Trials of two Uvalde school officers see delays amid federal lawsuit, venue change

Pete Arredondo, the district’s former police chief, and ex-officer Adrian Gonzales face charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting. The trials for the two former school police officers facing charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde will be delayed, and one will be moved out of the city where the attack occurred, their lawyers said Tuesday. Former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo and officer Adrian Gonzales have pleaded not guilty to dozens of counts of child endangerment and abandonment in connection with the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Both men were set to stand trial on Oct. 20. Gonzales’ trial will be moved to a January start in Corpus Christi, about 200 miles from the school, attorney Nico LaHood said Tuesday. Judge Sid Harle confirmed the agreement for a change of venue for Gonzales, but said no formal order had been filed yet.
Trials of two Uvalde school officers see delays amid federal lawsuit, venue change

Pete Arredondo, the district’s former police chief, and ex-officer Adrian Gonzales face charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting. The trials for the two former school police officers facing charges over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde will be delayed, and one will be moved out of the city where the attack occurred, their lawyers said Tuesday. Former Uvalde schools police chief Pete Arredondo and officer Adrian Gonzales have pleaded not guilty to dozens of counts of child endangerment and abandonment in connection with the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Both men were set to stand trial on Oct. 20. Gonzales’ trial will be moved to a January start in Corpus Christi, about 200 miles from the school, attorney Nico LaHood said Tuesday. Judge Sid Harle confirmed the agreement for a change of venue for Gonzales, but said no formal order had been filed yet.
Central Texas School District Confirms ‘Alphabet Soup’ Club on Hold Pending Review

A new state law prohibits school districts from authorizing or sponsoring a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Austin ISD families and trustees respond to sweeping school closure plan

Families across Austin mourned the potential closure of or changes to their neighborhood campus over the weekend after the Austin school district released a proposal Friday to shutter 13 campuses, revamp six others as non-zoned special program schools and dramatically redraw attendance boundaries across the entire district. If approved by trustees in November, the plan will significantly shift boundaries for thousands of students only six years after another emotional school closure process. Roughly one-quarter of all district students could be impacted under the sweeping proposal.
Texas selects company that will help develop its school voucher program

Finance and technology company Odyssey will help design the application process, manage payments and review complaints for the state’s education savings accounts. Texas’ chief financial officer on Monday named the organization that will help the state build the school voucher program lawmakers approved earlier this year. Odyssey, a technology company, will work with the comptroller’s office, which oversees finances for all of Texas state government, to design the process through which Texas families can apply to receive thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds to cover their children’s private or home-schooling costs. Odyssey will also develop a system for those families to shop for educational products and pay tuition. Applications for Texans to participate in the program are expected to open at some point early next year. The program, named “Texas Education Freedom Accounts,” will then launch at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
Texas selects company that will help develop its school voucher program

Finance and technology company Odyssey will help design the application process, manage payments and review complaints for the state’s education savings accounts. Texas’ chief financial officer on Monday named the organization that will help the state build the school voucher program lawmakers approved earlier this year. Odyssey, a technology company, will work with the comptroller’s office, which oversees finances for all of Texas state government, to design the process through which Texas families can apply to receive thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds to cover their children’s private or home-schooling costs. Odyssey will also develop a system for those families to shop for educational products and pay tuition. Applications for Texans to participate in the program are expected to open at some point early next year. The program, named “Texas Education Freedom Accounts,” will then launch at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.

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Texas AFT: Federal judge blocks Ten Commandments law for certain Texas school districts

August 2608:26 AM

Yesterday, a federal judge in San Antonio issued an injunction against the implementation of Senate Bill 10 in select Texas school districts. SB 10 is Texas’s Ten Commandments law, which requires a 16”x20” copy of the religious doctrine to be displayed in every public school classroom in the state. In the ruling, the judge notes that SB 10 “impermissibly takes sides” on religious questions, is “by design, and on its face,” not neutral with respect to religion, and “crosses the line from exposure to coercion.” view article

Midland ISD addresses payroll system issue, ensures employees receive pay

August 2608:25 AM

Midland ISD issued a statement Monday regarding a backend payroll system issue that delayed some employee paychecks. According to the district, some staff members had not yet received their pay or seen pending payments reflected in their bank accounts. The district said it has taken steps to ensure all employees receive their pay by 5:00 p.m. today. view article

Tensions flare at conversation around Leander ISD school consolidations

August 2608:25 AM

The Leander Independent School District invited parents to give feedback Monday night ahead of a proposal its Board of Trustees will hear to consolidate several schools next month. Tensions were high Monday night as Cypress Elementary School parents tried to wrap their minds around a plan to consolidate their cherished campus with Naumann Elementary. view article

