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Reported Elsewhere

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January 22, 2025
Schools no longer protected from immigration raids

(K-12 Dive) Schools will no longer be off limits for immigration enforcement operations under a directive announced by the new Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. The directive ends the practice of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents avoiding “sensitive” areas — including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, hospitals and churches — for enforcement actions. Related:

Gov. Greg Abbott wants to extend Texas’ DEI ban to K-12 schools

(Texas Tribune) In 2023, Texas passed a DEI ban at the state’s public universities. Now Abbott wants the state to stop funding diversity programs in K-12 schools. “No taxpayer dollars will be used to fund DEI in our schools,” Abbott said in a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, using the acronym for diversity efforts. “Schools must focus on fundamentals of education, not indoctrination.”

Texas college students, faculty unsure how Abbott’s China order will affect research, travel

(Houston Chronicle) Chinese students and faculty at Texas public universities are awaiting guidance on whether a recent order by Gov. Greg Abbott, designed to protect the state from foreign espionage, might impact their research, travel, contracts and resident status. The order essentially cuts existing university ties with the Chinese government and other “foreign adversaries,” including North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia and Venezuelan politician Nicolas Máduro.

Keller ISD controversy: Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office confirms it’s received complaints over split talks

(WFAA) The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office has gotten complaints about the Keller ISD controversy over the school board’s internal discussions about the controversial talks about potentially splitting the district. Related:

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Legislature should clarify Texas abortion law to protect mothers at risk

(Texas Tribune) Patrick on Sunday said the Legislature should amend the language of the state’s near-total abortion ban to address confusion over when doctors may terminate pregnancies.

Tarrant’s new State Board of Education members have differing visions for Texas schools

(Fort Worth Report) Brandon Hall and Tiffany Clark, both newly elected to the State Board of Education, are preparing for their first meeting in Austin.

El Paso School District equity audit reveals funding and disciplinary disparities

(KFOX 14) The El Paso School District Board received a preliminary report from its long-awaited equity audit, revealing significant disparities in funding and disciplinary actions within the district. The audit, conducted by the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC), began in February of 2024 following a 2020 lawsuit alleging neglect of poor, Hispanic neighborhoods. Related:

Proposal to rename Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America undergoes complex review process

(KRLD) Changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America would be a complex process involving multiple steps and stakeholders. Here’s a general outline of how it could be done:

‘I was violently ill’: Doctors warn about dangerous symptom amid norovirus outbreak

(NBC DFW) Health officials are raising alarms about a significant increase in norovirus cases nationwide, including here in North Texas. The highly contagious virus has been spreading since the holiday season and has intensified with children returning to school and many people returning to the office, sending some individuals to emergency rooms.

Fort Worth ISD plans to raise student achievement, close gaps by 2029. Here’s how

(Fort Worth Report) No failing schools. Increases by nearly 20 percentage points in third-grade reading and math proficiency. Reduced chronic absenteeism and increased public engagement. All by 2029. Those are some of the 24 goals outlined in Fort Worth ISD’s new strategic plan, which the school board discussed — and unanimously approved — during its Jan. 21 meeting. Related:

Here’s how many Houston ISD students at each high school graduated in 2023 despite failing STAAR exams

(Houston Chronicle) At nearly half of the district’s high schools, at least 10% of the students who earned diplomas in 2023 failed at least one of the state-mandated exams that are typically required to earn a diploma.

‘Drill baby, drill’? Not So Fast

(Texas Signal Foundation) Simple economics may complicate Trump’s plans to expand fracking and other oil and gas production.

Answer Key: My child might need special education services. Where do I start?

(Houston Landing) State and federal law guides the process of determining eligibility for special education services, though the process can be confusing.

How Dallas’ youngest learners helped DISD defy enrollment trends

(Dallas Morning News) Many Texas districts instead lost students, which forced some local school leaders to have tough conversations about budget crunches and campus closures. Following major drops after the pandemic, enrollment losses are compounded by declining birth rates and other factors. One reason DISD escaped the trend was because of its early childhood education program, officials said. There are more than 250 additional pre-K students in DISD this year than there were last year.

