Hillary Williams was a Wells ISD math teacher until her first arrest in February.  An East Texas teacher arrested earlier this year for bestiality and possessing child pornography is facing a new charge of sexually touching a child.  Hillary Danielle Williams, 34, was arrested Tuesday and charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.  Williams is accused of touching a young child inappropriately on February 19. The child made an outcry about the contact in April and also told police Williams was practicing witchcraft.  Williams was teaching in Wells Independent School District at the time of the alleged incident but had been allowed to resign on February 24 following her earlier arrest. view article

Boerne Middle School North Principal Daniel Owen resigned Wednesday, following his arrest last week for driving while intoxicated, according to school officials. A letter from Superintendent Dr. Kristin Craft addressed to "BMSN families and staff" told of Owen's resignation after he'd been placed on paid administrative leave Monday. "Under Mr. Owen's guidance, BMSN has continued to excel academically and foster a supportive, student-centered environment," Craft wrote. "His commitment to excellence and to building a strong campus culture has been evident in the success of our students and staff." view article

The Judson ISD board of trustees unanimously approved eliminating 25 vacant non-teaching positions and reducing four vacant nursing staff positions to licensed vocational nurse positions on June 5. The decision will save approximately $1.43 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year budget, according to agenda documents. view article

Copperas Cove Independent School District has a new leader for its fine arts programs. CCISD announced that the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the hiring of Megan Kenobbie to serve as the district’s inaugural Director of Fine Arts on Tuesday, June 10. Kenobbie will reportedly oversee band, choir, theatre and visual arts programs at all campuses. view article

Austin Independent School District leaders are preparing to cut jobs and reorganize positions at the district’s central office as they grapple with a mounting budget deficit and declining student enrollment. AISD employees received notice on July 5 that all central office positions could be subject to “reorganization.” District officials said staff members will learn by June 18 whether their jobs will be eliminated or reassigned, with changes taking effect on Aug. 1. view article

Grant Freeman took on an exceptional task when he was promoted to athletic director, ushering in a new era of Wichita Falls ISD athletics. Now, he’s ready for a new challenge, but it will not be in Wichita Falls. Freeman accepted the athletic director position at Burnet ISD, a Class 4A program located 55 miles northwest of Austin. The hire is pending school board approval at a meeting scheduled for June 16. view article

A former Central Texas teacher and coach was sentenced to four years in state prison after pleading guilty to having sex with a 17-year-old female student and engaging in sexual conversations with underage school girls via social media.  Tye Britton Rexrode, 39, was an assistant baseball coach and social studies teacher for two years at the high school in Comfort Independent School District. He was allowed to resign in February 2024 following allegations of sexual misconduct.  Rexrode was arrested in March 2024 and charged with three counts of improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison. view article

Round Rock ISD trustees on Tuesday night approved a compensation plan for the 2025–26 school year. With the Texas Legislature in session this year, school districts had to wait to finalize compensation plans and annual budgets as lawmakers worked on a public school funding bill. view article

A Boerne Independent School District principal accused early Friday of driving drunk has bonded out of the Kendall County Detention Center, according to reports. Boerne Middle School North Principal Daniel Owen, 48, is charged with driving-while-intoxicated-second offense and unlawful carrying of a weapon, officials said. view article

Wood County investigators say that a former teacher and coach of Winnsboro ISD has been arrested for having an improper relationship with a student. Nicholas Gabriele was employed as an assistant football coach and economics teacher at Winnsboro High School during the 2024-25 school year. Sometime during the school year, he began a relationship with a high school student. Investigators got information and evidence that Gabriele had been having sex with the student, including information and concerns from members of the community. view article

Karnes City ISD has announced Coach Michael Enriquez as the district’s interim athletic director. According to the district, Enriquez brings a strong commitment to students, staff, and the community. Officials expressed confidence in his ability to lead with integrity and enthusiasm during the transition. The appointment is interim while the search for a permanent athletic director continues. view article

University of Texas at Austin named William Inboden as the sole finalist for its open provost position.  The provost is the Chief Academic Officer of UT-Austin and second in command to the president. The office supervises several aspects of university operations.  According to The Daily Texan, interim university president Jim Davis informed the faculty via a campus-wide e-mail on May 28. Inboden will permanently fill the position after a series of interim hires. view article

A Houston Independent School District special education teacher has been recommended for termination after allegedly locking several special needs students in a cabinet. The incident, which took place at Moreno Elementary School and came to light in late May, has sparked outrage among parents and renewed scrutiny of the district’s troubled special education system.  According to FOX 26 Houston, the incident involved an autistic first-grade student whose mother, Mrs. Mejia, expressed shock and anger upon learning about the situation. view article

The WISD Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Katie Willard as the new assistant principal of Blue Hole Primary School (BHP) and Jennifer Cooper as the district’s director of Human Resources. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Assistant Principal of Blue Hole Primary School,” said Willard. “I look forward to partnering with the staff, students, and families of this strong, loving community. Together we will continue the important work of laying the learning foundation of our next generation of Texans!” view article

The Lufkin ISD school board unanimously approved a new pay scale for selected employees for the upcoming school year at Monday’s special board meeting. The starting salary pay for new teachers, librarians, and registered nurses begins at $50,000. The previous starting pay was $47,000, an increase of about six percent. This comes from after a pay system review done by the Texas Association of School Boards. The district voted to close Coston Elementary and Kurth Primary School due to low enrollment rates in February. view article

Houston ISD replaced principals at five schools, according to email and social media posts. South Division Executive Director Sandra Doria announced Sunday that La Kenya Spriggs, Felicia James, and Jamelle Ryan Settles would be placed at Whidby Elementary School, Foster Elementary School and Peck Elementary School respectively. Separately, a May 12 email from the district's North Division sent via a school office manager indicates Patrick Henry Middle School's principal Erika Vigil "made the decision to transition from her position at the end of the current school year." view article

