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August 20, 2026
Full list: Here are the books an advocacy group wants pulled from Texas school libraries

(KHOU) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick highlighted a list of nearly 2,200 books that a conservative advocacy group says should be removed from Texas public school libraries, arguing the titles violate state law prohibiting profane, indecent, or sexually explicit materials. Patrick has warned that he will seek legislation to lower a school district’s accountability rating if prohibited books remain on library shelves, while emphasizing that the list itself is not an official state ban. This is the full list, which was compiled by activist Bonnie Wallace and includes books ranked by the group’s assessment of explicit content rather than by any official state review.

Gov. Abbott blames El Paso ISD’s financial woes on ‘bloated’ bureaucracy

(El Paso Times) It did not take long for Gov. Greg Abbott to blame El Paso Independent School District’s financial exigency on ‘bloated’ bureaucracy and poor taxpayer accountability during his stop in the city. Abbott announced a new education initiative to cut administrative waste and ensure taxpayer dollars are directed primarily to Texas classrooms during a visit to Northeast El Paso on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Abbott wasted no time in taking aim at EPISD, pointing out that between FY2015-25, the district spent an additional 31% on campus leadership costs, 33% on instructional costs, and 104% on administrative costs. All the while, the district saw a 21% decline in total student enrollment.

Tarrant County the model for property tax relief across Texas, governor says

(Fort Worth Report) Gov. Greg Abbott touted Tarrant County as a model for lowering property taxes as Republican county commissioners applauded his plan to help local governments across Texas provide permanent tax relief.

‘We are in financial distress’: Edinburg CISD facing $15M budget deficit

(myRGV) The Edinburg CISD school board is facing a hard truth. During a budget workshop, Interim Superintendent and Chief of Finance and Operations Adele Felix said the district is in a financial crisis amidst a proposed budget with a $15 million deficit for the next fiscal year. “We are in financial distress,” Felix said.

Plainview ISD faces $2.8 million deficit in proposed 2026-27 budget

(Plainview Herald) Plainview ISD is considering a nearly $50 million budget that district officials say would leave it with a roughly $2.8 million deficit amid declining enrollment, rising operating costs and a limited local property tax base. The district will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 budget and tax rate on Aug. 27.

Why are so many San Antonio school districts asking for tax rate increases?

(San Antonio Express-News) Six area school districts are asking voters to approve a tax rate increase or bond in the Nov. 3 election.

Central Texas school tax rate elections: What proposed increases will cost, pay for

(Austin American-Statesman) Five Central Texas school districts will ask voters in November to increase their school property tax rates to pay for teacher raises and cover ballooning costs.

Fort Worth ISD superintendent wants businesses in schools before students graduate

(Fort Worth Report) Peter Licata pitched internships, career academies and teacher externships as ways to better prepare students for Fort Worth jobs. Related:

Round Rock ISD expects homeless student population to grow this year

(KXAN) In 2022, KXAN reported on the district’s 700 homeless students; Last year, Round Rock ISD identified 1,000 homeless students. This year they expect the numbers to rise again. That’s not only students living on the streets, it’s also families in shelters, hotels and motels, or “doubling up” with multiple families in an apartment. Some of the homeless students are also unaccompanied minors. “We will see what the numbers end up flushing out to be but it looks like we are on track for a pretty busy year,” Anne Semmer, who helps run the district’s Families in Transition (FIT) program, said.

Fort Davis ISD cancels 2026 football season

(KMID/KPEJ) Fort Davis ISD announced on social media Thursday afternoon that the 2026 football season has been canceled due to a lack of participation. FDISD Superintendent Jason Crow released a statement saying that the school district realizes this is an unfortunate situation and is looking to rebuild for the next season.

Why is corporal punishment still a thing in Texas high school football?

(Houston Chronicle) An alleged paddling in Port Arthur exposes a divide over discipline, consent and old-school football culture. Related:

Kept out of the trial: Karmelo Anthony ‘spoiling for a fight,’ victim sprayed ‘racist’ graffiti

(KERA) Karmelo Anthony allegedly was “spoiling for a fight” the day he fatally stabbed Austin Metcalf at a Frisco high school track meet. And Metcalf had a history of getting into fights and had once sprayed graffiti with “vile, racist stuff.” Those were among the assertions made by Bill Wirskye, the lead prosecutor in the case, at a hearing Thursday. But none of that came to light during the trial in June.

