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The Dallas ISD principal who allegedly called a meeting of only Black students to discuss their academic performance will not return to her job. In a letter sent to parents Tuesday night, Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told Woodrow Wilson High parents that “after reviewing preliminary details,” principal Chandra Hooper-Barnett will not return. view article arw

The Leon school district in Leon County has shared a statement about action taken Monday evening on a teacher who was placed on leave last week by the school district. view article arw

The 2025 school year was déjà vu all over again – nice pay increases for many administrators and persistently low student outcomes. ACT college-readiness in English, Reading, Math, and Science set another low record, dropping from 32% in 2015 to just 17% in 2025.

Editors Note: We often post articles form organizations that are known for not supporting Public Ed. We post these for you to read because these are what your public is reading. The folks on your board or coming to your office and at TexasISD.com we think it is important to know and understand both sides of these issues to adequately debate and defend Public Ed.

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A former Harker Heights High School custodian pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally re-entering the United States after her deportation 14 years ago. Ofelia Negrete-Arriaga, 57, who worked at different times for the Killeen school district for a total of 19 years, faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation after her guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek Gilliland. view article arw

ABILENE, Texas — A longtime Abilene ISD educator was recognized on Saturday for decades of dedication to teaching English as a second language.  Clack Middle School teacher Veronica Long was honored during Summit K-12's annual award ceremony with the Lifetime Achievement Award. view article arw

The principal of Dallas ISD's Woodrow Wilson High School has been replaced by an interim leader after three years in the job after a "recent incident" on campus. In a letter to families sent Monday, Aaron Aguirre-Castillo, executive director of the Woodrow Wilson vertical team, said Chandra Hooper-Barnett will be replaced while the district reviews the details of what happened. The incident did "not reflect the values and expectations of our community," the letter reads, but it doesn't include details. view article arw

A Collinsville ISD high school baseball coach has been placed on administrative leave over allegations of inappropriate communication with a student. Collinsville ISD superintendent Matthew Davenport confirmed that Collinsville High School baseball coach Derrick Jenkins has been placed on leave after receiving a report of inappropriate communication between Jenkins and a Collinsville ISD student. view article arw

The Brownsville Independent School District issued a statement Monday, saying it is mourning the loss of a middle school security officer. In the statement, the district reports that Ramiro Torres, a security officer at Manzano Middle School, has died. view article arw

Cedar Hill ISD is working with police to investigate allegations involving former students and two of the district's band directors, according to a letter from Cedar Hill High School's principal sent to parents that was obtained by WFAA. According to the letter, the two employees were placed on leave pending the result of the police investigation. The letter stated that there are no allegations involving current students. view article arw

AG Ken Paxton said his office will investigate the district’s alleged coverup of Coach Caleb Elliott’s sexual misconduct after State Rep. Jeff Leach asked him to intervene.  Embattled Celina Independent School District now faces a state criminal investigation into claims that administrators covered up a coach’s past predatory behavior toward male students, enabling him to record undressed middle school boys in the locker room.  On Friday, Paxton posted to X that his office is investigating. view article arw

Houston ISD is cutting about 50 employees under the office of special education as part of a reorganization that moves the division into the department of academics. HISD said Thursday the cuts mostly affect staff directors and coordinators who don't work directly with students in the classroom. The last day for employees working on campuses is Nov. 3. The employees are eligible to reapply for other positions in the district, according to the statement. view article arw

The Groveton school district in Trinity County has formally responded to KBTX’s reporting of an investigation involving Centerville ISD’s superintendent. In our reporting, KBTX confirmed Centerville ISD Superintendent Carole Dickey was indicted by a grand jury this month on a charge of failing to notify the Texas Education Agency of an educator accused of having a romantic relationship with a student. view article arw

Attorneys, representing several Celina ISD victims, say the school district had evidence that a coach was a sexual predator, but he was allowed to keep his job. view article arw

A former Hondo High School teacher arrested on multiple charges Thursday is accused of having an improper relationship with a student, according to police. Thomas William Ricker Hill, 24, was taken into custody for indecency with a child by sexual contact, sexual performance by a child and improper relationship between educator and student, police said. Hill was later booked into the Medina County jail. view article arw

Centerville ISD is again at the center of an investigation involving a member of its staff. Assistant Superintendent Dottie Sullivan sent a statement to parents on Tuesday, notifying them of an allegation regarding an employee’s “unprofessional conduct” involving a student on the elementary campus. No additional information was shared, but Sullivan said the district is committed to full transparency. “Please be assured that student safety and campus integrity remain our highest priority,” she said. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Child Protective Services are each conducting their own investigations into this case, Sullivan confirmed. view article arw

DeShawn Parks is charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact.   A Lancaster High School music teacher is on administrative leave after being accused of sexually touching a minor.   Assistant Band Director DeShawn Darrell Parks, 39, was arrested on October 10 and charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.  Parks has worked for Lancaster Independent School District for more than 10 years. view article arw

It was past midnight when the Cedar Hill ISD board of trustees emerged from closed session to vote on a Level III grievance filed against the school district on behalf of former CHISD athletic director Melanie Benjamin. At the end of a board meeting that lasted nearly six hours, Benjamin was present to watch the trustees vote to deny her grievance, despite an overwhelming show of public support for Benjamin earlier in the evening. view article arw

