A working paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas concluded that the large influx of illegal aliens during the Biden administration drove up housing prices and rents.​  According to the paper, roughly 7 million people illegally came to the United States between 2021 and 2024.   This spike of illegal immigration “raised local house prices and rents without expanding housing supply,” acting as a “demand shock to local housing markets.”   Using court records and border enforcement information alongside housing market data, the economists estimated that illegal immigration “can explain about 30% of the total growth in house prices and 20% of total growth in rents over the boom period for the average local market.”   “We’ve actually been saying this for a number of months now,” U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R–Irving) told CBS News. “I don’t think people sometimes understand the ramifications of having so many folks enter your country illegally in such a short period of time and the financial disaster that it causes.” view article

There have been 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis acquired in the United States since May 1, and more than 5,100 additional cases are being investigated, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday — a sharp increase in cases compared with recent years. A growing outbreak in Michigan and Ohio has also been linked to cases in West Virginia and Kentucky, the agency said. People with cyclosporiasis may have symptoms, including watery diarrhea, cramping and bloating, for weeks. view article

The school bell is about to ring at Tuloso-Midway ISD. Here's a look at the excitement as students prepare to head back to class. view article

The Round Rock ISD Fine Arts Department is proud to announce that two recent Texas distinctions have been awarded to its programs: the 2025-26 District of Distinction from the Texas Art Education Association and the District of Distinction, Outstanding District from the Texas Educational Theatre Association. Round Rock ISD’s Fine Arts Director for Visual and Theater Arts, Tim Lowke, is thrilled to receive this award. view article

Canyon ISD to offer virtual learning option for 2026-27 school year view article

Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael "Doc" Hinojosa is launching a campaign for Dallas mayor, becoming one of the first high-profile candidates to enter the 2027 race. He is Dallas-raised, a graduate of the school system he led twice. "I want everybody to be as proud of Dallas as I am, and it can be done," Hinojosa said, sitting in the foyer of the north central Dallas high-rise, which he calls home. view article

Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced that he is running for Mayor of Dallas on Monday. Hinojosa says the city needs experienced leadership to address the budget challenges and pro sports teams leaving Downtown Dallas. view article

Belton ISD has earned a special honor from a statewide organization for its art education programs. BISD has announced that it has been selected as a 2026 Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) District of Distinction, recognizing the district's "commitment to providing exceptional visual arts education and creative opportunities for students." view article

Lucas Baldwin loves to make omelets. But he is also skilled at preparing vegetables and can sauté carrots like a pro. Baldwin is part of an 18+ program at Georgetown ISD that focuses on preparing special education young adults for life beyond high school through skill development in the areas that matter most after graduation. view article

Pearland ISD's board of trustees will consider adding a new graduation requirement for ninth grade students entering high school in the 2026-27 school year at its July 14 meeting. view article

Socorro Independent School District is teaming up with two Lions Clubs to host the 16th annual School Uniform Swap this week. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 18 at Eastlake High School. view article

Torrential downpours across the San Antonio region and beyond are causing havoc on highways and at low-water crossings on Tuesday morning. As a result, school districts in the area are choosing to cancel classes. view article

Wichita Falls ISD school board marks improvement, honors administrators view article

Temple ISD is one of just over 100 school districts in Texas to earn the designation of District of Distinction from the Texas Art Education Association (TAEA), the district has announced. TISD has announced that it is one of only 109 Texas school districts to win the TAEA 2026 District of Distinction Award. view article

The Austin school district has charged dozens of parents, policy experts, journalists and other members of the public thousands of dollars in the past year for access to government records, raising concerns that the cost of obtaining information could keep residents from understanding how the district makes some of its most consequential decisions. view article

This weekend, Superintendent Tabitha Branum was named the Superintendent of the Year by Texas PTA! She was honored at the state LAUNCH leadership conference during the 2026 Outstanding Educator Awards. This well-deserved honor reflects her unwavering commitment to going above and beyond to back the future for every child! Her vision, leadership, and genuine heart for the Richardson ISD community have created a culture where every student is supported and can reach their growth goals. view article

A group of Dallas students served as official player escorts during the Round of 16 match between Spain and Portugal that ended up being soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup game. The opportunity allowed them to walk on the field alongside players. view article

Starting this coming school year, most minors won’t be able to attend a sporting event in Houston ISD unless they are accompanied by an adult. The new policy, which is effective on August 1, says minors must also present a school ID from any district. view article

Kendra Frank didn’t want to move her family out of Fort Worth ISD. But the district was cutting the speech-language services that helped her once-nonverbal son learn to speak — and no one could tell her what would replace them. She said she had no choice but to move. view article

The Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) has named Splendora ISD a 2025–2026 District of Distinction, recognizing the district’s outstanding commitment to visual arts education. Out of more than 1,200 eligible school districts in Texas, Splendora ISD is one of only 109 districts to earn this prestigious honor. The award is presented by the Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a division of TAEA, and highlights districts that demonstrate exemplary leadership in promoting visual arts in both their schools and communities. view article