Tiffanie Harrison, Round Rock ISD’s first Black school board president, to step down

August 2608:25 AM

The Round Rock school board hopes to appoint a new president on Sept. 18 after Tiffanie Harrison announced last week she was planning on stepping down for personal reasons. Harrison, 39, has been a school board member since 2020. She became the district's first Black school board president in November when her fellow members appointed her to the position. view article

Denton ISD releases a few more details on Friday stabbing at Ryan, says proper protocol was followed

August 2608:25 AM

Denton ISD has released more details regarding a stabbing that happened at Ryan High School on Friday. The school district hasn’t described the incident as a stabbing in either of its two statements to media, instead describing it as an incident involving a knife. view article

Amarillo and Canyon ISD leaders say pay raises help but funding gaps persist

August 2608:24 AM

As the 2025-26 school year begins, Amarillo and Canyon ISD superintendents say new state policies are reshaping classrooms across the Texas Panhandle — from teacher raises and safety upgrades to controversial religious mandates now tied up in court. The changes bring welcome support in some areas, but also strain budgets and highlight uneven impacts between districts. view article

‘Zero cares in the world’ | Parents call out unsafe driving near Hufman ISD school

August 2608:24 AM

Twice a day, along two-lane FM 2100 in Huffman, traffic stops at Falcon Ridge Elementary School's main entrance unless you're one of the drivers going the wrong way to get around it. "Zero cares in the world," said one parent. "Every day going and coming to pick the kids up, it's like this." view article

Marfa ISD teacher faces felony charge in student relationship case

August 2608:23 AM

A Marfa ISD teacher was arrested Aug. 21 on a felony charge of having an improper relationship with a student. According to the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Rebecca Ontiveros, was taken into custody at Marfa ISD by the Texas Rangers. She was booked into the Presidio County Jail and released the following day after posting a $75,000 surety bond. Ontiveros was charged with improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony. view article

Humble ISD is a top 50 school district in the US for people looking to relocate. Here’s why.

August 2608:23 AM

New research shows that Humble ISD, located in northeast Harris County, is among the top 50 school districts in the nation where families are looking to relocate to. Cross-referencing data from GreatSchools ratings and what properties home buyers are looking for, real estate website Realtor.com found the most popular districts that families were relocating to across 50 different metropolitan areas in the country. Humble ISD, the website stated, was most appealing due to the affordable homes near the school district. view article

450-mile gas pipeline set to help ease bottleneck issues across Texas

August 2608:23 AM

It's likely to be operational by summer 2028. With principals announcing an agreement on a final investment Monday, construction will soon begin on a 450-mile pipeline connecting critical natural gas sources from the Permian Basin in West Texas to the Katy area in the Gulf Coast region of the state. view article

Medina Valley ISD establishes campus police department to keep up with growth surge

August 2608:22 AM

As Medina Valley ISD enters the new school year, it hopes to crack down on campus-related crimes and increase the safety of its student body with a newly established police department. “Prior to our police department, we used other agencies, specifically the Medina County Sheriff’s Office for SROs,” said Ellis Powell, the district’s police chief. “As we started growing, I think the school district realized the most sufficient way to keep up with that growth would be to have our own officers and department. We still work with (the) sheriff’s office and local agencies, and will continue to support them, and they support us.” view article

Temple ISD alumni come back to the district to teach

August 2608:20 AM

Temple students and staff are now in their second week back to school. Before the school year started, Superintendent Dr. Bobby Ott told us 107 new teachers joined the district this year- a good amount of them are alumni! We caught up with two alumni teachers at Raye-Allen Elementary School. Alex Curtis teaches 5th grade English and is in her first year teaching. Pam Bulls teaches 3rd grade math and science and has spent more than 35 years educating. view article

Katy ISD board approves $1.15 billion budget for 2025-26 year

August 2608:19 AM

Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees has approved its operating budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The $1.15 billion budget is supported by a proposed tax rate of $1.12. The board reviewed the tax rate earlier and plans to formally approve it next month. view article

Edgewood ISD under fire as parents demand transparency following advocate’s arrest

August 2608:19 AM

Maribel Gardea, a local advocate, was arrested at an Edgewood Independent School District board meeting last week but has since had all charges dropped. Gardea was taken into custody after speaking past her allotted time at the podium during a meeting where she was advocating for transparency, safety, and accountability from the district. view article

Kilgore ISD parents speak up for increased safety measures after middle school incident injures boy

