What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year

The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.
Lt. Gov. Patrick Counters Abbott’s Plan to Reduce Property Taxes

Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, has proposed tackling rising appraisals and local tax increases. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a property tax reform plan aimed at increasing the homestead exemption for millions of Texas homeowners. The plan falls short of many of the elements of the property tax cut proposal introduced by Gov. Greg Abbott just last month. At a Tuesday press conference, Patrick outlined reforms that build on past efforts to raise homestead exemptions. He also introduced a new initiative known as “Operation Double Nickel.”
How Odyssey rose from tech startup to manager of Texas’ $1B school voucher program

When Texas chose a company to roll out the state’s $1 billion private school voucher program, it passed over more established vendors in favor of a four-year-old tech startup that said it could do it for almost half the cost. Now, Odyssey must execute on its promises to meet an aggressive timeline while avoiding missteps that have dogged other program launches. The New York-based company has rapidly expanded in recent years, launching programs in eight states that subsidize students’ private education costs with taxpayer dollars.
Paxton Launches Financial Transparency Investigation Into Nearly 1,000 Cities

Attorney General Ken Paxton is escalating his confrontation with local governments over property tax compliance, launching a sweeping investigation into nearly 1,000 Texas cities. This comes just months after previously ordering four municipalities to pause their newly adopted tax rates amid allegations of audit violations. Paxton’s office said the widened review is aimed at ensuring strict adherence to Senate Bill 1851, the new state law that bars any city out of audit compliance from raising property taxes above the no-new-revenue rate.
UNT is the first college in the state to get a naloxone vending machine

The University of North Texas is the first public college in Texas to get a free naloxone vending machine, and Regan Browne, director of the Recovery and Intervention Support and Education Center — called RISE — considers it a win. Browne is new to the director’s chair at RISE, and she was among locals who attended the unveiling of a naloxone vending machine at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, a storied Denton music venue, in June. A teen survived an overdose there in April because a quick-thinking patron knew the signs and administered naloxone, the generic form of the brand-name drug Narcan. Naloxone is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of opioids, even a potentially lethal dose.
A slate of new Texas laws go into effect December and January. Here’s what to watch.

Dozens of new Texas laws will take effect in December and January, bringing wide-ranging changes to the state’s education system, law enforcement, taxes and more. Over 800 laws from this year’s regular legislative session already took effect on Sept. 1, but more measures from that period as well as the second special session will soon activate. Some also had to wait for voters’ approval, such as more tax exemption for businesses’ inventory.

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Vacant	Timpson ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational Services INFO
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Lone Finalist	Conroe ISD - Dr. David Vinson, Superintendent,Wylie ISD; Search by: Texans for Excellence in Education, President, John Petree, 432-557-6581INFO
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Lone Finalist	Howe ISD - Ritchie Bowling, Assistant Superintendent,Howe ISD; Search by: Howe ISD Board of TrusteesINFO
Lone Finalist	Era ISD - Jeff Webb, Associate Superintendent,Royse City ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan Surratt INFO
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Lone Finalist	Dawson ISD - Andrea Farish, Principal,Dawson ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Danny Lovett INFO
New Super	Onalaska ISD - Dr. Kenneth Fraga, Assistant Superintendent,Onalaska ISD; Search by: Onalaska ISD Board of TrusteesINFO
New Super	El Paso ISD - Dr. Brian Lusk, Deputy Superintendent,Dallas ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
New Super	Queen City ISD - Casey Nichols, Superintendent,Ashdown Public Schools Ashdown, Arkansas; Search by: Danny Lovett, Powell Law GroupINFO
New Super	Center Point ISD - Joshua Limmer, Principal,Center Point ISD; Search by: Danny Lovett, Powell Law GroupINFO
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New Super	Marlin ISD - Alphonso Bates, Assistant Superintendent ,Lamar CISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO
New Super	Gonzales ISD - Dr. Dana Arreola, Superintendent,Bessemer City Schools in Bessemer, Alabama; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson & Roalson P.C.& Education Consultant Charlotte Baker,INFO

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McAllen ISD considers closing Bonham Elementary

May 2808:20 AM

The McAllen Independent School District (McAllen ISD) is considering closing Bonham Elementary School due to low student enrollment. Since 2010, McAllen ISD has closed down three schools: David Crockett Elementary in 2011, Jose Antonio Navarro Elementary, after the 2017-18 school year, and Abraham Lincoln Middle School the same year. view article

