. Carl served as a U.S. Army officer and Medevac helicopter pilot, leading teams in high-stakes environments and earning multiple honors for his service. His leadership experience is complemented by active involvement in Midway ISD, including service on the district’s Facilities Committee and his prior involvement with Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) supporting children in foster care. view article

An exceptionally sleepy May 2 municipal election has some local candidates and party leaders calling to consolidate more elections in November, as the City of San Antonio has recently done.  Only about a quarter of Bexar County voters had races on their ballots, from a patchwork of five school districts, 14 smaller municipalities and one community college board district holding elections on Saturday.  Of those, roughly 11,400 of 319,000 eligible voters — or 3.58% — turned out to vote. view article

The newly appointed board of managers for Beaumont Independent School District held its first official meeting Tuesday, marking the start of a new chapter under state oversight. The board, appointed last week by the Texas Education Agency, includes Desmond Bridges Sr., Darrian Graves, Elias Ibarra, Laurie Leister, Arthur Louis Jr., Daniel Parker and Jeff Wheeler view article

An exceptionally sleepy May 2 municipal election has some local candidates and party leaders calling to consolidate more elections in November, as the City of San Antonio has recently done.  Only about a quarter of Bexar County voters had races on their ballots, from a patchwork of five school districts, 14 smaller municipalities and one community college board district holding elections on Saturday.   Of those, roughly 11,400 of 319,000 eligible voters — or 3.58% — turned out to vote. view article

Four San Antonio-area school districts each had two board seats in contention this election. Incumbents prevailed in three of the four districts,, but the sole incumbent running for re-election in the North East Independent School District lost. view article

The Alamo Heights Independent School District won’t have any shakeups after Saturday night’s school board election. After the dust had settled, incumbents Ty Edwards and Hunter Kingman held onto their Place 3 and Place 4 seats, respectively, after being challenged by two AHISD parents who had the backing of local Democrats. view article

Despite challenges from familiar faces, the makeup of the school board at Southwest Independent School District won’t see any shakeups this year. Incumbents James Gonzalez took 35.91% of the vote and Jose Diaz took 35.54%, finishing in the two two spots in a four-way race. view article

After hours of public comment, Fort Worth ISD's newly state-appointed board approved a plan to eliminate positions and close the district's only school dedicated to immigrant and refugee communities. Weeks after the Texas Education Agency (TEA) appointed a new superintendent and board of directors to lead Fort Worth ISD, the appointed leaders made one of their first highly consequential decisions impacting the direction of the district. The Tuesday board of directors meeting ended around 1 a.m. Wednesday, after parents and educators broadly spoke out against the plan during public comment. view article