Reported Elsewhere

Where possible, these headlines link to no-paywall or soft paywall articles, or to websites offering free trials. TexEdNews neither condones nor endorses the accuracy of this news feed.

July 23, 2026

Texas’ longstanding “Robin Hood” school finance system will face a new legal challenge

(Texas Tribune) Midland school trustees argue they have minimal control over local taxes and can’t properly serve students as a recapture system redistributes millions of the district’s revenue.

Austin ISD to unexpectedly close Paredes Middle amid growing takeover threats

(Austin American-Statesman) Weeks before the school year begins, Austin Independent School District will close Paredes Middle School immediately because of continued academic struggles, the district said in a statement. The decision will mark an unexpected 11th school closure in the past year.

Houston ISD teachers will return to work before learning their salaries under new performance-based system

(Houston Chronicle) Houston ISD’s 10,000 teachers will return to their classrooms on Thursday, July 30. They won’t learn their salaries until the next day.

Fort Worth ISD seeks 2-year extension to keep hiring uncertified teachers

(Dallas Morning News) Fort Worth ISD is seeking a waiver allowing it to keep hiring uncertified teachers until 2029. More than 500 other Texas school districts have done the same.

Fort Worth ISD didn’t prove claims against principal reassigned after Sharia law posts, documents show

(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Fort Worth ISD could not substantiate that Shayma Alzubi, who was reassigned during an investigation of her social media posts, violated the district’s social media policy or state law, according to court documents.

Conroe ISD faces $27 million state transportation funding gap as hazardous bus routes grow

(Houston Chronicle) Conroe ISD trustees want to expand the district’s Hazardous Route Plan, but a lack of state funding has created a $27 million transportation funding gap, making expansion difficult. The board unanimously approved the plan for the upcoming school year but agreed it needs to take a hard look at the plan to ensure the safety of children traveling to and from school.

Buna ISD’s new bus policy raises concerns for parents ahead of school start

(KFDM) A new transportation policy in Buna ISD set to take effect when students return to class next month is drawing concern from some parents and grandparents who say it could make it harder to handle last-minute changes in family plans. For years, parents in Buna ISD could send a note to school if their child needed to ride a different bus or go home with another approved family member or friend. Starting this school year, that will change. Under the district’s new transportation policy, eligible students will be assigned one designated bus route and stop and will only be allowed to ride that assigned bus.

Killeen ISD launching new program to track students getting on, off bus

(KWTX) The SmartTag Bus Safety System will use the student’s ID badge to track their activity while riding the bus while also giving families updates as they make it to and from their destination.

Katy ISD officials predict $24.9M budget shortfall ahead of upcoming budget adoption

(Community Impact) Katy ISD’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget is now expected to see a $24.9 million shortfall, up from the $15.7 million figure provided in June. At the July 20 work study meeting, Katy ISD Chief Financial Officer Chris Smith described the budget as “very manageable” in spite of the deficit.

Texas took away Dallas students’ cellphones. They turned to reading instead

(Dallas Observer) According to the district, nearly 1.3 million books were checked out in the 2025-2026 school year, an 18.3% increase from the school year before. Middle school campuses saw the most significant gains, with a 36.7% spike in library checkouts; the high school level saw a nearly 30% increase in library usage. This was the first year for the Texas statewide ban on cell phones for students in schools.

Beaumont ISD ends Yondr pouch program after one year under strict no-phone policy

(KFDM) Beaumont ISD is ending its Yondr pouch program one year after the district implemented a strict no-phone policy, shifting to new rules that will allow students to bring phones to school for the 2025-2026 academic year. Under the updated approach, students will be allowed to keep their phones with them at school, but not on their person. “They won’t be able to keep it on their person, so they can’t have it in their pocket. They have to have it in their backpack or their purse,” Superintendent Sandi Massey said. Related:

Beaumont ISD kicks off ‘Elevate Beaumont’ series to tackle district challenges (KBMT)

Sam Houston State University opens new charter school in Spring

(Community Impact) Sam Houston State University officials announced the opening of a new charter school serving the Spring and Klein area in July. SHSU launched a series of charter schools in 2017, and has four locations across the northern Houston region including in The Woodlands, Humble and Spring. The newest location, which will be at the intersection of Kuykendahl Road and FM 2920, will offer schooling for children in kindergarten through second grade.