Calallen ISD apologizes for racist, political skits during Friday pep rally

May 2508:20 AM

Calallen ISD's superintendent apologized for a video that surfaced on social media of a high school pep rally during which students portrayed former President Donald Trump and Jesus Christ while making racist remarks. The video, captioned "i'm so scared #saveme," has garnered close to 34,000 views and has been shared over 550 times since being posted. It is a screen recording from someone's Snapchat account. That person recorded the pep rally, which took place at Calallen High School's gymnasium. view article

Critical race theory ignites tension in heated Grapevine-Colleyville ISD runoff

May 2108:31 AM

The national outcry over efforts to foster diversity and inclusion initiatives in schools has added fuel to a heated Grapevine-Colleyville ISD runoff election. The incumbent, Mindy McClure, said she is fighting a campaign of “misinformation” from her opponent, community volunteer Shannon Braun. view article

Socorro ISD swears in new trustees one week after superintendent’s resignation

May 1408:20 AM

A new board of trustees at Socorro Independent School District was sworn in Wednesday evening. New board members said they’re ready to get to work looking for a new superintendent for the district after Dr. Jose Espinoza resigned last week. view article

Granger ISD marks one year of in-person classes

May 1308:31 AM

For Granger ISD officials, they have been working since the spring of last year, planning on getting kids back to campus for the start of school. School for the Lions has been fully on campus since the start of the school year. The district says this is due to the COVID-19 safety protocols that are in place, as well as teachers who have gone above and beyond. view article

Round Rock ISD parents divided on mask requirement protocol

May 0408:20 AM

Round Rock ISD parents are divided on COVID-19 masking protocol, with some fighting to keep mask rules in place for their schools and others wanting it to be a choice. The school district's board of trustees recently considered relaxing the mask requirement, but voted to keep the rules in place through the end of the calendar year. view article

Longview ISD to host job fair with ‘flair’

April 3008:20 AM

East Texas Now host Jeremy G. Butler was joined by Longview ISD human relations director, Shalona McCray, and multimedia director, Elizabeth Ross, speaking about their upcoming job fair. McCray called the CareerFest a “job fair with a little more flair”. view article

Eanes ISD’s Cedar Creek Elementary School welcomes new principal

April 2908:20 AM

Students at Eanes ISD’s Cedar Creek Elementary School will begin the 2021-22 school year with a new principal. The EISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Laura Coaxum as the CCE principal during an April 27 board meeting. view article

Austin ISD hosts block walk to reconnect, welcome families to schools

April 1308:20 AM

Austin ISD hosted its Operation Reconnect block walk door-to-door event to ‘reconnect’ with existing district families and help recruit new ones to its schools. The event specifically aimed at attracting families to schools in its northeast corridor, including (among others) Andrews and Harris elementary schools, Garcia’s Young Men’s and Sadler Means Young Women’s middle school leadership academies, and Northeast High School. view article

Garland ISD employee on leave after allegedly photographing an elementary school student in the bathroom

April 0808:25 AM

A Garland ISD employee is on administrative leave after allegedly taking photos of a female elementary school student while she was in the restroom. The incident reportedly took place during the week of March 29 at Abbett Elementary, according to an email sent to parents on Thursday, April 1. view article

Texas existing-home sales drop 16 percent in February as inventory falls to less than 1.5 months

March 2608:30 AM

COLLEGE STATION (Texas Real Estate Research Center) – Texas’ housing market slowed in February after persistently low mortgage interest rates contributed to record sales in the existing-home sector the previous month. "Sales activity was greatly hindered by February’s unseasonably wintery weather that caused power outages and water disruptions across the state," said Dr. Luis Torres, research economist for the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. Existing-homes sold through the Texas Multiple Listing Services declined 16 percent from January, drawing even with year-ago levels. Despite slower sales, the state’s existing-home inventory fell below 1.5 months in February. The number of new listings that hit the market declined for the second straight month to their lowest reading since April 2020, when the state was under a stay-at-home mandate. view article

Amid Southlake Carroll ISD diversity fight, four candidates face off for school board seats

March 1708:20 AM

Amid Southlake Carroll ISD’s continued reckoning with inclusivity, which last week saw parents and advocates calling for the Department of Justice to get involved, two seats are up for grabs on the district’s board of trustees in the May 1 election. The dispute that candidates are campaigning during involves Carroll ISD’s controversial plan to promote cultural competency, which is tied up in court after a judge issued a temporary restraining order late last year. The plan is currently set to go to mediation as part of the lawsuit that has tied it up in court. view article

David Zahrndt, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD fine arts director, dies at 46

March 1608:20 AM

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD has lost the beloved leader of its fine arts program. David Zahrndt, 46, who was director of fine arts for the district, died March 6, according to the district. “This past weekend, GCISD Director of Fine Arts David Zahrndt passed away unexpectedly,” the GCISD tweeted last Thursday. view article

