Texas ISD

60 Texas ISD en-us 2026 Texas ISD, https://www.texasisd.com/ Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:49:26 -0500 This small Austin school went from F to B. Has it found AISD’s formula for success?

Austin middle school may hold key to fixing struggling AISD schools

In a recent English period at Bertha Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy, teacher Makayla Gray began class with students reading out their learning goals. She encouraged them to think about why figurative language matters and begin drafting a personal narrative.   “If you can do these things, you will have been successful today,” Gray said. During her lesson on similes, metaphors and personification, seventh graders raced to raise their hands and giggled at Gray’s jokes.  “Our language is full of figurative language,” Gray said. “What about ‘You are an angel? ’ Doesn’t mean that you’re literally an angel, like you’ve got wings and you’ll start flying around.”  The class provides a window into how Sadler Means, a 222-student all-girls middle school in the Austin Independent School District, is trying to give students more ownership over their own learning.  The campus improved from an F rating in 2024 to a B this year on the Texas Education Agency’s annual letter grades, a success that school leaders largely attribute to data-focused teaching and instructors earning buy-in from students.  Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Austin middle school may hold key to fixing struggling AISD schools

Huffines Announces School Districts Receiving Fiscal Exam

https://texasscorecard.com/state/four-texas-school-districts-face-comptroller-spending-review/

A school district recently grilled by state lawmakers over nearly $100 million directed to a private education foundation will now face a spending review from Comptroller Don Huffines.  Huffines announced Monday that Barbers Hill ISD is one of four districts selected for an examination of whether taxpayer dollars are reaching classrooms rather than fueling administrative growth and non-instructional expenses.   Austin, El Paso, and Prosper school districts were also selected for review.   The selection of Barbers Hill comes shortly after a contentious House Governmental Oversight hearing in August focused heavily on the district’s relationship with the Barbers Hill ISD Education Foundation, which has reportedly amassed approximately $250 million. Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:00 -0500

https://texasscorecard.com/state/four-texas-school-districts-face-comptroller-spending-review/

TEXARKANA ISD HIRES JIM DUNLAP OF ARROW EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO CONDUCT SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH https://www.texasisd.com/pages/supersearch-page/texarkana-isd-hires-jim-dunlap-of-arrow-educational-services-to-conduct-sup . The board of trustees of the Texarkana Independent School District has contracted with Mr. Jim Dunlap of Arrow Educational Services, Inc. to assist them in their search for a new superintendent. Information and the application process is available on arrowsearchinc.com and the TASA Supersearch page. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 16, 2026 Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:31:00 -0500 https://www.texasisd.com/pages/supersearch-page/texarkana-isd-hires-jim-dunlap-of-arrow-educational-services-to-conduct-sup Preventive Law: Points to Consider When Purchasing Real Property https://www.texasisd.com/pages/legal/preventive-law4https://www.texasisd.com/pages/preventive-law/preventive-law4 A school district’s purchase of real property is a significant investment of time and money. Once a school district has decided to pursue a real estate purchase, district personnel should engage in project feasibility analyses to assist the board of trustees in deciding which tract to pursue, at what price, and when. To ensure that the district retains the right to use eminent domain in case the negotiations for the purchase fail, the district should carefully follow the process laid out in Chapter 21 of the Texas Property Code. Finally, the approach to negotiating which provisions will be included in, and which will be excluded from, the contract, should always consider any legal requirements and protecting the school district’s interests. Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:40:00 -0500 https://www.texasisd.com/pages/legal/preventive-law4https://www.texasisd.com/pages/preventive-law/preventive-law4 STAAR rescoring requests triple after more Texas schools question computer grading

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/07/staar-scores-computer-grading-texas-schools/

Thousands of STAAR reading results improved after humans rescored students’ written answers. Most of the initial grading was done by an automated engine.The number of requests to rescore students’ STAAR tests nearly tripled from last year as more Texas schools sought reviews of written responses on the reading exams, thousands of which were initially graded by computers.  The Texas Education Agency began using an automated scoring engine in December 2023 to grade open-ended questions on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, including on the reading and English tests, with humans manually reviewing a quarter of exam scores.  In spring 2024, the state had 2,758 requests to regrade open-ended response scores on reading exams. Then, 21,620 requests last year. This spring, that jumped to 64,489. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:39:00 -0500

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/07/staar-scores-computer-grading-texas-schools/

Most Texas Republicans ignore Democratic calls to debate in statewide races

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/07/texas-debate-republicans-talarico-paxton-abbott-hinojosa-election/?utm_source=thetexastribune.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-brief-october-7-2026&_bhlid=73b5189a75990040462310fce5746283aa68abbb

When asked in July if Attorney General Ken Paxton intended to face off against his U.S. Senate opponent James Talarico, his spokesperson said, “of course we’re going to debate.”  But with two weeks left until early voting, the Republican nominee has yet to accept any invitations, meaning this could be the first Senate race in Texas without a debate in a quarter century. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:36:00 -0500

El Paso ISD among four Texas school districts selected for state spending review

https://elpasomatters.org/2026/10/06/episd-state-review-administration-spending-texas-comptroller-greg-abbott/

