A woman has been arrested after making a non-credible threat against G.W. Bradford Rusk Primary School Wednesday. Rusk ISD first announced a “SECURE Lockout” around 9 a.m. The district has since returned to “normal operations” after the school and law enforcement determined it was safe. view article

Corpus Christi Independent School District Board of Trustees Vice President Marty Bell has resigned from his leadership role and committee assignment after acknowledging a conflict of interest. Following a closed session discussion during Monday evening's school board meeting, Bell read a statement taking responsibility for failing to disclose a conflict of interest. He resigned as vice president and stepped down from his seat on the curriculum committee, though he remains an elected school board member. view article

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Seven months after Texas Senate Bill 13 took effect, some Central Texas school districts say they are still working through new requirements for how they select, review and challenge school library materials — and some are using artificial intelligence tools to help manage the workload. view article

People will be allowed to buy smokeable hemp THC products, such as flower buds and rolled joints, from Texas businesses until at least April 23. view article

Emboldened by overturning Roe v. Wade, conservative legal groups hope Ken Paxton’s successor will help them overturn gay marriage and public school access for undocumented students.     1975, Texas passed a law allowing school districts to exclude undocumented students from free public school. When a district in Tyler enacted such a policy, a group of families sued.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe that Texas’ law was unconstitutional and children had a right to public education, regardless of their citizenship status. view article

Multiple Spring ISD employees are on leave after mistakenly sending an email containing other employees' Social Security numbers, the district confirmed late Friday. Spring ISD emailed its 5,600 employees at 4:50 p.m. to inform them of the breach, hours after Eyewitness News began asking the district about it. view article

He said the Justice Department’s decision amounts to a “get out of jail free card.”  The “DOJ is turning its back on the victims, and those victims are left with no recourse and no assurance that any actions will be taken to remedy the harms that were identified in DOJ’s original complaint,” Smith said.  The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Smith’s criticisms. During the hearing, however, Hussain said the department would ensure Colony Ridge abides by the settlement. In a court filing, the developer said it had already started implementing the provisions, which include adopting stricter lending standards. view article

In December 2023, the U.S. Justice Department sued a Texas land developer it accused of duping tens of thousands of Hispanic residents into predatory mortgages, a landmark case for the Biden administration.  Colony Ridge, which sold plots in massive subdivisions north of Houston, had become a “one-stop shop for discriminatory lending,” Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. The developer targeted Hispanic applicants through false advertising and persuaded them to take out high-interest loans that many could not afford, then benefited when it foreclosed on their properties, the lawsuit alleged.  Three years later, the Trump administration and Colony Ridge are on the verge of resolving the case. But the $68 million proposed settlement provides no money for victims of the alleged scheme. 

A Splendora ISD teacher is facing felony charges after she allegedly faked an assault by a student. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says that the teacher, Nicole Truelove, was arrested after a lockdown at Splendora High School. Police say evidence indicates her wound was self-inflicted. view article

By a 5-2 vote early Wednesday, the Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees placed Superintendent Jesus H. Chavez on administrative leave. The development marked a bittersweet end to Chavez’s tenure as superintendent after 2 1/2 years of service. A Brownsville native, Chavez often said how proud he was to serve as BISD’s top administrator. view article

Milton “Rob” Fields III, Judson Independent School District’s most recent superintendent, has withdrawn his request for an independent hearing regarding his proposed termination. The Judson ISD School Board proposed terminating Fields’ employment contract during a vote early last March, following months of debate. view article

A state district court judge set an August trial date for Centerville ISD Superintendent Carole Dickey, who is accused of concealing inappropriate conduct by a district employee. She has been on administrative leave from the district since October. view article

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) use is on the rise in Texas schools. From lesson-planning platforms to student-facing chatbots, AI is reshaping how instruction happens. But as more people use AI, one question lingers: Who is responsible when mishaps occur? In Texas, AI creates legal complexities where education law already demands careful attention to student privacy, curriculum standards, and teacher certification. Because AI provides a new way to violate state and federal laws, even inadvertently, educators and administrators must be mindful when using AI to ensure that the law is still being followed.

The sweeping rule changes, all enacted outside the typical legislative process, have upended life for noncitizens, including those who are here legally.  Over the last year, Texas Republicans have enacted sweeping regulatory and legal changes that have upended all facets of life for noncitizens. The state has limited who can get an occupational license; register or buy a car; obtain commercial driver’s licenses; and get in-state tuition at colleges and universities.  Over the last year, Texas Republicans have enacted sweeping regulatory and legal changes that have upended all facets of life for noncitizens. The state has limited who can get an occupational license; register or buy a car; obtain commercial driver’s licenses; and get in-state tuition at colleges and universities.  The changes are wreaking havoc on the 1.7 million people without documentation in Texas, as well as tens of thousands of refugees and people with protected legal status, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Already, more than 6,400 refugees and DACA recipients have lost their commercial driver’s licenses. Many more noncitizens are expected to lose the ability to work in licensed industries from construction and medicine to air conditioning and cosmetology.The changes are wreaking havoc on the 1.7 million people without documentation in Texas, as well as tens of thousands of refugees and people with protected legal status, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Already, more than 6,400 refugees and DACA recipients have lost their commercial driver’s licenses. Many more noncitizens are expected to lose the ability to work in licensed industries from construction and medicine to air conditioning and cosmetology. view article

The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the southern and western districts of Texas continue to report a high volume of illegal immigration cases and related crimes. 
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the southern and western districts of Texas continue to report a high volume of illegal immigration cases and related crimes. 
Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas reported over 500 cases filed, a new record high set since the implementation of Operation Take Back America.  These cases include charges filed for illegal entry, reentry following prior removal, and human smuggling crimes. The district reports that many of these individuals have prior felony charges, which include narcotics, assault, immigration offenses, and firearm charges. view article