KP-0359 - Re: Whether subsection 38.001(f) of the Education Code and title 25, section 97.62 of the Administrative Code allow school districts, during an epidemic, to exclude students who decline vaccinations for reasons of conscience even when such va

March 1205:00 AM

Pursuant to subsection 38.001(f) of the Education Code, the Legislature provided that a student who has not received the immunizations required by law “for reasons of conscience, including because of the person’s religious beliefs, may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of public health.” Read in context, a court likely would conclude that this exception does not permit exclusion of students who lack vaccinations unrelated to an existing "epidemic" contemplated by subsection 38.001(f). view article

Longview ISD assistant principal earns state honor

March 1108:25 AM

Longview ISD's Mrs. Christi Coleman has been named 2021 Region VII Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). Mrs. Coleman is in her 26th year in education and truly has a heart for her students and colleagues. As a teacher, she taught on the elementary and junior high levels, as well as special education. "This award is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of the professionals that surround me, along with the great things that are taking place to help students at Hudson PEP," she said. "I am incredibly grateful to work with students and staff who inspire me and I am proud to be part of the Hudson PEP family." view article

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All Fort Worth ISD Employees Will Be Offered COVID-19 Vaccine

March 0508:31 AM

All Fort Worth ISD employees will soon be offered a COVID-19 vaccine. Superintendent Kent Scribner sent the information to employees on Thursday. The email states that all employees, including part-time and substitute workers, will be invited to sign up for the vaccine through the school district. view article

West Texas still experiences issues with internet access, need accelerated during pandemic

March 0108:40 AM

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The pandemic accelerated how much we all depend on internet access to carry out daily activities. The latest data shows more than 2 million Texas households do not have high speed internet, disproportionately affecting those in rural areas. “What has been revealed by COVID is the fact that many of our students in the city do not have equal access to broadband,” said Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson. However, this is not something that can be fixed overnight. view article

Texas Lawmakers Face Tough Choices Over State Budget Impacted by COVID -19

February 2608:40 AM

State lawmakers were prepared for a budget crunch, since the COVID-19 pandemic slashed revenues from sales taxes, energy taxes, and other sources. The question they now face is how to close the shortfall without choking off long-term growth. The answer is far from clear, but it’s certain to involve cuts to popular programs. In fact, such cuts are what's expected this session. The state comptroller's office says lawmakers need to close a shortfall of nearly $1 billion in revenues. And Republican state Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee, noted that Gov. Greg Abbott has asked state agencies to reduce budgets by 5%. view article

50 percent capacity for Abilene ISD baseball and softball

February 2608:25 AM

ABILENE – The Abilene ISD is opening baseball and softball contests at both high schools to 50 percent capacity at all four fields for the 2021 season. Fans will be allowed to enter this weekend’s baseball tournament games at Blackburn Field (Abilene High) and Cougar Field (Cooper) at no charge, but beginning with next week’s home games, all games for baseball and softball will be $4 for adults and $2 for students. Full-time AISD employees will be allowed to enter for free, but only with a district-issued ID, and that ID only gains entry for the employee. view article

Pay It Forward: Giving back to a Lubbock ISD teacher

February 2408:20 AM

This week, Westex Federal Credit Union stopped by Lubbock ISD’s Wolffarth Elementary School to surprise one of its teachers. Melissa Catano nominated her daughter, Vanessa for this Week’s Pay It Forward. “She is so devoted to her students and she sincerely cares about each one of her students and goes above and beyond to fill that need,” said Melissa. “Vanessa believes in her students and she has high expectations for each and every student to succeed in her classroom and outside of her classroom. She does everything power to help her students.” view article

Humble ISD Extends Free Meals Through May 28, 2021

January 1908:20 AM

Curbside meals will resume Wednesday, January 20. Meals will not be served on Monday, January 18 due to the holiday. Free school meals for ALL Humble ISD students extended through May 28, 2021 All Humble ISD students, regardless of meal eligibility (free, reduced, or full paid), will continue to receive one breakfast meal and one lunch meal per school day at NO COST for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. view article

Katy ISD board considers demographics ahead of possible new bond

December 1808:20 AM

The Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees looked at demographics and plans for a possible May 2021 bond election at its Monday, Dec. 14, meeting. view article

Spring ISD outlines changes ahead of spring semester, announces districtwide virtual academy opening August 2021

December 1108:20 AM

Ahead of the spring semester, Spring ISD officials have announced that changes will be implemented in hopes of improving remote and in-person instruction for teachers and students. In a presentation at the Dec. 8 board meeting, Lupita Hinojosa, chief officer of school leadership and student support services, announced that not all teachers will have to teach online and in-person students concurrently in the spring semester, as is currently the case. view article

