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Oct. 23, 2026
Texas won’t say which private schools and vendors are profiting from state vouchers
(Houston Chronicle) Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has repeatedly touted himself as an open-government advocate championing taxpayers who want to know how the state is spending their money. Yet when it comes to the state’s new $1 billion school voucher program – arguably the most high-profile pot of money under his supervision – he’s repeatedly kept the spending secret. In response to public information requests over the last month, his office has refused to say how millions of dollars of state funds have been distributed to private schools and vendors through the program. Related:
Texas Education Agency outlines mandatory reporting policies for educator misconduct
(KCBD) TEA logged 19,766 educator misconduct reports in fiscal year 2026, triple the prior year. Levi Fuller, TEA’s Inspector General for Educator Misconduct, said the agency is prioritizing grooming cases. He also stressed that administrators who fail to report misconduct within the required deadlines face criminal charges, ranging from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony for intentional concealment. Fuller encouraged parents to report directly to TEA, noting the agency can’t act on misconduct it never hears about.
Houston ISD plans to expand Mike Miles’ Future 2 AI model to 25 more campuses next school year
(Houston Chronicle) Houston ISD plans to deepen its focus on artificial intelligence through more Future 2 schools, an AI course for high school students and AI-assisted special education plans.
Teachers, students press Beaumont ISD board for changes, voice concerns about superintendent
(KFDM) Major concerns about leadership in the Beaumont Independent School District spilled into a tense and emotional school board meeting Thursday night as students, teachers and parents lined up to demand changes aimed at BISD Superintendent Sandi Massey. “Unfortunately, you have brought this community together in opposition to your initiatives, and that should say something,” said Tamara Richards, president of the Region 5 Association of Texas Professional Educators. Richards joined other teachers, students and parents in stepping up to the podium one after another, demanding leadership improvements in BISD and calling for the removal of Sandi Massey if that doesn’t happen.
Round Rock ISD now facing budget deficit
(KXAN) Round Rock ISD says inflation is hitting their district hard, with a now projected $10.9 million deficit expected. The district was projecting a $75,000 budget surplus before the costs rose so high. Rising diesel costs have Round Rock ISD Transportation Director Tina Fausett looking at ways to save, but that can be a challenge. Fausett says she is expecting to pay about $600,000 more than they budgeted for if prices don’t drop. That’s not the only increase the district expects to see, increasing healthcare costs are causing the district headaches as well.
College Station ISD board divided: Accusations, new rules, and frustrated teachers
(KBTX) College Station ISD’s school board has been split since July, with one trustee accusing others of secret real estate inquiries and the board president responding with stricter rules for meetings. Meanwhile, teachers are telling the board they’re overworked and underpaid, with one veteran working two extra jobs and another quitting due to burnout.
Fewer babies, more empty nesters and ‘fierce’ competition: Why North East ISD is proposing the closure of 3 elementary schools
(San Antonio Report) North East ISD in San Antonio may close three elementary schools next year, with a board vote as soon as November. The district has lost about 10,000 students in a decade due to falling birth rates, aging neighborhoods and competition from charter and private schools, and closing the schools would save about $4 million of a $20 million deficit. The superintendent says more closures are likely in coming years.
On the Bus and in the Hallways: Rising Misbehavior Strains Texas School Districts
(KSST) Texas middle schoolers are increasingly being sent to juvenile court for minor misbehavior. The causes are strict state discipline laws, more police on campuses, and overcrowded alternative schools. A bus driver shortage has also made rides longer and more crowded, which leads to more fights. Critics warn this gives kids early criminal records. Schools say they need more staff and better options.
Surging Diesel Prices Push School Districts to Cutting Field Trips, Re-routing Buses, and Scrutinizing Away-Game Travel
(KSST) Diesel prices near $6 a gallon are squeezing school budgets, and more than half of districts went over their fuel budgets last year. To save money, districts are cutting field trips, cutting back on away-game travel, and combining bus routes.
