Dallas ISD superintendent addresses rating drop, declares district strong

Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde used her state of the district Tuesday night to address the district’s recent accountability rating and point to accomplishments she said the grade can’t reflect. Speaking at the Winspear Opera House, Elizalde declared the district strong because of its employees. “I don’t believe it’s ever been stronger,” she said. view article

Brenham ISD announces road closures due to search & rescue efforts, ongoing flooding

While search and rescue efforts continue after a young girl was swept away by rising waters on Monday afternoon, Brenham ISD announced road closures affecting bus routes for Tuesday. view article

Dallas ISD plans to update Code of Conduct after Wilmer-Hutchins shooting

The proposed change in the code of conduct is set to be discussed this Thursday at a board briefing. Top of mind for the district is safety and security following the April Wilmer-Hutchins High School shooting, still fresh on the minds of everyone in attendance. The last update from the district was that the student who let the armed classmate in was identified, but that student's punishment criminally or administratively is still unclear. view article

La Pryor ISD appoints second interim superintendent amid alleged assault investigation

An update to a story we’ve been following involving a school superintendent out of Zavala County. Back in February, La Pryor Independent School District’s board placed its superintendent, Dr. William Arevalo, on paid leave pending an ongoing investigation. No specifics were given on what the investigation was regarding. view article

El Paso ISD explores new strategies to tackle $15M budget deficit for next school year

The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) is considering new strategies to address its financial challenges, as it faces a projected $15 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year. This marks a slight improvement from the previous $17 million shortfall. view article

TX Education Agency warns FWISD of potential takeover

TX Education Agency warns FWISD of potential takeover view article

Tinderholt Confronts King Over E-Verify, Lobbying, and Privacy Bills

Priority legislation that has already passed the Senate is up against the clock in the House.  While laying out a utility-related bill on the House floor, State Rep. Ken King (R–Canadian) faced pointed criticism from one of his colleagues over the fate of stalled Republican priorities.  During discussion of House Bill 4668, which allows the Public Utility Commission to retain outside experts to support utility rate cases, State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington) took the opportunity to confront King, who chairs the powerful State Affairs Committee, for holding up several key conservative proposals.  “Chairman King, does this bill have anything to do with women’s privacy?” Tinderholt asked, to which King answered, “No.”  “It doesn’t have anything to do with taxpayer-funded lobbying?” Tinderholt asked.  “No,” responded King.  “Does it have anything to do with E-Verify?” King once again said it did not.   “Those three bills are being locked up in your committee, and people want to see them on the floor,” said Tinderholt.  view article

Texas Senate panel advances bill that would no longer allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition

The bill would overturn a two-decade-old law allowing some undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition.  A bill that would make college less affordable for undocumented students, including those who have called the state their home for most of their lives, is advancing in the Texas Senate.  The Senate’s K-16 committee voted 9-2 on Tuesday to bring Senate Bill 1798 to the chamber’s floor for a full vote. It would eliminate undocumented students’ eligibility for in-state tuition and require those previously deemed eligible to pay the difference between in- and out-of-state tuition.  State Sen. Mayes Middleton, who authored the bill, said taxpayers are subsidizing higher education for people in the country illegally, which he estimated cost $150 million in the 2024-2025 academic year. view article

Draft of School Health and Related Services (SHARS) Policy Available for Comment

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has opened the draft of the School Health and Related Services (SHARS) Policy (MS Word) for public comment.  School Health and Related Services (SHARS) are direct medical services and transportation services available to children aged 20 and younger who are enrolled in Medicaid and are eligible to receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The services must be included in the child’s individualized education program (IEP) established under IDEA. view article

Fort Worth ISD faces state intervention after one school fails eight years in a row

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath sent a letter Monday to Fort Worth ISD warning it faces a possible state intervention amid concerns over the failure of one specific school. Morath said the possible intervention is required under the law, and not something over which he has flexibility. Leadership Academy at Forest Oak's sixth-grade campus has not had a passing performance rating for eight years. view article

Hays County Middle School Teacher Sentenced to 60 Years for Child Porn Possession

Hays County Middle School Teacher Sentenced to 60 Years for Child Porn Possession  Kevin McLean, 33, received a 10-year sentence for each count, to be served consecutively, following an investigation that began with reports of inappropriate behavior toward students.  McLean taught at Dripping Springs Middle School, where he also coached track. He does not possess a Texas teacher certificate, but is listed on the Texas Education Agency’s “Do Not Hire Registry” as “under investigation.” view article

House, Senate Close In on Property Tax Relief Agreement

The compromise includes $3 billion in required compression, $3 billion for a homestead exemption increase, and approximately $250 million for business property tax relief.  The compromise includes $3 billion in required compression, $3 billion for a homestead exemption increase, and approximately $250 million for business property tax relief. view article

TEA sends letter to Fort Worth ISD regarding school with 5th straight unacceptable rating

The Texas Education Agency sent Fort Worth ISD a letter this week in response to one of its schools earning its fifth consecutive unacceptable rating, which could lead to the school's closure. The Leadership Academy at Forest Oak's 6th-grade campus earned an F rating for 2023, its fifth consecutive unacceptable rating since 2016. No schools received ratings in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and no ratings in 2022 due to state legislation. view article

Lawmakers want to expand Texas’ teacher pay raise program. Many educators will still be left out.