August 2608:19 AM

Kilgore ISD’s special-called meeting Monday night included public comment, including some from people who are concerned for the safety of students after ambulances were called to the schools several times recently; twice to the middle school, and once to the high school, since August 20. view article

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Amarillo: Highland Park ISD to cancel classes Tuesday due to no water supply

August 2608:16 AM

According to Highland Park ISD, classes have been cancelled for today due to the school having no water supply. view article

Leander ISD bus driver ticketed, charges ‘not warranted’ after rollover crash, DPS says

August 2608:15 AM

The driver of the Leander Independent School District bus that rolled over on Aug. 13 in the Sandy Creek area of Travis County was ticketed for failing to drive in a single lane and not using a seatbelt, the Texas Department of Public Safety said Monday. DPS said prosecutors determined criminal charges were “not warranted” for the driver. view article

Vidor ISD approves pay raises for staff

August 2608:12 AM

Vidor superintendent Dr. Jay Killgo says pay raises also help retain educators and attract new ones. view article

Attorney General Ken Paxton Instructs Texas Schools to Display the Ten Commandments in Accordance with Texas Law

August 2608:00 AM

Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following statement directing all Texas Independent School Districts (ISDs) not enjoined by ongoing litigation to display copies of the Ten Commandments once Senate Bill 10 takes effect on September 1, 2025. “From the beginning, the Ten Commandments have been irrevocably intertwined with America’s legal, moral, and historical heritage,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Schools not enjoined by ongoing litigation must abide by S.B. 10 and display the Ten Commandments. The woke radicals seeking to erase our nation’s history will be defeated. I will not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country.” view article

Most conservative college in Texas is sandwiched between 2 metro areas

August 2605:30 AM

One Texas school cracked the top 10 list of Best Colleges in U.S. view article

Jodey Arrington, Brandon Creighton being considered for Texas Tech System’s top job

August 2605:00 AM

U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, and Texas Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, are in the running to be the next chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, according to four people with knowledge of the conversations. The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. to get an update on the search process and discuss “duties, assignments, and expectations” of the chancellor. Arrington, a Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2016, is among the most powerful Texans in Congress. As the House Budget Committee chair, he shepherded Republicans’ tax and spending megabill through the committee earlier this year, negotiating with various factions of the Republican conference to ultimately pass the legislation. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — President Donald Trump and Republicans’ signature achievement this year — bears Arrington’s name as lead sponsor. view article

Houston ISD’s teacher turnover rate is 1.7 times that of the state’s in 2024-25

August 2605:00 AM

Across Texas, 1 in 6 teachers didn’t return to teach in 2024-25. In Houston ISD, it was nearly 1 of 3. The state's largest school district had a turnover rate of 32.2% compared with the statewide average of 18.8% in 2024-25, according to new Texas Education Agency data obtained by the Houston Chronicle. HISD's teacher turnover rate increased 12.5 percentage points in 2024-25 after a large exodus of teachers following the first year under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. Nearly a third of teachers who taught in 2023-24 did not return to teach in 2024-25, pushing the district's turnover rate significantly higher than the statewide rate. view article

Texas House’s latest STAAR bill fails to meaningfully change the test, some Democrats say

August 2508:40 AM

Some Democrats lamented that the House’s latest proposal to scrap the test largely resembles a Senate bill the lower chamber declined to sign on earlier this year. A Texas House panel on Thursday advanced a proposal to scrap STAAR, the end-of-the-year state standardized test, but not without some Democrats lamenting the changes the lower chamber made to reach an agreement with the Senate. Lawmakers in the House and Senate are considering nearly identical bills to replace the test as they gather for a second special legislative session, signaling newfound agreement between chamber leaders after negotiations broke down during the regular session. Senate Bill 9 and House Bill 8 would swap STAAR for three shorter tests to be administered at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. view article

Legally Carrying Around a School

August 2508:22 AM

view article

With growing numbers of hungry students and SNAP cuts looming, Denton ISD says all will still be fed

August 2508:17 AM

With growing numbers of hungry students and SNAP cuts looming, Denton ISD says all will still be fed view article

Georgetown ISD looks to add new campuses amid growth

August 2505:18 AM

New campuses coming: Georgetown ISD prepares for fast enrollment growth - New campuses coming: Georgetown ISD prepares for fast enrollment growth Georgetown ISD officials are working to open four new campuses over the next three years to make room for 4,400 additional students. The district’s enrollment is expected to increase from 13,800 students to nearly 20,000 students over the next decade, according to data from Zonda Demographics. What's happening: In 2024, GISD voters approved a $649.5 million bond package to fund the construction of High School No. 4, Middle School No. 5, Elementary School No. 12 and a new campus for Frost Elementary at the old Benold Middle School site. view article

State Ag employees told police they were wary of Sid Miller’s political consultant. Now he’s the agency’s chief of staff.