S&P Global: DeSoto Independent School District, TX Bond Rating Cut Six Notches To ‘BB-’ On Financial Deterioration; Outlook Neg
(S&P Global) S&P Global Ratings lowered its underlying rating on DeSoto Independent School District, Texas’ unlimited-tax general obligation (GO) debt outstanding and its limited-tax maintenance tax notes to ‘BB-‘ from ‘A-‘. The outlook is negative. “We do not expect the district’s finances to improve materially in the near future, and we expect cash flow to remain strained, potentially hindering the district’s operations and raising the risk of nonpayment of its debt.”
Arlington ISD will pay for some failed athletic and fine arts items with banked bond earnings
(Arlington Report) The district has roughly $45 million in 2019 bond interest earnings. The items will cost roughly $17 million.
Texas high school QB reinstated after stunning UIL reversal
(USA Today) Lewisville junior quarterback Laykon Brassfield has been ruled eligible by the University Interscholastic League. The UIL executive committee’s unanimous vote overturns a previous UIL district ruling that found him ineligible over a dual-residency issue.
Former Belton High teacher sentenced to 78 months in federal child porn case
(KWTX) A former Belton High School teacher was sentenced Wednesday to 78 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced. Pietro Victor Giustino, 40, will also serve five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $5,000 Victims of Trafficking Act assessment and a $10,000 Amy, Vicky, and Andy Assistance Act assessment by U.S. District Judge Christopher Wolfe.
San Antonio ISD teacher fired after investigation into 11-year-old hit in head five times
(News4SA) An 11-year-old boy’s family said it is finally getting answers weeks after they reported the fifth grader was repeatedly hit in the head by a substitute teacher at Bowden Academy. Angelica Cerda said her son, Narcisso Sanroman, asked the substitute for help with a math question. Cerda said that is when the substitute hit him in the head five times with his own notebook. Cerda said she has now received a letter from San Antonio ISD confirming the district’s investigation found the alleged misconduct occurred. San Antonio police are investigating whether criminal charges should be filed.
Termination proposed for Fort Worth ISD high school coach; TEA investigates misconduct
(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) A Fort Worth ISD high school golf coach was proposed for termination during a school board meeting last week as the Texas Education Agency reviews allegations of misconduct, district officials confirmed Thursday. North Side High School coach Jesus Sanchez-Ontiveros faced the board action during an Oct. 13 meeting. He has a right to appeal this decision prior to any final action by the board to terminate his contract, Fort Worth ISD officials said in a statement. Further details regarding the reason for the proposed termination were not released.
Police: Former Pflugerville ISD teacher arrested for having relationship with student
(Fox 7 Austin) Pflugerville police said on Oct. 20, with the help of the San Marcos Police Department, investigators arrested 21-year-old Angel Dominguez in San Marcos. Dominguez is accused of having an improper relationship with a student at Hendrickson High School. He worked as a band tech last year.
Northwest ISD says multiple fights ‘distracted’ its ‘learning environment’ Wednesday, denies rumors of gun on campus
(WFAA) Northwest ISD said in a letter to parents that after breaking up multiple fights on Wednesday morning, school resumed as normal and denied rumors of a gun on campus.
Affidavit reveals Lewisville ISD Hebron High School teacher’s alleged relationship with student
(CBS Texas) Lewisville ISD teacher Gloria Resendiz, 35, has been charged with child grooming and indecency with a child after police say they found evidence of an inappropriate relationship with a former student. Investigators cited text messages showing she gave the student gifts, along with journal-style notes on the student’s phone describing physical contact and the need to keep the relationship secret. The school resource officer also learned the student had been spending lunch periods alone in Resendiz’s classroom. The district says she remains on administrative leave and is barred from all district facilities.
United ISD police investigating after teen hit by car outside campus
(KGNS) A United High School student was taken to a hospital after being hit by a car near the school’s entrance. United ISD said the teen was walking toward the school’s entrance when she was hit from behind by a car on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Laredo Fire said crews responded to the campus and found the 17-year-old hurt on her left side. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. UISD police are leading the investigation.
Family seeks answers after Plano Senior High memorial is removed
(WFAA) A North Texas family is urging Plano Senior High School to restore a memorial for students who died, including a loved one, after it was removed during renovations.