Aldine ISD honored 279 teachers during its annual Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Reception on May 29, recognizing educators across the district who earned a new or higher designation this school year through the state’s TIA program. This year, Aldine ISD generated more than $8.4 million through the TIA, with more than $7.6 million allocated directly to teachers. Teachers were celebrated for their impact on student achievement and instructional excellence: 152 earned the Recognized designation, 84 were named Exemplary, and 43 reached the highest designation, Master. view article

Two women accused in the abuse of multiple disabled Longview elementary students appeared in court Friday. Cassandra James, 51, of Hallsville and Linda Lister, 63, of Longview, are two of six people accused of abusing 11 students at J.L. Everhart Elementary from 2019 to 2021. A $2.5 million settlement was reached between Longview ISD and the affected families in 2023. view article

Campus administrators at Pease Middle School in the Northside ISD said Friday they are conducting an investigation after a special education teacher brought several cans of Hard Mountain Dew Blast, a drink that contains alcohol, to the school and made them available to students in three classes. This occurred on Thursday, May 29, the last day of school. In a statement, district officials explained that the staff member brought the drinks, not realizing that they contained alcohol, as a treat for students. view article

ABILENE, Texas — Abilene ISD officially named its 2024-25 Elementary Teacher of the Year.  The award was given to Jennifer Crisp, a teacher from Taylor Elementary.  “I was completely shocked, humbled, and honored,” Crisp said. “One of the great things about that event is that you hear all the stories of the excellent teaching happening in our district. It was inspirational, and I wish everyone in our district could have heard those stories. They make you feel good about education.” view article

Gov. Greg Abbott has already said he intends to sign the bill, which will give schools funding for salary increases, special education, teacher preparation and operational costs. view article

Georgina “Gina” Foroi, executive director of family and community engagement for Aldine ISD, has been selected to join Cohort 15 of the Superintendent Leadership Academy, a national program offered by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. view article

Houston ISD campuses announced principal departures at Madison High School, Jones Futures Academy, and Red Elementary School amid at least 21 principal changes. Madison High School welcomed Janet Orozco, formerly the Jones Futures Academy's principal, into the role that had been previously held by Principal Edgar Contreras. Contreras was Madison's third principal, following Yolanda Bruce and Tanisha Lee, since the June 2023 state takeover of the district. It is unclear whether he is remaining the district. view article

Some new Dallas ISD school employees are likely to see pay bumps as trustees raised its minimum wage and starting teacher salary in its 2025-26 budget. Trustees approved a roughly $1.9 billion budget Thursday night that raises staff minimum wages to $17 an hour and offers $64,000 to beginning teachers. Seven trustees voted yes, with Byron Sanders and Joyce Foreman abstaining. view article

A Canyon Lake High School teacher has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with a former student, the Comal Independent School District confirmed to KSAT on Friday. Comal ISD said it was notified of the allegations on Monday against Sarah Grudle. The district told KSAT that the alleged conduct occurred during the 2020-21 school year. view article

Substitute Teacher Accused of Showing Students Sexually Explicit Videos view article

Trustee Tobi Jackson has one wish for Fort Worth ISD’s teacher pay. The school board heard plans May 20 outlining the district’s $22 million teacher compensation package for the 2025-26 academic year, including a self-directed bump in starting teacher pay and likely mandated raises from the Texas Legislature. view article

Seven teachers in the Socorro Independent School District who were initially laid off as part of budget cuts have been reinstated. The school board unanimously approved their contracts during a meeting on Tuesday night. These positions were among the 43 that the district had cut earlier this month to address a $38 million budget deficit. view article

Dozens of maintenance and custodial workers in Houston ISD could soon be out of a job, according to the union that represents them. Hector Mireles, president of the Texas Support Personnel Employees Local 1, tells FOX 26, that an estimated 60 to 70 positions — including supervisory roles — are expected to be eliminated as part of a district-wide restructuring effort. view article

Taylor ISD is offering a major bonus to help hire more middle school teachers. A new $10,000 sign-on bonus is being offered for educators who join the middle school with three or more years of experience for the 2025-26 school year. Taylor ISD is also offering a $5,000 bonus for middle school teachers with two years of experience or less. view article

The Canutillo Independent School District, like many across the Borderland, is grappling with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. At Tuesday’s board meeting, trustees took steps to begin closing that gap, voting not to renew the contracts of nearly a dozen teachers. view article

In a bold move to attract top-tier educators, Taylor Independent School District (ISD) has announced a substantial $10,000 sign-on bonus for certified middle school teachers with three or more years of experience who join the district for the 2025–26 school year. This initiative is part of the district's strategic effort to expand its pool of qualified middle school teachers. view article

A Spring Independent School District teacher's aide is "no longer employed" by the district after a 10-year-old student left campus undetected on Monday. The girl was stopped by three good Samaritans at the intersection of Ella Boulevard and Castlerock. ABC13 spoke with two of them. view article

Another Texas teacher is accused of a sex crime involving a student, marking the fourth female school employee arrested this month for sexual misconduct.  Darian Christine Rogers was arrested Friday and charged with improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.  The offense includes sexual contact or sexually explicit communication with a student, regardless of their age.  According to court records, the alleged crime occurred in November 2024. view article

A former employee at Bear Branch Junior High in Magnolia ISD was arrested Saturday in The Woodlands after a teenage student reported sexual assault. Sheila Leticia Valdivieso, 46, was taken into custody at her home by Montgomery County Precinct 5 deputies. view article