Early voting for the Nov. 4 election has begun. Texans have the opportunity to weigh in on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution.  In Williamson County, several local city council races, as well as proposed tax rate increases from school districts are on the ballot.  Here's what you need to know to vote in Williamson County. view article

Clear Creek ISD officials are seeing attendance rates throughout the district rise to over 96%—a rate it has not seen since before COVID-19. While the district did not include attendance data for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, attendance rates were over 97% in the 2016-17 school year, and dropped to nearly 92% in the 2022-23 school year. view article

The New Braunfels Independent School District has suspended secondary student access to its libraries while it reviews its collection to align with the standards of Senate Bill 13. Amy Payne, a New Braunfels ISD parent, is concerned that the new law is censoring books that students should have a choice to read. “If a child goes into a library, they have the option to look at books, hold books, open them up, look at them, and choose, do they want that book or do they not? That’s part of learning critical thinking,” Payne said. view article

Usually if you have perfect attendance, it means you’ll get a certificate, or even your name on a bulletin board, but in Colorado City, it could earn you a set of new keys. At Colorado High School, perfect attendance isn’t just encouraged, it’s rewarded in a big way. view article

Students at Robert Turner College and Career High School studying health science could have an opportunity for hands-on learning after Pearland ISD’s board of trustees approved a partnership with HCA Houston-Pearland. The board approved the partnership at its Oct. 14 meeting. view article

Ken Paxton is unsatisfied with UNT President Keller’s actions after a student celebrated Charlie Kirk’s murder. view article

Harrison has been on a crusade against Texas universities, scouring course catalogs and university websites for examples of “gender ideology” or LGBTQ+ curriculum, and riling up his X followers about “liberal indoctrination” on campuses. view article

Ginny McDavid, a Houston ISD parent and former United Airlines flight attendant, is trying to get her job back after saying she was fired for confronting and criticizing state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles while off duty in the United Airlines lounge at Bush Intercontinental Airport. view article

The group of Kerrville ISD bus drivers who rescued hundreds of campers during the July 4th floods are being recognized nationally. Risking their own safety, the drivers navigated damaged roads and rushing water to evacuate children from Camps La Junta, Mystic, and Waldemar. Many of the campers were still in pajamas and barefoot, clinging to each other in fear, while drivers kept them calm during the journey to safety. view article

Texans will choose their party's candidates for Congress, governor and many state offices in March. Tell us how we can help you learn about the candidates. view article

A Beaumont ISD program is helping students take the next step from the classroom to the workforce by offering hands-on training and professional certifications designed to prepare them for real-world success. The district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program allows students to graduate with industry-based certifications and licenses, helping them qualify for jobs immediately after high school. BISD leaders are now inviting local businesses and industry representatives to see the program in action during an upcoming “Industry Insights” event. view article

Texans will head to the polls this November to weigh in on 17 additions to the state constitution, including propositions that stand to reduce property taxes, shake up the criminal justice system and create massive new funds for water infrastructure and dementia research.  Each of the 17 amendments passed the Texas Legislature earlier this year by at least a two-thirds majority, the requirement for constitutional amendments. Now, voters have the final say, with each proposition needing a simple majority to pass.  The propositions will appear on all ballots statewide, though some voters may also see local elections or propositions on their ballots too. view article

Texas Scorecard has obtained a letter Dawn Buckingham sent to members of the Alamo Trust Board following the incident.  Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is blasting the Alamo Trust after the official social media accounts for the historic site posted a message this week recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day.   The since-deleted post read, “Today, we honor Indigenous Peoples and their communities, recognizing their history at the Alamo. Opening in 2027, the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum will feature an Indigenous Peoples Gallery, celebrating the bands, clans, and tribes that shaped the region. #IndigenousPeoplesDay.”  The message drew swift criticism online from Texans who accused the Alamo Trust of promoting a political narrative at odds with the Alamo’s history. Within hours, Buckingham—whose office oversees the Alamo—repudiated the post and announced an internal investigation. view article

Students in sixth through 12th grade in the New Braunfels Independent School District are currently unable to visit their school libraries or check out books. According to district officials, the New Braunfels school board voted Monday evening to “temporarily suspend student access to all secondary libraries and all secondary library materials effective immediately while the district ensures compliance with Senate Bill 13.” view article

All Northwest ISD students receiving dyslexia instruction are now identified through special education. Micah Gierkey, the district’s executive director of student support services, told school trustees Oct. 7 that the district met new Texas dyslexia guidelines nearly a year before a May deadline. view article

Dallas ISD students are gaining real-world dental experience through hands-on training at Career Institute North’s dental assistant program. The program draws students from multiple Dallas ISD campuses who practice patient care, polish teeth, and take X-rays in the dental lab. The pathway offers students early career exposure and certification opportunities while still in high school. It represents a crucial bridge between classroom learning and professional healthcare careers. view article

Austin ISD families are demanding a stronger voice in a proposed consolidation plan that could affect nearly every school in the district. The district held the first of four community meetings Tuesday night, most of which will be virtual, prompting concerns from some parents who say the format makes it harder for them to be heard. view article

While Beaumont ISD’s future hangs in the balance after low TEA ratings and a recent exploratory visit by state commissioner Mike Morath, the district remains committed to bringing the community onboard with its mission to better the future of students and staff. view article