A lawsuit filed against Millsap ISD, its former superintendent, an elementary school principal and two former educators regarding the alleged abuse of autistic children has been almost entirely dismissed, court records show. Former Millsap ISD superintendent Edie Martin and two former educators -- Jennifer Dale, 44, and Paxton Kendal Bean, 25 -- were arrested in March 2025 after a video of a February incident showed educators allegedly abusing an autistic child in a classroom. view article

The rule comes after a recent opinion by Attorney General Ken Paxton requiring licensing authorities to obtain social security numbers from applicants.  Beginning May 1, Texas will bar individuals who cannot prove they are lawfully present in the U.S. from obtaining or renewing state‑issued professional licenses. It will also impact occupational and trade licenses.  Commissioners for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) approved a new rule on Tuesday to check the lawful presence of people applying for or renewing state licenses when they are flagged for verification.  The new rule requires TDLR to verify an applicant’s eligibility under federal immigration law when that applicant is selected for verification under department procedures. It applies across all TDLR‑regulated licenses.  If an applicant is selected, they must submit documentation before a license can be issued or renewed.  view article

In late 2023, Prosper activist Doug Charles said he received internal documents from a former Pogue Construction employee suggesting billing irregularities among $400 million of contracts with Prosper ISD. Charles said he sent the records to the FBI. In 2024, he shared them with a former federal prosecutor and an attorney with expertise in organized crime cases, both of whom work for Dallas law firms owned by former state Sen. Ted Lyon. view article

Seven juveniles are being charged in connection with an incident on a Canyon ISD school bus. According to the Randall County Sheriff's Office, the seven juveniles are being referred to Randall County Juvenile Probation for charges. The incident occurred on Feb. 27 on a Randall High School bus carrying a junior varsity baseball team back from a tournament in Lubbock, according to the criminal complaint. view article

The Randall County Sheriff’s Office has released an update on charges related to the incident on a Canyon ISD school bus. On Tuesday, March 3, the Randall County Sheriff’s Office received reports of possible criminal activity on a Canyon ISD high school bus. The Randall County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division began investigating this. view article

What began as a criminal investigation disguised as an alleged welfare check in October of 2018 set off a chain of events that would take nearly eight years to unwind through criminal court, a federal lawsuit, multiple appellate rulings, and ultimately, a jury verdict finding two former Midland ISD police officers, Alexandra Weaver and Kevin Brunner, liable for violating a family’s constitutional rights. view article

'I am innocent and I am a fighter.'  Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida just got one step closer to being expelled from the House of Representatives.  The House Ethics investigative subcommittee effectively found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of nearly every campaign finance violation levied against her earlier this year. The bipartisan panel voted to start the process that could lead to Cherfilus-McCormick's expulsion after she was accused of laundering millions of dollars worth of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds related to a COVID-era contract into her campaign account. view article

As we all know by now, the 89th Legislative Session(s) brought numerous changes to the world of special education. In the midst of all of the high-profile special education legislation, one important change may have slipped through the cracks: House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 568 made changes to the requirements surrounding surveillance of special education settings.

You might have thought the latest Legislative session was a significant change to public education, and you are right. But the most significant change to public education in Texas came from the institution of Districts of Innovation (DOI). For years, public schools complained that they were being compared to charter schools and that was not an apples-to-apples comparison, but DOIs provide school districts the freedom to opt out of many of the laws and requirements with which charter schools are not saddled.

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.

My favorite article that I have written over the years is one on official state holidays and recognitions. I find it fascinating to see which lobbyists succeed in recognitions for their cause. I look at this calendar and wonder why Monarch butterflies and veterinarian technicians get their own week, Lung Cancers Awareness gets only one day, Gold Star mothers get a day but not fathers, and there are no recognition days in December? Did you know that the 11 th day of each month is a recognition “day?”

In case you are running low on things to worry about this semester, never fear. This article is dedicated to the False Claims Act (FCA), another tool the federal government appears happy to point in the direction of public schools.

Governments rely on private contractors, or vendors. Many times, using a vendor is either more efficient, less expensive, or gives the government access to expertise that it does not have. Given the ubiquitous nature of contracts with the private sector, devoting some time and attention to your vendor contracts is important.

During the 89th Regular Legislative Session, HB 6 made a number of changes to Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code and the content of the 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct. Many of these changes will likely be welcomed by Texas public schools, such as the ability to have more discretion in the determination of appropriate behavioral consequences for a student found in possession of a VAPE device.

If you’re one of the many Texas school districts operating under a District of Innovation (DOI) Plan, you’ve already embraced flexibility and local control. But with each legislative session, it becomes increasingly important to reevaluate whether your plan still fits within the legal boundaries.

A Garland ISD employee is on administrative leave after allegedly taking photos of a female elementary school student while she was in the restroom. The incident reportedly took place during the week of March 29 at Abbett Elementary, according to an email sent to parents on Thursday, April 1. view article

Pursuant to subsection 38.001(f) of the Education Code, the Legislature provided that a student who has not received the immunizations required by law “for reasons of conscience, including because of the person’s religious beliefs, may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of public health.” Read in context, a court likely would conclude that this exception does not permit exclusion of students who lack vaccinations unrelated to an existing "epidemic" contemplated by subsection 38.001(f). view article

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On May 4, 2020, the Department of Education (“DOE”) issued new Title IX regulations, which direct how educational institutions receiving federal funds must address reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault involving both students and employees. view article

At SL&A, we offer a full array of legal services for our school law clients throughout Texas. We strive to deliver a high-level of client service through teamwork, calling upon our attorneys’ decades of public and private experience to provide practical solutions and advice for all school needs. view article