McKinney ISD is moving forward with plans to convert three shuttered elementary campuses into district support facilities, following board approval of the closures late last year. The repurposing strategy was presented to trustees at a June 29 meeting, detailing how each building will serve the district going forward now that classes have ended for good at all three sites. view article

The Prosper Walnut Grove football team makes the jump to Class 6A coming off back-to-back district title seasons. Photo courtesy of Shayne Studdard view article

When Friendswood High School seniors and FFA members Jaxtin McCollum and Ava Stone discovered that younger students in their district didn’t know what agriculture is and its importance, they knew they had to do something to help educate them about it. view article

If you haven't heard, an announcement was made by Stephen F. Austin State University about the closing of the Early Childhood Laboratory on the SFA campus. For those that don't know, the ECHL is for children from birth to the age of five years old. According to a letter written by the Provost of SFA that was posted to the SFA Early Childhood Laboratory Facebook page, the decision to close the ECHL was made based on financial considerations, and that "university leadership determined that continuing to operate the program is no longer financially sustainable." Read More: Petition to Save SFA Early Childhood Lab Has Over 600 Signatures. view article

Following the closure of three elementary school campuses in McKinney ISD at the end of the 2025-26 school year, officials have announced plans to repurpose the facilities for other district uses. McKinney ISD Chief Operations Officer Greg Suttle presented the plan to the district’s board of trustees at a June 29 meeting. view article

Officials at Denton ISD said the district has been posting donated posters of the Ten Commandments as they’ve received them since state lawmakers passed a law requiring it. Last month, a religious nonprofit called Texas Values donated 1,200 posters showing the commandments from the Old Testament so that every Denton ISD student could see and read them. view article

Starting Aug. 1, there will be new rules for minors attending UIL athletic events at Houston ISD district facilities. According to the new policy, most minors must be accompanied by an adult to attend a game. But the new rules do not apply to everyone. view article

When Friendswood High School seniors and FFA members Jaxtin McCollum and Ava Stone discovered that younger students in their district didn’t know what agriculture is and its importance, they knew they had to do something to help educate them about it. The pair have spent the last several years doing outreach for elementary school students at Friendswood ISD, a district with about 6,142 students enrolled. With support from their Agriculture Science teacher and FFA advisor, Rachel Sawyer, and their Brazoria-Galveston County Farm Bureau representative, Deana Fuchs, the AgVocates outreach program reached more than 600 students in spring 2026, Fuchs said. view article

Investor Kyle Bass’ high-capacity water wells in East Texas have been blocked by a moratorium. He says his rights as a landowner are being violated. view article

The Texas Stock Exchange officially commenced trading on Monday morning. Based in Dallas, TXSE began its phased rollout in July. The firm’s launch comes as major financial institutions, including BlackRock and Citadel Securities, have invested over $120 million in the new exchange since 2024. The exchange gained federal approval last year and attracted investment from several other firms, bringing total investment to more than $275 million.  TXSE opened its doors at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning to approved brokers, banks, and trading firms. For now, brokers are trading only test stocks. Thousands of symbols, such as TSLA (Tesla), will come online in July, with an announcement to precede it. That rollout will officially allow the public to trade stocks on the exchange.  TXSE officials also hope to have exchange-traded products, or ETPs, trading by the end of the third quarter. ETPs allow investors to gain exposure to a wide variety of investment products, such as oil or the S&P 500. view article

When Janah Rodriguez found herself without a job for the first time since she was a teenager, she didn’t initially worry. She had more than a decade of experience in medical office administration and had moved up the ladder going from working the front desk to becoming an office coordinator. But things changed when she reached the five-month mark of being unemployed. She started to feel like her options were shrinking, she said.  She was 45, with four grown children and grandchildren, and for the first time she felt like she wasn’t moving forward in her career.  She was 45, with four grown children and grandchildren, and for the first time she felt like she wasn’t moving forward in her career.  view article

Starting Tuesday, hikers at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area will be able to explore the park's Backcountry Area on their own for the first time, marking a major expansion of public access at the popular Central Texas destination. view article

The General Services Administration (GSA) announced Monday it has closed on the sale of a federal building at Hemisfair that is key to the city’s plans for a downtown arena district.   The City of San Antonio acquired the building for $30 million with funds from Spurs Sports & Entertainment, as outlined in a non-binding term sheet approved by city council nearly a year ago. Credit: Brenda Bazán / San Antonio Report • view article

Texas leads nation in proposed power plants for data centers, which would emit large amounts of greenhouse gases view article

San Marcos has become the first Texas city to ban data centers within city limits, banking on its local authority to stop the data center boom and setting a precedent for other municipalities to follow. San Marcos City Council voted 4-3 on June 16 to define data centers and make them ineligible for any part of the city in its zoning laws, citing concerns that these developments would funnel water and energy resources from the local community. view article