TCU chancellor resigns after less than two years at helm
(Texas Tribune) Daniel Pullin’s time at the private Fort Worth institution included disputes over academic priorities and faculty input. Victor Boschini Jr., who led TCU for 22 years, is replacing him.
UT Austin announces new University College to teach core curriculum
(KUT) UT Austin is creating a new University College, led by professor Devin Stauffer, to run a slimmed-down core curriculum that cuts hundreds of courses and drops required credit hours from 42 to 36. The plan still needs state and regent approval, and critics say it favors Western civilization, duplicates a college UT eliminated in 2025, and was rolled out without faculty input. Students also protested President Jim Davis’s silence on recent racist incidents on campus. Related:
More than 100 years coming, TWU acknowledges a historic injustice with new Quakertown Memorial
(KERA) It has taken 103 years. On Tuesday morning, Texas Woman’s University leaders gathered with the descendants of Quakertown, a thriving Black community that flourished near downtown Denton from the mid-1870s until the residents of the freedman’s town were forcibly relocated between 1922 and 1923. Together, the descendants of Quakertown and TWU leaders officially opened the Quakertown Memorial.
Texas State University fraternity pledges arrested for hazing ‘tradition,’ San Marcos police say
(KSAT) San Marcos police arrested four Phi Delta Theta pledges at Texas State University after callers reported several men forcing another man into a pickup truck late Tuesday night. According to an affidavit, the 18-year-old, an active fraternity member, had his mouth taped and yelled for help, but he was not hurt. The group told officers the act was a tradition and part of their initiation. All four were charged with misdemeanor hazing and given a magistrate warning.
West Texas DA opens forgery investigation into disputed transgender mailers
(Texas Tribune) The pamphlets appear to be an attempt to anger voters ahead of the midterm elections, said Sarah Stogne Republican District Attorney for Loving, Reeves and Ward counties.
Fort Bend County tax assessor federally indicted for allegedly using county funds to pay for her mother’s caretaker
(Houston Public Media) Fort Bend County’s tax assessor, Carmen Turner, was arrested on federal charges for allegedly misusing county money. Prosecutors say she paid two people as county tax clerks when they were really caring for her 81-year-old mother. She’s also accused of putting her son’s father on the county payroll while he worked a full-time job in Chicago. Two others were charged with her, and she’s still in office while the case moves forward.
Trump administration: English learner, other minority protections ‘not enforceable’
(K-12 Dive) The Trump administration is abandoning a slew of guidance documents, resources for districts, and civil rights enforcement approaches meant to make education more accessible for English learners, Black and other marginalized students, according to an update scheduled to be published in the Federal Register Oct. 23.
Texas SNAP participation drops to a 17-year low as the feds tighten eligibility
(Texas Tribune) The state health agency is also processing 64% of SNAP applications in a timely manner — within 30 days — even though the required rate is 95%.
Alleged voter fraud from past elections in Texas under investigation, U.S. attorney says
(KSAT) Justin Simmons says his office has a ‘handful’ of active investigations, but did not provide an exact number.
Austin proposal to restrict tobacco sales near schools, daycares draws concerns from businesses
(KVUE) Austin officials said zoning changes could limit youth access to tobacco and vapes, but some business owners worry the rules could restrict growth.
Tuloso-Midway ISD students get a major upgrade with new career training facility
(KIII) The new facility provides high school students with hands-on training, including medical labs, to prepare them for college and future careers.
Homegrown workforce depends on Tarrant County schools, employers working together
(Fort Worth Report) Students want more career exposure. A Fort Worth Report Growth Summit panel says schools, colleges and employers must work together.
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SY 2025-26
PEIMS Articles:
- Part 1:
ISD Superintendent Total Pay Rankings - Part 2:
Charter Superintendent Total Pay Rankings - Part 3:
Budgeted Pay and Employee Counts - Part 4:
Special Student Populations - Part 5:
Statewide Enrollment Data - Part 6 (Final):
ISD and Charter Enrollment Rankings