Moody ISD covers the cost of school supplies

(KWTX) The district is providing all necessary school supplies for students — marking the 10th year in a row it has covered the supplies list. On the first day of school, students only need to bring a backpack. Superintendent Andrew Miller said the district has made the program a priority as enrollment grows to about 750 students. He added that local churches also step in to support families as the school year approaches.

‘They failed’: Magnolia ISD parents want district held responsible for teacher charged

(KTRK) A former elementary school teacher in Magnolia ISD is facing one charge of having an inappropriate relationship with students. But parents are telling ABC13 it should be more, as they’ve been warning the district about the teacher for years.

Tremaine Jackson calls out Texas High School Coachs Association for snubbing Prairie View A&M coaching staff

(Sports Illustrated) Prairie View A&M head football coach Tremaine Jackson is upset with the Texas High School Coaches Association for good reason. He stated that the organization recently excluded his entire staff from the speaker list at its annual coaching school. Coach Jackson believes this omission reflects a lack of respect for HBCU (historically black college or university) football in Texas. Sports Illustrated HBCU Legends attempted to contact the THSCA for a comment, but the organization will not return to their office until August 3.

Fake University of Austin campus deal leads to $1M fraud conviction in federal case

(Austin American-Statesman) John Robison, a conservative operative and filmmaker, has been convicted of defrauding a University of Austin founder of $1 million through a fake deal to build a campus and community in Bastrop County.

How much do Texas Longhorn football tickets cost in 2026? Hint, Ohio State is pricey

(Austin American-Statesman) The most expensive games are Texas’ home game against Ohio State ($562) and the season finale in College Station against Texas A&M ($525). The cheapest Texas game is the Longhorns’ Week 3 game against UTSA ($93).

University of Houston-Downtown gets $1.3 million to expand first-generation student program

(KHOU) The Moody Foundation has given the University of Houston-Downtown a total gift of $1.3 million to expand its rapidly growing First-Generation Gator Program. The Galveston-based philanthropic foundation gave the university an initial gift of $300,000 in the 2025-2026 school year, in addition to a $100,000 gift to be distributed over the next three years.

UT Arlington leads $750K project to reduce AI risks in scientific experiments

(Fort Worth Report) The U.S. Department of Energy announced Wednesday that UTA will lead a $750,000 project developing safeguards for AI used at particle accelerators and other advanced research facilities. UTA will receive $500,000, with the remaining $250,000 supporting its partners.

TCU student deported to El Salvador after June arrest in Arlington

(Fox 4 KDFW) 20-year-old Luis Andrade, a TCU student, was deported on July 21 by ICE after being arrested in Arlington in June for public lewdness and resisting arrest. Andrade had been in the United States since 2009, when he was three-years-old. He was valedictorian at Sam Houston High School in the graduating class of 2024. An immigration attorney tells FOX 4 that Andrade likely opted for voluntary departure instead of detention based on his quick removal from the country.

Tarrant County teachers trade classrooms for construction sites in workforce externship

(Fort Worth Report) Some Tarrant County career and technical education teachers are spending 10 days inside local businesses through a teacher externship organized by Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County and InterLink Inc., a nonprofit alliance of educational, business, government, trade and other groups. The Texas Workforce Commission-funded program is expected to serve up to 45 educators this year. Participating teachers receive a $2,000 stipend after completing the program and can receive up to $500 for classroom materials tied to lessons they develop from the experience.

Measles cases hit 35-year high in U.S. as Texas sees surge

(KHOU) Health experts say declining vaccination rates are fueling outbreaks, including in Texas, where hundreds of cases have been reported this year.

Texas invested billions to fight cancer. Abbott’s H-1B visa restrictions may stall research, some warn

(San Antonio Current) Texas spent billions recruiting scientists from around the world to turn the state into a cancer-research powerhouse. Now, nearly six months after Gov. Greg Abbott restricted public institutions’ use of the H-1B visa program, cancer advocates and immigration attorneys warn the policy could undercut that strategy.

They Came to Protest ICE. On the Live Stream, Their Chants Were Drowned Out by a ‘Friday Night Lights’ Theme Song Knockoff

(Texas Monthly) In the aftermath of the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the Houston City Council found a novel way to silence those who showed up to demonstrate.

Click for Earlier
“Reported Elsewhere” Dates