2025 Trend to Watch: School Bus Driver Shortage Coming to a Close?

(School Bus Fleet) The nationwide bus driver shortage has been a topic of discussion for a while now, but some districts are starting to find solutions. Klein Independent School District in Texas implemented strategies that allowed it to avoid the effects of the shortage altogether. Using aggressive hiring, recruiting, and retention strategies, Klein ISD maintained a steady team of drivers and kept its buses rolling. The key to its success was proactively focusing on engaging candidates, offering competitive pay, and providing a supportive work environment.

Wichita Falls ISD severs 18-year relationship with Durham, to use new transportation service

(KAUZ) GoldStar Transit is WFISD’s new transportation service provider after the district’s board voted Tuesday night to make it the primary bus service used. For nearly two decades, WFISD contracted with Durham Bus Services. However, after a transportation committee comprised of six district leaders weighed the pros and cons, spoke with districts that use GoldStar and scored the two options, GoldStar emerged as the favorite.

No students injured in Vidor ISD school bus wreck

(12 News) No major injuries were reported following a wreck between a Vidor Independent School District school bus and a pickup truck along FM 105 Friday morning just inside Jasper County. None of the students or the bus driver were injured in the accident according to a statement from the Vidor Independent School District. The pickup, which had heavy front end damage, appears to have struck the rear of the bus which was in the southbound lanes after the wreck.

New Montgomery ISD demographic study predicts 35% enrollment rise over next decade

(Community Impact) Montgomery ISD can expect about a 35% enrollment growth over the next decade, according to a Dec. 17 demographics report, but data shows this surge may be more conservative than previously predicted.

Business owners, students question Dallas barber school claims upon sudden closure

(NBC DFW) Days after a Dallas barber school shut its doors suddenly and told students they would be accepted at another school without paying any extra cost, that other barber academy tells NBC 5 they never reached any such agreement. Business records from Blade Craft obtained by NBC 5 show that according to the school’s tuition refund policy, it would owe at least $177,600 in refunds to students.

Former Robert Lee ISD Teacher, Coach Arrested for Continuous Assault of Child

(San Angelo Live) Justin Esquell, 49, who taught and coached at Robert Lee from 2014 to 2024, allegedly abused a child from March 21, 2020, to Oct. 5, 2024, according to the indictment. The victim was under 14 when the alleged abuse began. Esquell was also a former football coach and athletic director at Water Valley.

UNT Health Science Center president to resign after scrutiny of unclaimed body program

(Dallas Morning News) The University of North Texas System announced the president of its Fort Worth-based Health Science Center will resign, effective at the end of the month, after more than two years in the role. The system’s Board of Regents on Monday accepted the resignation of Sylvia Trent-Adams by “mutual agreement” from the top position, the medical school said in a brief statement. The announcement comes as the school is facing rising scrutiny over a now-suspended program’s handling of unclaimed bodies.

UT Austin appoints new assistant vice president to lead technology transfer efforts, foster student entrepreneurship

(Daily Texan) UT appointed a new assistant vice president on the Discovery to Impact team to lead technology transfer efforts, according to a Jan. 9 press release. The Discovery to Impact team collaborates with inventors, startups and established businesses to bring new products and services to life. Andrew Maas will oversee the University’s efforts to commercialize research and drive innovation in his new role. 

San Juan teen arrested for threatening school shooting

(myRGV) A 17-year-old San Juan teen has been arrested after threatening to “shoot up the school,” which he claimed to be a joke prior to his arrest, according to a news release from the city of Edinburg. Juan Gonzalez allegedly made a comment about “shooting up the school,” directed at South Texas ISD World Scholars on Saturday, which was reported to the Edinburg Police Department on Monday.

How can Texas prepare Dallas youth to obtain a livable wage?

(Dallas Morning News) Report says young adults in Dallas County have a 1-in-3 chance of earning a livable wage.

Remembering Cecile Richards

(Texas Signal Media Foundation) On Monday, the family of Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood, announced that she had died. Richards is now being remembered by many as an advocate for women’s and worker’s rights.

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