Texas AG collects 1,100+ mystery seed packages from China, issues another warning

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is again warning Texans about mysterious packages of seeds being sent from China.  Unsolicited packages of unidentified seeds began arriving in 2020 and continue to be sent to people across the state. The Texas Department of Agriculture is urging Texans who receive unsolicited seeds not to open the package, not to plant the seeds, and not to throw them into the trash, where they'll end up in a landfill.  Since February 2025, the TDA said it has collected 1,101 seed packages sent to more than 100 locations across the state. The TDA said the seeds could pose a serious threat to the state's agricultural and environmental safety. view article

Houston ISD’s proposal to shutter magnet programs sparks community outcry

During the first of several planned community information sessions, parents challenged the district’s reliance on labor market data and warned of consequences for students and neighborhood schools. view article

Texas A&M blocks readings on gender ideology in philosophy class: ‘Plato has been censored’

A Texas A&M professor has been told not to teach certain writings from Plato, a staple in introductory philosophy courses, because they may violate the university system's new rules against "advocating" race or gender ideology, or topics concerning sexual orientation, in core classes. view article

Arlington ISD considers Texas’ pay-for-performance teacher program

Arlington ISD teachers at 24 at-need schools could receive merit-based raises of up to $36,000 in the next few years. District leaders are considering piloting Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment program. The program is meant to incentivize teachers to instruct in high-need schools. view article

Fort Worth ISD increasing security over online threat

The district told families at Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School that an online video that originated outside the U.S. threatened several schools in North Texas. view article

Austin ISD and FBI investigating social media threat to 3 elementary schools

Austin ISD leaders say they're working with the FBI to investigate a social media threat that named three AISD campuses. District leaders say the threat mentioned 14 schools statewide, including Andrews, Baranoff and Barrington elementary schools in Austin. The threat included a photo of someone in a mask with firearms but didn't mention a time or date. view article

Hearne ISD implementing secure pouches to end phone usage at school

The Texas State Legislature passed a bill in July banning cell phone use at public schools during the school day, and Hearne Independent School District is now taking it one step further: implementing Yondr pouches. Yondr is a company that helps schools become phone-free zones by creating secure pouches for students to store their phones. The program forces students to focus on school instead of their screens. view article

Parents speak out over possible elementary school closures in Fort Bend ISD

Several parents in Fort Bend ISD are speaking out after learning their children’s elementary school could soon close. What we know: The district is considering a rezoning proposal that could lead to boundary changes and possible school closures. Now, parents at Sugar Mill Elementary say they’re fighting back. view article

Cleveland HS employee charged with improper relationship with a student, Cleveland ISD says

A Cleveland High School employee has been charged with an improper relationship with a student on Wednesday, according to the Cleveland Independent School District. According to court documents, Amanda Greenwood, 33, of Willis, Texas, was arrested by Cleveland ISD police. view article

Construction worker dies at Converse Elementary School, Judson ISD says

A construction worker died Wednesday on the Converse Elementary School campus, according to the Judson Independent School District. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the worker on Wednesday as Baltazar Rubio-Olvera, 63. A Judson ISD spokesperson said Rubio-Olvera was employed with a third-party construction company contracted for the project. view article

Former Austin ISD teacher faces 20 years after entering guilty plea

On Tuesday, a former Austin ISD elementary school teacher pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ said 51-year-old Carl David Innmon was a fifth-grade teacher in AISD when he was arrested in April 2025. Innmon had also worked as a substitute teacher at about 20 other schools within the district. view article

Odem-Edroy ISD fires coach, places two others on leave after bus assault investigation

Odem-Edroy ISD has terminated one coach and placed two others on paid administrative leave following a reported sexual assault aboard a district school bus returning from a basketball game in Hebbronville, Superintendent Yolanda Carr told 3NEWS Wednesday. Carr said the personnel actions were taken as the district conducts its own internal investigation into the incident and that they want to remain as transparent as possible. view article

Two East Side Austin ISD campus’ future in limbo under school closure plan

Austin Independent School District leaders will decide this month which campus the students at Blackshear and Oak Springs elementary schools will ultimately attend, after the school Board of Trustees decided in November to merge the campuses as part of a broader plan to close 10 schools. view article

A look at the leading contender to take over as North East ISD superintendent

If history repeats itself, Anthony Jarrett is poised to become the 12th Superintendent of the North East Independent School District. Appointed in December to lead the city’s second-largest school district on an interim basis, nobody seems to have a better shot than Jarrett at securing the position permanently, as NEISD has promoted from within in recent decades.Appointed in December to lead the city’s second-largest school district on an interim basis, nobody seems to have a better shot than Jarrett at securing the position permanently, as NEISD has promoted from within in recent decades. view article

Declining enrollment drives projected $27M budget shortfall for Clear Creek ISD

Clear Creek ISD in League City said it's currently facing a projected budget shortfall of $27 million for fiscal year 2026-27. The district said it is acting fast to get ahead on solutions and help close the gap. Clear Creek ISD is starting this spring with a “Strategic Budget Sprint Team,” which will consist of interested community members, staff members, board of trustee members and parents that will work on an accelerated timeline to find solutions for the school board to consider. view article

Judson ISD board to consider action on superintendent’s employment at special meeting

The Judson Independent School District Board of Trustees will consider taking action regarding the employment of Superintendent Milton “Rob” Fields III at a special meeting, according to a meeting agenda for Jan. 10. The board is scheduled to meet at noon on Saturday, Jan. 10, for “discussion and possible action regarding the Superintendent’s employment and duties,” the agenda shows. view article

Waco ISD dedicates new makerspace at South Waco Elementary

Students at Waco ISD have a new creative outlet. Waco ISD has officially dedicated its new makerspace at South Waco Elementary, the district has announced. District leaders and community members gathered at the school on Jan. 5 to celebrate the dedication. According to Waco ISD, the space is designed to "inspire and enhance student creativity and learning through the use of technology." view article

Texas A&M tells professor to cut Plato, ‘race and gender ideology’ from syllabus

A professor at Texas A&M University was told by the school's philosophy department that he must drop class readings from his syllabus because they violate the school's new policy on "race ideology and gender ideology" in course content.  Philosophy professor Martin Peterson submitted the syllabus for his Contemporary Moral Issues class for the spring 2026 semester to department leadership for review during the school's winter break. The syllabus included readings from Plato's Aristophanes' Myth of the Split Humans, Diotima's Ladder of Love and a textbook titled Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, which were all flagged by the university.