Statewide shortage of athletic trainers extends into United ISD

(KGNS) United ISD is facing a shortage of athletic trainers after losing three trainers to a neighboring school district over the past two years, according to district athletic director Johnathon Cortazzo. He said the departures highlight growing challenges in recruiting and retaining athletic trainers, with neighboring districts offering more attractive opportunities. The staffing shortage raises concerns about the district’s ability to provide adequate medical support for student-athletes.

New Texas football heat rules spark fierce backlash from Aggies fans

(Houston Chronicle) The University Interscholastic League’s new mandatory heat safety rules for outdoor sports have sparked criticism from some users on the Texas A&M fan forum TexAgs, who argued the restrictions make football practices too soft compared with the tougher conditions they experienced decades ago.

Federal government orders UT Austin to audit research security against foreign adversaries

(Austin American-Statesman) The federal government this week ordered the University of Texas and 29 other higher education institutions to immediately review academic, financial and research ties with “foreign entities of concern” amid a push to better secure all U.S. research. UT, the only Texas university on the list, has until Aug. 31 to submit its findings to federal authorities along with “strict mitigation plans,” which could include steps to end concerning research partnerships. If UT doesn’t, it risks losing eligibility for research funding, according to a federal notice. 

University of Houston cuts 40% of core curriculum, including climate change and LGBT studies courses

(Houston Chronicle) University of Houston cut about 40% of its courses from its core curriculum, meaning new students can no longer take classes like “Intro to Global Climate Change” or “Introduction to LGBT Studies” to satisfy their general education requirements. The move comes as Texas colleges and universities face pressure to eliminate what conservative lawmakers see as “indoctrination” in the classroom. Some students and faculty have disputed that characterization and believe the targeted courses should be included to promote academic inquiry. 

Texas State University defends H-1B visa renewal after criticism from GOP lawmaker

(Austin American-Statesman) Texas State University defended employing a foreign worker on an H-1B visa after a conservative state lawmaker and online activists accused the university of overlooking qualified Americans for the position. Last week, Texas State University posted a notice announcing the university would renew the H-1B visa of a public affairs employee, drawing the ire of conservatives opposed to the permits.

Jury awards professor $75K in retaliation, sex-based harassment suit against UT Arlington

(Fort Worth Report) A federal jury in Fort Worth awarded a University of Texas at Arlington engineering professor $75,000 after finding the university retaliated against her and failed to act promptly to stop sex-based harassment. Haiying Huang, who remains a professor in UTA’s mechanical and aerospace engineering department, received $65,000 in back pay and benefits and $10,000 for emotional pain and suffering Aug. 14.

TWU’s first engineering program gets green light from regents

(KTEN) Pending approval from accreditors, TWU will offer an inaugural bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering as soon as the fall of 2027. WU leadership said its new program would meet the growing demand for skilled workers in North Texas. Mechanical engineers can fetch a handsome paycheck, too.

No injuries reported after separate Northside ISD bus crashes on Northwest Side, district says

(KSAT) The Northside Independent School District said no students or bus drivers were injured after two district buses were involved in separate crashes Thursday morning.

Convicted murderer busted running ‘convenience store for poison’ near schools in Texas City, held on $2M bond

(Fox 26 Houston) Police raided a Texas City home within walking distance of multiple schools, seizing fentanyl, marijuana, THC wax, and illegal alcohol packaged for students. The suspect allegedly ran a full-service drug hub equipped with a credit card machine, so teenagers could swipe debit or credit cards for purchases. Suspect Jamell McDonald—a convicted murderer who served 25 years and was out on bond for another drug charge—had his $2 million bond upheld by a judge.

Private $40K AI school eyeing location in Houston Heights for new campus

(Houston Chronicle) Earlier this year, a $40,000-a-year AI-driven private school announced a campus in The Woodlands. Now, it’s eyeing a location within Houston city limits. Alpha School is renovating a 8,400-square-foot space at 777 W. 23rd St., as first reported by the Houston Business Journal. The site, formerly The Goddard School, is slated to open in January 2027 as the institution’s first location within Houston city limits. The institution advertises that students complete their core academic learning in just two hours each morning using an AI-powered learning platform.

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