JoMeka Gray spent many evenings away from her family to complement her salary as a kindergarten teacher, earning extra cash by caring for aging adults. Her credit cards were maxed out, and she sometimes worried about not having enough gas to get to school. She knows she was not alone — other teachers found side gigs baking cookies, designing T-shirts or working at nightclubs to stay afloat.  But life began to change a few years ago when Gray, who teaches at Kennedy-Powell Elementary in the Temple Independent School District, started earning pay increases through a state program that incentivizes educators who demonstrate that they have improved their students’ academic outcomes. Thanks to Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment, she now makes $20,000 more than she used to, which she said allows her to give “my students my full Mrs. Gray.” view article

Texas AG Ken Paxton targets Austin ISD over alleged CRT teachings

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the Austin Independent School District, accusing it of teaching materials linked to the 1619 Project, which is banned under state law. Paxton announced plans to depose Superintendent Matias Segura and the Board of Trustees to investigate the allegations. view article

Another ‘undercover interview’ leads to Texas AG investigation into Austin ISD

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the Austin Independent School District after his office said it was made aware of a claim that top officials “implemented an unwritten policy of developing and teaching curricula in the (district) in violation of state law prohibiting instruction on critical race theory (CRT) and related topics,” a court document said. view article

SpaceX workers in South Texas vote yes to create City of Starbase

BROWNSVILLE — Elon Musk’s wish to create his own city just came true. On Saturday, voters living around SpaceX’s rocket testing and launch facility in South Texas approved a measure to incorporate the area as a new city. Soon after polls closed at 7 p.m., Cameron County election officials confirmed that overwhelming support among early voters clinched the election in favor of creating the City of Starbase.  Unofficial results later in the night showed the election was a landslide: 212 voted in favor; 6 opposed. view article

Texas attorney general investigates Austin ISD for allegedly teaching ‘critical race theory’

Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday accused Austin ISD of using materials to teach critical race theory. His office filed a petition on May 1 seeking authorization to depose Superintendent Matias Segura and school board members as part of an investigation. The AG's office alleges the district is using curricula related to the “The 1619 Project," which recenters U.S. history around the impact of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans. It was created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. view article

Katy ISD voters oust conservative board president as newly elected trustee aims to eliminate politicization

Voters on Saturday ousted Katy ISD’s politically conservative board president in the aftermath of controversial gender policies he supported. Victor Perez lost his position 1 seat to longtime educator James Cross, according to complete but unofficial election results, which show Cross received 58% of the vote in the school district west of Houston. view article

Threat prompts extra security at HEB ISD elementary school

HEB ISD discovered an "unsettling" post on social media involving Hurst Hills Elementary School. District officials said once they caught wind of the threat, they immediately contacted the district’s security team and the Hurst Police Department. view article

Socorro ISD cuts 43 positions amid $38M budget deficit

The Socorro Independent School District's board has officially approved a reduction in force, cutting 43 positions in an effort to address a $38 million budget deficit. The decision, made after months of deliberation, was met with emotional pleas from educators hoping to save their jobs. view article

Eanes ISD faces lawsuit after ending athletic facility contract

Eanes Independent School District is facing a lawsuit after terminating its contract with the operator and partner of the district’s athletic and aquatic facilities, a move that has sparked concern among parents and community members. The dispute centers on the Westlake Athletic Community Center (WACC), a 70,000-square-foot facility across from Westlake High School. Built in 2015 by owner Jeff Buch, the WACC has served as a hub for student and community sports practices, camps and recreation – at no cost to the district. view article

New Katy ISD trustee James Cross vows to remove politics from board after ousting its president

James Cross, a 30-year educator and school administrator, vowed to steer the district away from political agendas and improve student outcomes after he ousted board president Victor Perez in the Katy ISD May 3 school board election. view article

Keller ISD board of trustees shakeup: ‘This was a change election’

There is another shakeup for the embattled Keller Independent School District. After months of upheaval, more than 14,000 voters in Keller ISD have spoken. “This tells me this was a change election,” said trustee-elect Randy Campbell. view article