The Texas Comptroller’s Office has included El Paso Independent School District among four institutions picked for “a detailed review” to examine if they spend state funds in compliance with state law. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested a review process in August to ensure that districts spend state funds on students, classrooms and teachers and not on more administration or what he called “non-instructional bureaucracy.” Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:31:00 -0500

https://elpasomatters.org/2026/10/06/episd-state-review-administration-spending-texas-comptroller-greg-abbott/

Houston ISD loses roughly 9,000 students, more than twice its projection

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/education/2026/10/07/563768/houston-isd-loses-roughly-9000-students-more-than-twice-its-projection/

Houston ISD lost roughly twice the number of students district leaders had initially projected to lose. In June, officials projected approximately 4,000 students would leave the district and crafted their budget to withstand the roughly $50 million dollars it would lose in state funding tied to student enrollment. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:31:00 -0500

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/education/2026/10/07/563768/houston-isd-loses-roughly-9000-students-more-than-twice-its-projection/

Fort Worth ISD board president welcomes student letter as district seeks more community feedback

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/fort-worth-isd-student-letter-response/

A group of Fort Worth ISD students is calling on state and district leaders to reconsider some changes made during the district's state takeover, and the president of the school board said their voices are welcome. The open letter, signed by 68 students ranging from second through 12th grade, was addressed to Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Peter Licata, Gov. Greg Abbott, and parents across the district. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:31:00 -0500

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/fort-worth-isd-student-letter-response/

Texas will review Austin ISD’s spending in the state’s latest scrutiny of the capitol district

https://austincurrent.org/2026/10/06/austin-austinisd-abbott-budget-state-investigation/

Austin ISD will be the subject of state scrutiny once again, with a new investigation into the district’s finances led by the state comptroller and spurred on by Gov. Greg Abbott. Texas Comptroller Don Huffines announced Monday that Austin, as well as Barbers Hill, El Paso, and Prosper school districts, would undergo a detailed financial review. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:31:00 -0500

https://austincurrent.org/2026/10/06/austin-austinisd-abbott-budget-state-investigation/

As AI spreads in classrooms, North Texas students help shape school policy

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/bo-french-jon-rosenthal-donations-22464889.php?utm_content=cta&sid=62680c3d4f757f64bad9f4b5&ss=A&st_rid=93b8f32f-8da3-42e0-a239-48079d310703&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=roundup&utm_campaign=dlsn%20%7C%20morning%20roundup

The influx of money allowed Rosenthal to outraise French in this most recent filing period, reporting more than $488,000 to French’s nearly $440,000.   In the 12 days after French’s posts, Rosenthal received more than $349,000 in donations. In the more than 11 months of his candidacy before the day in which French disparaged the racial makeup of University of Texas students celebrating at a Longhorns football game last month, Rosenthal’s campaign had raised $366,000.  Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:30:00 -0500

Orange Grove ISD board to act on superintendent’s resignation Thursday

https://www.kristv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/jim-wells-county/orange-grove/orange-grove-isd-board-to-act-on-superintendents-resignation-thursday

The Orange Grove ISD board of trustees will hold a special meeting at 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, to act on the resignation of Superintendent Eddie Hesseltine, who is leaving to become executive director of Education Service Center, Region 2. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:29:00 -0500

https://www.kristv.com/news/local-news/in-your-neighborhood/jim-wells-county/orange-grove/orange-grove-isd-board-to-act-on-superintendents-resignation-thursday

Bullard ISD superintendent placed on paid leave, district says action not tied to student misconduct

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/education/bullard-isd-superintendent-placed-on-paid-leave-district-says-action-not-tied-to-student-misconduct/501-1e3192dd-2661-46d7-a1a8-be734c3c6dea

Bullard ISD Superintendent Micah Dyer was placed on paid administrative leave Monday night, according to a statement from the district’s Board of Trustees. The board said the action was taken during its Monday meeting. District officials did not disclose what prompted the decision, citing an active and pending personnel matter. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:29:00 -0500

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/education/bullard-isd-superintendent-placed-on-paid-leave-district-says-action-not-tied-to-student-misconduct/501-1e3192dd-2661-46d7-a1a8-be734c3c6dea

Mansfield ISD may change how trustees are elected. Residents are asking why

https://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/06/mansfield-isd-may-change-how-trustees-are-elected-residents-are-asking-why/

Inside Legacy High School’s library, only a few yards separated three Mansfield ISD trustees from more than 50 residents in attendance. The gap was much wider on how trustees should be elected. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:28:00 -0500

https://fortworthreport.org/2026/10/06/mansfield-isd-may-change-how-trustees-are-elected-residents-are-asking-why/

Denton ISD acquires elementary school site in massive new Landmark development

https://dentonrc.com/education/denton_isd/denton-isd-acquires-elementary-school-site-in-massive-new-landmark-development/article_5e0d5ddc-d152-46e6-9f4c-51b19dfa8336.html

From left, GP Mehaffey, assistant project manager for Landmark by Hillwood; Page Austin, senior lifestyle director; Denton ISD superintendent Susannah O’Bara; Andrew Pieper, senior vice president of Hillwood Communities; and Kim Cole, vice president of Hillwood Properties, pose at the future site of a Denton ISD elementary school. Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:25:00 -0500

https://dentonrc.com/education/denton_isd/denton-isd-acquires-elementary-school-site-in-massive-new-landmark-development/article_5e0d5ddc-d152-46e6-9f4c-51b19dfa8336.html