Austin ISD is one step closer to building affordable housing for its staff and community members in East Austin. At an Oct. 7 meeting, the AISD Public Facility Corporation, or PFC, approved construction of the first of two income-restricted apartment buildings near East Seventh Street and Airport Boulevard. Developers are expected to break ground on the 341-unit East apartment building in December for a projected completion date of 2028, said Nick Walsh, vice president of development for The NRP Group. view article

Navarro ISD is turning the page to the future –but not before preserving every chapter of its past. Chelsea Ormond, Navarro ISD director of communications, marketing, and public relations says the district is excited to announce the formation of the Navarro ISD Historical Committee. She says the initiative is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history and traditions of the Panther community. view article

Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday morning as part of the Gaza peace deal brokered by the Trump administration.  Why it matters: The Israeli hostages, most of them civilians, were held in captivity in Gaza for more than two years. Finally, all of the hostages who survived are now free. view article

More than a hundred students gathered in front of the UT Tower to “stop the compact.”  AUSTIN—University of Texas students staged a protest on Monday in opposition to university participation in the Trump administration’s new higher education reform initiative, the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.  The rally, organized under slogans like “Our Campus Not Trump’s” and “Rally for Academic Freedom,” drew a crowd of around 100 in front of the UT Tower. While decrying President Donald Trump as a “fascist” and comparing conservatives to “Nazis,” protestors called for the university to reject the compact.  Trump has condemned such language, stating, “This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today and it must stop right now.” view article

The City of Houston is spending $16 million to turn a former migrant shelter into a homeless “super hub”—a facility officials say will streamline access to services, but critics warn will damage the city’s image ahead of international events. view article

Cell phones have officially been banned in classrooms during this legislative session, and all public schools have their own rules on what to do with the phones, like lockers or pouches. While some school districts have funding for pouches for their students, most school districts we spoke with adopt their own rules and disciplinary actions when funding isn’t readily available. view article

Austin ISD announced a preliminary plan earlier this month to close 13 schools and redraw boundaries. It comes as the district faces a nearly $20 million budget shortfall and a decline in enrollment, leaving some schools under capacity. view article

Subscribe Grapevine-Colleyville school board president Shannon Braun said the district will close elementary campuses, but no decisions have been made on how many will be on the chopping block. The district’s Education Master Planning Committee will submit recommendations to the board later this fall. view article

Austin Independent School District revealed plans on Oct. 3 to close 13 schools and consolidate academic programs due to growing budget concerns. In anticipation of the changes, which will take effect for the 2026-27 school year, the district is hosting open houses to answer questions and offer a deeper look into consolidation plans. view article

Katy ISD community members are condemning the district for a post published on its Facebook account on Monday in commemoration of "Christopher Columbus Day." "In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic, beginning a voyage that would connect distant worlds and change the course of history," the social media post read. "Today, Columbus Day commemorates that journey of exploration and discovery that shaped the modern era." view article

A Houston-area school district has unleashed another wave of banned books—including a children's book on a girl who eats too many cupcakes and turns pink. Lamar Consolidated ISD has removed nearly 300 works from their libraries and classrooms ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, according to data obtained by the Texas Freedom to Read Project. view article

After years of students—and even their parents—ignoring the rules, a Houston boys' school is taking a dramatic new approach: bring your phone to school, and they will destroy it. view article

Leaders of the effort say they moved to rural Hood County for its quiet country charm, which was shattered by what locals call “that roar” from the facility.  HOOD COUNTY — Danny Lakey and his wife have spent countless evenings sitting on rocking chairs on their front porch, watching the sun slowly dip behind the cows grazing on their neighbor’s ranch.  It was the calm country life they dreamed of in 2021 when they bought their log home, tucked into the woodlands of rural Hood County, southwest of Fort Worth. Danny Lakey proudly calls their home their “personal Cracker Barrel,” where they have more cows and horses as neighbors than people.  But ever since a noisy cryptocurrency facility moved in about half a mile away in 2023, he said their rocking chairs have mostly sat empty. Other nearby residents also say they don’t spend much time outside anymore because of what many call “that roar.” view article

A Central Texas school district is returning dozens of books to classroom shelves after pulling them for review last month to ensure they comply with a new state law. Leander ISD decided to temporarily pause and review the 40 books because of Senate Bill 12, which went into effect on Sept. 1. view article

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel and Hamas have agreed to the "first phase" of a ceasefire deal intended to end the devastating Gaza war that unleashed the deadliest fighting ever between Israelis and Palestinians.   The two sides were set to sign the agreement in Cairo after all-day negotiations Wednesday that stretched into the early hours of Thursday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. view article

Officials at North East Independent School District have decided to defend their cell phone policy amid an ongoing review from the Texas Education Agency.  A new state law requires schools to bar students from using cell phones and other electronic devices during the school day.  The NEISD board voted in August to define the school day as instructional time, which allows students to use phones at lunch and during passing periods. view article

Faculty have spent weeks seeking clarity on new restrictions, which have often been issued by word of mouth. A written Q&A was rescinded.  As a viral video of a Texas A&M student and professor debating the legality of discussing gender identity roiled the College Station university and spurred a political firestorm, deans hundreds of miles away at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock quietly rolled out new instructions for faculty.  Teaching doctors were told to remove words like “transgender,” “DEI” and “affirmative action” from their curricula, a professor told The Texas Tribune. Simulated patient exams that included scenarios with transgender patients were suddenly in question. view article