Tomball ISD Voters Approve Four Propositions in Bond 2025 Election

Preliminary May 2025 election results show that voters in Tomball ISD approved all four propositions in the district's $429 million bond referendum. Preliminary results will become official once canvassed. Results below reflect the totals of those in favor from both Harris County and Montgomery County. view article

‘Heart and Soul’ of Carroll ISD: Parents, students rally for principals in crosshairs of contract uncertainty

At Carroll ISD in Southlake, where national headlines have been frequent, students and parents are rallying behind two familiar faces they say represent stability in a district gripped by potential change. At a packed school board meeting Monday night, the community showed up — not for a football game, but for their principals. view article

Texas AG drops ‘critical race theory’ lawsuit against Coppell ISD

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has dropped a lawsuit against Coppell ISD alleging the district was teaching critical race theory in violation of state law. A Dallas County judge last week granted a joint notice of nonsuit, effectively dismissing the suit. view article

Dr. Daryl Porter named next principal of Northwest High School

Northwest ISD has named Dr. Daryl Porter as the next principal of Northwest High School, welcoming a school leader with a decade of school and district administration experience. Dr. Porter has served as principal of Brewer High School in White Settlement ISD for the past three years, and he previously served as the district’s director of career and technical education. Prior to his time in White Settlement ISD, Dr. Porter served in Crowley ISD as an assistant principal, principal and coordinator of district CTE programs. view article

House, Senate Close In on Property Tax Relief Agreement

The compromise includes $3 billion in required compression, $3 billion for a homestead exemption increase, and approximately $250 million for business property tax relief.  It appears Texas lawmakers have struck a deal on property tax relief—though critics say it doesn’t go far enough to return the state’s surplus to taxpayers.  During a meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Morgan Meyer (R–Dallas) announced that a compromise had been reached between the House and Senate, ending weeks of negotiations over competing tax cut proposals.  “We have reached an agreement with the Senate as it relates to tax relief,” Meyer told committee members. “I just wanted to thank the lieutenant governor, Chairman Bettencourt, the speaker, obviously the governor as well, for all of us working together to provide meaningful property tax relief. I’m glad we got this job done.  State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) simultaneously announced the deal during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Local Government.  The House’s original proposal included $3 billion in required tax rate “compression” under existing law, an additional $3 billion in new compression, and $500 million to raise the exemption for business personal property. The Senate, meanwhile, focused on using its additional $3 billion toward boosting the homestead exemption for homeowners. view article

School board races across Texas deal losses for many conservatives

Issues about control of book purchases and how curriculums teach race and gender have led to change on many boards, including Keller, Katy and Mansfield ISDs  Conservative school board candidates across Texas suffered an array of defeats in Saturday’s local elections, marking a clear setback for the Republican-aligned movement to shape how grade school curriculums and library books confront issues of race, sex and gender.  The sweeping losses for conservative school board hopefuls also served as an early sign of potential backlash to the nascent administration of President Donald Trump, ahead of a 2026 midterm in which a number of statewide offices will be on the ballot. Midterm elections historically have spelled trouble for the incumbent president’s party in down-ballot races.  Saturday’s elections saw the defeat of numerous conservative school board trustees in the Tarrant County suburbs surrounding Fort Worth, the epicenter of the state’s recent culture war fights over how students should learn about race and gender. All seven school board candidates in contested races who were endorsed by the Tarrant County Republican Party lost their elections. view article

Preventive Law: Hit the Ground Running: Setting Yourself up for Success at the Beginning of a Construction Program

Homeowners will see bigger exemptions

Legislators in the House and Senate have reached an agreement on more property tax relief. But some critics worry the cuts aren’t sustainable forever. view article

Texas homeowners could see lower property tax bills if deal from Republican lawmakers passes

Legislators in the House and Senate have reached an agreement on more property tax relief. But some critics worry the cuts aren’t sustainable forever. view article

Voters approve Quitman ISD’s $30.8 million bond

Voters chose to pass Quitman ISD's $30.8 million bond for various academic and athletic improvements. Voters passed Proposition A ($27.85 million) to fund a new career and technology education center, Quitman Elementary and Junior High classrooms, athletic field house addition and locker room renovations. view article

ELECTION RESULTS: Lubbock ISD Prop A passes with 66% approval

Unofficial results show LISD Prop A passing with 66.1% of the vote with 6,726 people voting in favor and 33.9% or 34,53 voting against Lubbock ISD’s $290 million bond proposal. The district says this bond will address outdated buildings, safety upgrades and expanded academic programs, all without raising the current rate. view article