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August 28, 2026
Public schools in bind over new Texas law allowing students to leave class for Bible study

(CBS Texas) A new Texas law requires public schools to allow students to leave campus for up to five hours a week for privately funded religious instruction, including Bible study. The law has created challenges for districts trying to accommodate the programs without appearing to endorse or support a particular religion. The Christian nonprofit LifeWise is launching programs in several North Texas communities, but districts including Denton, McKinney and Plano have pushed back against claims of partnerships or concerns about scheduling and school resources. Experts warn districts could face legal problems if they use public funds or resources to support the religious programs.

Lake Worth ISD sets 5-year goals to double third-grade reading, math proficiency

(Fort Worth Report) State-appointed Lake Worth ISD leaders want to more than double the share of third graders meeting grade level in reading and math within five years.

6 Austin schools passed in 2026. Now they’re one F away from possible TEA action

(Austin American-Statesman) In an Aug. 13 letter, TEA said six schools would inherit four years of unacceptable ratings, and questioned the timing and rationale for the Parades Middle School closing. Related:

Carroll ISD reduces screen time for all grade levels

(Community Impact) The Carroll ISD board of trustees unanimously approved updates to the 2026-27 Academic Planning Guide and Grading Guidelines, including a new educational technology policy that reduces screen time across all grade levels.

Alief ISD marks historic milestone with opening of first all-girls campus

(Fox 26 Houston) Alief ISD celebrated the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Young Women’s Leadership School, its first-ever all-girls campus. The school serves sixth and seventh-grade students, affectionately known as “Diamonds,” with a focus on sisterhood, leadership, and STEM education. As the third all-girls public campus in the Houston area, it aims to empower young women through college prep and entrepreneurship.

Fort Worth ISD scales back Bonnie Brae Elementary applied learning after expansion promise

(Fort Worth Report) Fort Worth ISD students who moved into Bonnie Brae Elementary after their school closed will receive the hands-on learning their families were promised, according to district leaders. But the entire school won’t move to an applied learning curriculum, which asks students to learn core lessons through applications in the real world, as previously planned.

911 call captures tense moments after Lake Travis football player collapsed

(Houston Chronicle) A newly obtained 911 call captures the tense moments after 17-year-old Odin Hensley collapsed during football practice at Lake Travis High School earlier this month, with a caller calmly guiding a dispatcher through the teenager’s condition as paramedics raced to the field. Hensley would die from complications related to his collapse two days later.

Beaumont ISD reverses course, decides to continue placing an ambulance at all home varsity games

(KFDM) An ambulance parked outside Beaumont ISD’s Doggett Family Stadium during West Brook’s season-opening football game Thursday night drew attention after the district said a day earlier it would no longer station a dedicated ambulance at games. Beaumont ISD has made the decision to continue having a dedicated ambulance on site at all home varsity football games. BISD had sent a statement to KFDM on Wednesday, saying it was planning to utilize City of Beaumont Fire and EMS to respond to any emergency, as they do for the general public, but no longer have an EMS unit on site. Acadian had been providing that service. A number of people posted on our Facebook page that they felt not having an ambulance on site would create an increased risk for young athletes and potentially fans.

Nacogdoches ISD, commissioners consider civic center for football practice under new UIL heat rule

(KTRE) Nacogdoches ISD is asking the county to allow its football team to use the civic center for practices when extreme heat prevents outdoor workouts under new UIL rules. County commissioners voted to explore the arrangement, although civic center officials raised concerns about scheduling, safety and whether the county’s other school districts (and other sports and marching bands) would also seek access. Nacogdoches ISD said it has discussed the possibility of an indoor athletic facility but has no current plans to build one.

Former Bowie ISD High School administrator arrested at new school district

(KFDX/KJTL) Authorities in Cooke County arrested the former principal of Bowie ISD High School after formal charges were filed against her by a Montague County grand jury. Joanne Marie Keeler, 50, was arrested and booked into the Cooke County Jail on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and charged with failing to report child abuse or neglect. Keeler served as the principal of Bowie High School from the beginning of the 2022-23 school year until she resigned in March 2026. Following her departure from the Bowie Independent School District, she was named Vice Principal at Valley View ISD Elementary School.

Students relocated to stadium after middle school evacuation in Carrollton

(CBS Texas) Students at a Carrollton ISD middle school were relocated to a stadium for dismissal after the campus was evacuated and officials determined the building was unsafe to re-enter. Bailey Clampitt, a Carrollton city spokesperson, said a gas leak reported during construction work inside Blalack Middle School prompted the evacuation. “A building alarm was activated, and at the recommendation of the Fire Department, students and staff did not re-enter the campus,” Clampitt said, noting that all children were safe.

Seguin High School students were instructed to evacuate after bomb threat, district says

(KSAT) Seguin ISD High School students were forced to evacuate after dismissal Thursday due to a reported bomb threat, according to Seguin ISD.