Bryan ISD teachers to receive $500 bonus

December 0808:20 AM

Bryan ISD's Board of Trustees have approved a one-time $500 supplement for their salaried employees. Teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, administrators and professional staff receive their pay bonus on their Dec 15 paycheck. view article

Fort Bend ISD moves meal pick-up to 2 days a week, begins offering dinners

December 0308:20 AM

Beginning Dec. 7, Fort Bend ISD will provide grab-and-go meals for students two days a week instead of daily, according to a Dec. 1 press release from the district. FBISD will also begin offering dinner meals for pickup. On Mondays, families will be able to pick up breakfast, lunch and dinner for Monday through Wednesday, and on Thursdays, meals will be available for Thursday through Saturday. view article

Cleveland, Liberty ISDs join other Houston-area school districts in canceling virtual learning

December 0208:30 AM

Cleveland and Liberty ISDs became the latest school districts on the outskirts of the greater Houston area to cancel their online learning options this week, joining Barbers Hill and Navasota ISDs in requiring the majority of their students to return to campuses. Liberty ISD, which educates 2,266 students about 50 minutes northeast of downtown Houston, told parents at the end of October that remote learning would be offered only to medically fragile students, students who have tested positive for COVID-19, students who are quarantining due to COVID-19 exposure and students whose schools temporarily were closed due to positive tests. view article

Friendswood ISD officials, parents clash over potential restrictions on virtual learning

November 1308:20 AM

During and after a Nov. 9 meeting, Friendswood ISD board members and parents discussed the merits and challenges of structural changes to the district’s virtual learning program. Guidance from the Texas Education Agency released Nov. 5 gave the district significantly more options when it comes to virtual learners, officials said. But that guidance continues to change. view article

Waco ISD teacher accused of murder in shooting of son, 17

November 1008:20 AM

view article

‘I love my kids’: Eanes ISD honors longtime teacher with parade

November 0608:20 AM

A Hill Country Middle School teacher in the Eanes Independent School District got a special sendoff Thursday afternoon. Pam Fletcher-Friday has taught theatre at the middle school for more than 30 years. She’s preparing to retire soon, so the district wanted to honor her with a parade. view article

KEMP ISD HIRES ARROW EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO CONDUCT SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

October 2908:29 AM

The board of trustees of the Kemp Independent School District has contracted with Arrow Educational Services, Inc. to assist them in their search for a new superintendent. Arrow president/ CEO Dr. Russell Marshall and lead consultant/COO Jim Dunlap will conduct the search. The timeline is posted on arrowsearchinc.com and the TASA career center. Updates will be available on arrowsearchinc.com and TexasISD.com as the search progresses. view article

Most Poth ISD students will return to the classroom Monday, district officials say

October 2008:20 AM

After months of online learning, most students who go to schools at Poth ISD will be required to return to the classroom starting Monday, except for those with certain medical issues or those who have high-risk family members in their home. School officials said productivity was low with virtual learning. Their decision to bring students back to campus was made with consideration of research in collaboration with health officials and a low number of coronavirus cases in Wilson county. view article

Professional Architect Joins Dallas ISD Career Institute To Help Build Futures

October 1208:20 AM

She's a first-year educator and the leading instructor of the Principles of Architecture course at the new Career Institute East. After earning a masters in Architecture at Texas A&M University in 2004, Toffer began working for Corgan – a leading architecture and design firm based in Dallas. She was ultimately promoted to senior project manager, where she fully supervised projects from first sketches to construction. view article

Fitch Rates $50.8MM Garland ISD, TX ULTs ‘AAA’ on PSF Guaranty; ‘AA+’ Underlying; Outlook Stable

October 0508:00 AM

Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'AAA' rating based on the Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) guaranty and an 'AA+' underlying rating to the following Garland Independent School District, TX unlimited tax bonds (the bonds or ULTs): view article

Ector County ISD shares revised academic calendar for 2020-21

September 2808:20 AM

Ector County ISD is sharing its revised academic calendar for 2020-21 to clear confusion for parents. According to ECISD, the original calendar that was adopted in February included two student holidays on September 25 and 28. Changes made over the summer eliminated those holidays and both days are now normal class days for students. You can view the updated calendar below. view article

Fort Worth ISD Delays Start of In-Person Class After 11-Hour Meeting, Protests

September 2308:20 AM

Hundreds of parents chimed in Tuesday night as Fort Worth ISD took another stab at deciding when to send kids back to the classroom. This comes after voting just last week on a date for in-person learning. In a meeting that went until 4 a.m., the board took a series of votes on everything from upholding last week's vote to open school October 5, to pushing it back to the end of October with different outcomes with each vote. view article

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