Abbott blames Dallas leadership for AT&T headquarters move to Plano

Gov. Greg Abbott is placing blame on Dallas city leadership following AT&T’s decision to move its global headquarters from downtown Dallas to Plano. Speaking at a law enforcement event in Fort Worth, Abbott criticized Dallas officials for what he described as failures in public safety and homelessness response.  Dallas is bearing the brunt or burden of their failure to have fully staffed law enforcement, their failure to contain a homeless problem,” Abbott said.  Abbott’s comments came one day after AT&T announced plans to relocate its headquarters to 54 acres of land in Plano, a move the company said would allow it to “cost-effectively consolidate” three North Texas locations.  "After nearly a year of consideration, deliberation and planning, we have made the decision to invest in our employee experience and construct a new global headquarters at 5400 Legacy Drive in Plano, Texas," AT&T CEO John Stankey wrote in a message to employees Monday morning. view article

Preventive Law: New Year, New(ish) Grievance Procedures: A Review of the Recent Addition of Chapter 26A

Preventive Law:Celebrate the Holidays

Preventive Law: The False Claims Act and Civil Rights – What You Don’t Know Could Cost You

Preventive Law: Negotiating With Vendors

Preventive Law: HB 6 and Special Education

Texas is getting older, but its child population is growing

Texas is growing older faster than the rest of the nation. While the number of young people in the U.S. has shrunk, the population of children in Texas has grown.  The population of Texans age 65 and older grew faster than any other age group since the start of the decade, growing by 3.8% from 2023 to 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. They grew faster than working-age adults and children under the age of 18.  Their numbers show that people are living longer than in past generations. And, as they age, they'll increasingly rely on those of working age, a population that isn’t growing as quickly, said Holly Heard, vice president of data and analytics at Texas 2036.  In Texas, which has the highest levels of people without health insurance, elder Texans will likely face more ailments as they age.   view article

Preventive Law: Innovation Interrupted? Why It’s Time to Rethink Your DOI Plan

Preventive Law: More TEA “Special Investigations” are Imminent

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

Free medical services to be offered during Operation Border Health /Preparedness

SAN JUAN, Texas – From Monday, July 25, to Saturday, July 30, the Texas Health and Human Services will carry out Operation Border Health/Preparedness (OBHP). OBHP is a program that sets up sites around the Rio Grande Valley, offering residents free health services. Services include general physician services, immunizations, screenings, sport physicals, dental services, vision services, and more. Although assisting the public in maintaining their health is a goal of OBHP, the underlying purpose is to assist the community in preparing for disasters. State Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said Operation Border Health Preparedness allows state, local, and nonprofit entities to practice setting up and operating health clinics that may be needed in the case of a public health emergency, while providing free care to the community. He said services include medical exams, immunizations for children and adults, sports physicals for students, health and diabetes screenings, and dental and vision exams. “Operation Border Health Preparedness is a great example of a smart policy that not only ensures we are prepared for future public health crises, but also provides an immediate public benefit in the process,” Hinojosa said. view article

Clint Independent School District approves pay raises, $2,500 payments for some employees

The Clint Independent School District on Thursday approved pay raises and a one-time $2,500 payment for qualifying employees during the upcoming school year. view article

After Uvalde school shooting, Texas police wonder how much training is enough — and will it matter?

Police officials and law enforcement experts say there’s no guarantee that officers will follow their training and confront a shooter — no matter how much training they have.  In the weeks since officers in Uvalde waited more than an hour to confront a gunman who killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school, police departments across the state have asked themselves a crucial question: If they faced a similar situation, would they be able to quickly stop the gunman?  The images of parents and students pleading with officers to take action at Robb Elementary School on May 24 before a tactical team of federal agents finally breached a classroom and fatally shot the 18-year-old gunman deeply disturbed Marfa police Chief Estevan Marquez. view article

Report: Austin ISD has not met minimum TX exam standards for disabled students in 4 years

The Austin school district has not met minimum state exam standards for students with disabilities in the past four years, according to an independent review of the district’s special education programs. Stetson and Associates, a consulting firm, conducted a review of the Austin school district’s services for students with disabilities starting during the 2019-20 academic year, although the evaluation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a change in leadership at the district. view article

Watch: Dallas ISD softball coach trumpets national anthem before every home game

Who says you can't mix two passions together? For Dallas Independent School District softball Coach Mark Stout, he's done it weekly this season. Stout warms up his team at W.T. White High School every home game and then, for a brief moment, plays the national anthem on the trumpet to get to that exciting umpire line: play ball! He started doing it before games last season. view article

Manor ISD Breaking Ground on New Early College High School

Officials with the Manor Independent School District are celebrating the groundbreaking today of the new Early College High School. “This is a great day in Manor ISD,” said Dr. Andre D. Spencer, Manor ISD Superintendent. “We are breaking ground on a new building for a group of scholars who we expect to break ground academically in their respective fields of interest. We expect great things to come out of this facility and the scholars who will call this home.” view article