Bond set for student accused of school threat against IDEA Elsa

(ValleyCentral) Alessandro Ayala, 17, was arrested by the Elsa Police Department on Wednesday and charged with terroristic threat causing serious bodily injury. The Elsa Police Department reported that an IDEA Elsa Academy teacher reported the alleged threat on Tuesday. According to police, the teacher reported that the student, later identified as Ayala, told other students that he made a verbal threat about bringing a firearm to school and having a list of individuals.

Victoria teen charged after social media school threat prompts FBI investigation

(Crossroads Today) Last week, a 14-year-old girl was arrested by the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office after authorities said she made a school threat on social media. The girl was arrested at a bus stop near a local middle school and charged with terroristic threat.

Growing pains: Texas Tech addresses challenges due to record enrollment

(KCBD) As Texas Tech University celebrates record-breaking enrollment, it’s working through the growing pains of making space for nearly 46,000 Red Raiders. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said the university projected about 2,000 additional students would start classes this year, but they ended up with closer to 4,000 students enrolled. While the record-breaking enrollment is exciting, students say they are feeling the squeeze. Related:

Accused drunk driver in custody after hitting Conroe ISD school bus

(KBTX) On Aug. 26 at about 4:01 p.m., the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received a 911 call reporting that a Conroe ISD school bus had been rear-ended by a Jeep in a subdivision. Deputies say the Jeep’s two occupants fled the scene on foot, and one was reportedly carrying a firearm. The driver of the Jeep, Larry Roman Valencia, 28, was captured and arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, and tampering with evidence. The passenger remains at large, but investigators have identified him and are seeking an arrest warrant.

SMU Bars CAIR-Texas ‘Unapologetically Muslim’ Youth Symposium From Campus

(Dallas Express) Southern Methodist University will not allow a CAIR-Texas-promoted Muslim youth leadership symposium branded “Unapologetically Muslim: Youth in Action” to take place on its campus after reviewing the planned event and citing what the university called the State of Texas’ “current designation of the symposium’s organizer.”

Baylor notifies campus of tuberculosis case found in Waco community

(KWTX) The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District has confirmed an active tuberculosis case in the greater Waco community, according to a notice sent by Baylor University on Aug. 26 that cited information from the health district.

University of Houston receives $5M anonymous gift to research homelessness in Houston

(Community Impact) The University of Houston will use a $5 million anonymous donation to study the region’s response to homelessness, according to the university. UH announced the launch of the Institute for Housing, Homelessness and Health, or IH3. The initiative will study how housing, health and other systems interact. University officials announced IH3 at the Aug. 26 Houston City Council meeting and said the partnership with the city and other organizations aims to make homelessness “rare” and “brief.”

Amarillo College plans reset of Innovation Outpost with new workforce training focus

(High Plains Pundit) Amarillo College is planning a reset of its Innovation Outpost, shifting its focus toward shorter, customized workforce training developed directly with Amarillo-area employers.

Spikes Under The Lights captivates at AT&T Stadium, puts volleyball’s growth on full display

(Dallas Morning News) Looking for proof that women’s college volleyball has surged in recent years? You don’t need to look further than AT&T Stadium on Thursday night. The organizers of Spikes Under The Lights set a tall task that would’ve been impossible just years ago: bring college volleyball to one of the largest NFL stadiums in the country with a $1 million cash prize and draw fan bases from nearly a thousand miles in each direction for an exhibition tournament. 

Will a Coalition of ‘MAGA Moms’ Rally Behind Gina Hinojosa’s Bid for Texas Governor?

(Texas Observer) Some conservatives say they won’t give Governor Greg Abbott a fourth term after what he’s done to the public education system in Texas.

Travis County expands access to afterschool care

(Community Impact) Travis County is expanding afterschool care this fall by adding funding and seats through its Raising Travis County initiative to address a major shortage, with more than 1,100 kids currently on waitlists. The county says it has invested about $52 million so far in child care and afterschool programs, supporting thousands of children and teens through providers such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, and school districts.

Some people think of the GED as the easy way out. Experts say that’s not the case

(Texas Standard) Lindsey Arasanagi, vice president of adult education at the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, said the GED is harder than most people realize.  “The stigma around it is definitely there within our community,” she said. “Our students coming in have to retrain and reframe those thoughts around what they’re doing and how hard it is and how much commitment and time it takes.” Colin Melton, a GED student at the coalition, says part of the difficulty is trying to make up for years of learning in a much shorter time span.

Child Care Associates invested in hydration stations. Now Tarrant County toddlers can get their own water

(Fort Worth Report) Child Care Associates is equipping pre-K children in its centers with the ability to pour themselves a drink of water without the support of a teacher. Through the introduction of 115 automatic water dispensers and easy-to-access disposable cups at 15 of its centers, the nonprofit is looking to alleviate dysregulation — defined by the Child Mind Institute as being overwhelmed by feelings — in their children.

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