August 2505:00 AM

State Ag employees told police they were wary of Sid Miller’s political consultant. Now he’s the agency’s chief of staff. Todd Smith was Miller’s longtime political consultant when he admitted to soliciting bribes for licenses the agency typically issues for $100. Miller then put him on the payroll at $218,000 per year. view article

As STAAR test overhaul heads for a House vote, Democrats bemoan concessions to the Senate

August 2208:40 AM

Some Democrats lamented that the House’s latest proposal to scrap the test largely resembles a Senate bill the lower chamber declined to sign on earlier this year. view article

Celina ISD lowers tax rate for 2025-26 school year

August 2208:40 AM

Celina ISD officials set the tax rate for the 2025-26 school year budget. The district’s board of trustees approved the district’s tax rate of $1.2089 per $100 of assessed value during an Aug. 18 board meeting. This rate is just under a 3% reduction in taxes for the CISD community, Chief of Business Resources Melissa Kelly said. Last year’s rate, which was approved by voters last November in a tax rate election, was $1.2358 per $100 valuation. view article

Texas Democrat Slams Megadonors, Cashes Check From Casino Billionaire

August 2208:35 AM

James Talarico’s largest donation in 2024 came from Texas Sands, run by billionaire Miriam Adelson. view article

Texas Senate expected to take up GOP congressional map, last stop before Abbott’s desk

August 2208:33 AM

Republican lawmakers are poised to push the map through over fierce Democratic opposition, positioning the GOP to net up to five additional seats in Texas. view article

New Braunfels ISD hires new director of IT Operations

August 2208:20 AM

Roger Luna—a New Braunfels High School graduate—began Aug. 11. Luna has over 30 years of IT experience in the public and private sectors. He previously worked as a Database System Analysis at Comal ISD, according to the release. As the Director of IT Operations, Luna will oversee a team responsible for the district’s network, infrastructure, systems administration, information systems and desktop support. He will also work with the Instructional Technology team, the release states. view article

Senate Committee Advances House Republicans’ Redistricting Map

August 2208:19 AM

The Texas Senate’s Congressional Redistricting Committee voted on party lines to advance the House-approved plan. Hours after the Texas House passed a Republican congressional redistricting plan, senators voted to advance the same plan, which adds five new GOP-opportunity seats ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections. The Senate’s Special Congressional Redistricting Committee approved the redistricting plan, House Bill 4, during a Thursday morning meeting. The full Senate is expected to promptly consider and approve HB 4. The redistricting plan then goes to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has said he is ready to sign it into law once it reaches his desk. view article

Texas Gov. Abbott says he’ll swiftly sign new maps on his desk that will boost GOP in 2026

August 2205:00 AM

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has promised to sign a new congressional voting map designed to help Republicans maintain their slim majority in Congress “One Big Beautiful Map has passed the Senate and is on its way to my desk, where it will be swiftly signed into law,” Abbott said in a statement. Texas lawmakers approved the final plans just hours before, inflaming an already tense battle unfolding among states as governors from both parties pledge to redraw maps with the goal of giving their political candidates a leg up in the 2026 midterm elections. In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved a special election to take place in November for residents to vote on a redrawn congressional map designed to help Democrats win five more House seats next year. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has pushed other Republican-controlled states, including Indiana and Missouri, to also revise their maps to add more winnable GOP seats. Ohio Republicans were also already scheduled to revise their maps to make them more partisan. In Texas, the map includes five new districts that would favor Republicans. view article

11 Texas school districts temporarily blocked from displaying Ten Commandments, federal judge rules

August 2205:00 AM

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked 11 public school districts in Texas’ largest metropolitan areas from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms as required by a new state law set to take effect Sept. 1. Two days after the conclusion of a court hearing in San Antonio, U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled that Senate Bill 10 "likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution. view article

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TexasISD.com was the brainchild of Joe F. Smith. Joe retired early from a successful career as Superintendent of Schools for Hudson ISD, deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Due to a long battle with Post-Polio Syndrome the doctor made him hang it up and rest for six months. Never being the kind of person to sit still and also not being the person to listen to his doctor, Joe logged lengthy sessions in front of his PC researching school issues, reading papers and corresponding with his friends and colleagues in the education business.

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