Days after 33-year-old Alvarado High School teacher Chelsea Spillers was found dead in her home, her neighbor says the community is grappling with guilt and disbelief. “I think we're all kind of feeling that, we wish we had known, or we wish we had taken more action,” said neighbor Ashley Crow, who lives nearby. view article arw

A bus monitor for the Leander Independent School District is accused of sex crimes against a student.  Steven Wade Lackey, 70, was arrested and charged with two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony.  The Cedar Park Police Department said Tuesday it had received a report from Leander ISD on October 8 regarding allegations of indecency with a child involving a district transportation employee.  The Special Victims Unit investigated and obtained an arrest warrant.  Cedar Park Police arrested Lackey on October 14 and he was booked into the Williamson County Jail. Bond was set at $250,000 for each charge.  Jail records indicate the offenses occurred in August. view article arw

Austin ISD teacher detained by ICE

October 1708:28 AM
 

An Austin Independent School District teacher was recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), district officials confirmed. The district sent a letter to families confirming that Roberto López Falcón, a teacher at Hart Elementary School, had been detained by ICE. School officials said they were not aware of complete details surrounding the incident but noted it did not occur at or near the campus. view article arw

At a special meeting Wednesday night, Celina ISD’s revered football family found itself at the center of heartbreak and public outrage. Caleb Elliott, 26, resigned and surrendered his teaching license before the meeting — but his fate was still front and center as parents, board members, and community leaders gathered to reckon with the charges against him and his fate with the district. view article arw

The principal of one of Houston ISD's largest schools announced Thursday she is resigning to join another school district. Alisa C. Zapata announced her last day at Westside High School will be Oct. 31, and assistant principal Tyrone Davis will step in as interim. Zapata will become chief learning officer at another Houston-area school district. view article arw

Five of the six candidates running for College Station ISD board positions gathered Wednesday evening to discuss key issues facing the district ahead of the November 2025 election. The candidate forum, hosted by the district, focused heavily on funding challenges, enrollment numbers, and the ongoing needs of teachers within the district. view article arw

An Anna ISD elementary teacher has been arrested and is no longer employed by the district following an incident last week, officials said. The teacher was removed from a classroom at Hendricks Elementary on Oct. 8 after Anna ISD was made aware of a situation involving the teacher, according to an Anna ISD statement to The Dallas Morning News. view article arw

Michael Bo Peacock and his co-conspirator exploited more than 100 child victims.  A former Grapevine girls’ basketball coach was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to sexually exploit children and produce child sexual abuse material, commonly known as child pornography.  Michael Bo Peacock, 50, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.  Prior to his arrest in November 2023, Peacock was a high school girls’ basketball coach at Grapevine Faith Christian School, a private school for pre-K through 12th grade students. view article arw

New data obtained by KFOX14/CBS4 reveals the amount of alleged assaults on teachers and educators across El Paso's largest school districts, raising safety concerns among parents. Over the past five years, El Paso ISD reported the highest number of incidents, followed by Ysleta ISD, with Socorro ISD reporting the fewest. view article arw

The Celina Police Department today announced an update on the investigation of a Celina ISD teacher/coach who was first taken into custody on Friday, October 3, 2025. view article arw

An Anna ISD teacher is off the job and facing charges after an incident at school. The teacher was removed from her classroom at Hendricks Elementary School last week when the investigation began. view article arw

Leander ISD has named experienced campus leader Erika Cruz, Ed.D., as the next principal of Early College High School (ECHS). “I am thrilled to welcome Erika Cruz as the new principal of Early College High School,” said Leander ISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing, Ed.D. “Erika brings a wealth of passion and dedication to her new role along with a continued commitment to her students, staff and community. With her leadership, Early College High School is sure to continue thriving as a place where students can grow and excel.” view article arw

Weatherford ISD says an educator who was seen on video holding a student with special needs on the ground between her legs is no longer with the district. The incident happened last year, but the students’ parents say they only found out about it months later. The boy’s mother posted the video to Facebook on Wednesday, and it now has more than 60,000 views on her page. The family now wants accountability. view article arw

It’s a problem nationwide and right here in central Texas — the need for more bus drivers. The Manor Independent School District is putting out the call for more drivers while also being creative to get people to apply. “All the routes are going out,” said Transportation Director Fernanda Travagliante. In all, Manor ISD said it needs about ten drivers, but would like more than that to make sure it has people able to cover shifts of those who might call out sick or be on vacation. view article arw

Ofelia Negrete-Arriaga worked as a custodian for Killeen ISD for close to 20 years. view article arw

The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency released new details Friday on the Killeen Independent School District employee who was arrested for allegedly falsifying employment paperwork. According to an ICE spokesperson, Ofelia Negrete-Arriaga, 57, falsified employment documents and misrepresented her immigration status for close to 20 years. view article arw

An employee of Celina ISD was arrested, charged and placed on administrative leave following an altercation Tuesday night in Prosper, police said. According to the Prosper Police Department, Kristine Coates, 50, of Prosper, was taken into custody after getting into an altercation with a man in the 400 block of North Church Street, down the road from Robert and Robbie Reynolds Middle School. view article arw

Houston ISD's Board of Managers terminated a teachers' union president Thursday — an action the labor leader has characterized as retaliation.  This is the second time Houston Education Association President Michelle Williams, a 26-year teaching veteran, faced disciplinary action under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. HISD hired Williams back in 2024 after an independent hearing examiner ruled in her favor and found that the district violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. view article arw