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Oct. 16, 2026
Meet the candidates running for Texas’ State Board of Education in 2026
(Texas Tribune) Here are the nine candidates who are running and what’s at stake.
Here’s how Texas governor candidates Greg Abbott, Gina Hinojosa want to reshape education
(Dallas Morning News) Both candidates have made education issues a pillar of their campaigns, taking opposing stances on topics such as school vouchers, state takeovers and public education.
Texas gave parents a way to protest books in school libraries, but few people are speaking up
(Dallas Morning News) Created under a state law enacted in 2025, the parent-led panels have reviewed thousands of proposed books, but encountered few formal challenges.
Grand Prairie ISD defends cancellation of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ over casting, names new play
(Dallas Morning News) A Grand Prairie high school will perform the musical Frozen after administrators last week canceled Little Shop of Horrors over the casting of a girl in a lead male role, provoking an outcry among students and theater professionals. Board President Emily Liles defended the district’s move but said the reason for the cancellation was widely misunderstood. Superintendent Gabe Trujillo did not cancel the show because of Texas Senate Bill 12 passed in 2023, she said, which restricts some drag performances. Rather, Liles said, the superintendent canceled the performance to comply with Senate Bill 12 passed in 2025, which bans diversity, equity and inclusion measures in public schools, school-sanctioned clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity and instruction or guidance acknowledging transgender identities. Related:
Pilot Point ISD superintendent, police chief on paid leave amid investigation; board names acting superintendent
(WFAA) Pilot Point ISD’s superintendent and police chief are on paid administrative leave while an outside attorney, Scott Cummings, conducts an independent third party investigation. The school board named retired Howe ISD superintendent Kevin Wison as acting superintendent. The board first notified parents of the leaves in an email Wednesday night, but it did not describe the complaint. Some parents say they want more information.
Majority of families sign petitions to close Burnet, Webb schools, Austin PTA says
(Austin American-Statesman) A frantic rush to collect signatures for a petition to close Burnet and Webb middle schools wrapped up Thursday, in an effort to avoid an Austin ISD takeover.
Moms For Liberty Puts 13,000 School Districts On Notice With AI Watchdog
(Dallas Express) Moms for Liberty unveiled an artificial intelligence program at its national summit in Dallas on October 9 that the organization says will monitor school board agendas across approximately 13,000 school districts and alert parents before boards vote on policies it considers threats to parental rights. Tina Descovich, co-founder and CEO of Moms for Liberty, introduced M4L AWARE during the organization’s 2026 Joyful Warriors National Summit. The acronym stands for “Agenda Watch, Alert, Respond, Engage,” according to the organization’s announcement.
Texans react to plan to redirect $250M in school property tax to Dallas NHL arena
(Houston Chronicle) Plano ISD, despite facing a projected $44.8 million budget deficit for 2026-27, has approved an agreement to direct up to $250 million in property tax revenue over 25 years toward a proposed Dallas Stars arena at the former Shops at Willow Bend site, and the Plano City Council approved its share Monday. The district says the money would mostly come from revenue that would otherwise go to the state through Texas’ recapture (“Robin Hood”) system, not from its classroom budget. Residents on Reddit pushed back sharply, questioning the priorities and arguing that redirecting recapture dollars hurts the poorer districts that receive them. Some critics also questioned using a school-tax mechanism to help finance a professional sports venue for a billionaire owner.
Amarillo ISD faces tough choices as enrollment declines, but will new options bring families back?
(High Plains Pundit) Amarillo ISD expects about 13 percent fewer students over the next five years. To respond, it closed three schools, started an online program that has drawn 133 students back, is considering raises for hourly workers, and is opening a new child care site. It’s too early to tell whether these changes will keep families in the district.
Beaumont ISD implements new campus safety measure after Oregon shooting
(KBMT) Beaumont ISD is implementing an immediate campus safety measure, directing all schools to keep doors, including classroom doors, closed and locked throughout the day. The district said the change comes in light of recent events across the nation and is intended to help maintain safe and secure learning environments for students and staff.
2 Cisco ISD High School students stabbed at field house; 1 detained
(Fox West Texas) Two students were injured in a stabbing Thursday afternoon at the Cisco High School football field house, according to Cisco Independent School District. The incident happened after school hours. Both students sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the district said. The district canceled all junior high and junior varsity football games scheduled for Thursday evening.
Lamesa ISD bus driver arrested on assault, unlawful restraint involving 13-year-old girl
(KMID/KPEJ) A Lamesa ISD bus driver, Michael Mojica, 60, was arrested Wednesday after a complaint involving a 13-year-old girl on his bus route. He is charged with assault and unlawful restraint of a minor, a state jail felony. The district has placed him on unpaid leave, and the sheriff’s office and Texas DPS are still investigating.
Records: Rio Grande City teacher admitted to having sexual relationship with student
(KRGV) A Rio Grande City High School teacher was arrested after “flirty” text messages between him and a student were shown to another teacher, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Channel 5 News. The teacher, identified as Francisco Contreras Jr., admitted to investigators that he had sex with the student “on more than 10 occasions,” and one of those times was at the school, the complaint said.
Ector County ISD College Prep student arrested in connection with reported active shooter prank calls
(NewsWest9) A 13-year-old Ector College Prep student has been arrested and charged with two counts of theft of property and three counts of false alarm as a result of an investigation by the Odessa and Ector County ISD police departments. Police reported that based on witness statements and video evidence, investigators believe that the student stole two different students’ cell phones while the students were in athletics, and made three 911 calls to Odessa Dispatch at around 7:45 a.m. After stealing the phones, the student allegedly reported a “shooter” was at the school’s tennis courts.
Brownsville ISD student charged with bringing a gun to school
(KRGV) Brownsville jail records show Luis Diaz, 17, was booked on Thursday and charged after the Brownsville ISD said he was found in possession of a gun on the Brownsville Early College High School Campus, which was placed on a temporary lockdown following the discovery.
Fort Worth-area athlete dies due to head injury in college football game
(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Former Azle ISD high school football player Tyler Ulrich died Thursday, the Ulrich family announced on Facebook. Ulrich, 21, suffered a critical head injury Saturday while playing football for Southern Nazarene University in an away game against Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. Southern Nazarene, located in Bethany, Oklahoma, plays in the Great American Conference in NCAA Division II.
Houston felon convicted for meth trafficking, arrested after crashing into Alief school field
(Fox 26 Houston) A Houston felon, Eduardo Nevares, was convicted of meth trafficking and illegally having a gun after fleeing a traffic stop and crashing onto an Alief school campus. Police found a pistol and more than a pound of meth in his car, and he now faces up to life in prison and a $10 million maximum fine.
Cedar Hill football coach Nick Ward placed on leave for second straight season
(Dallas Morning News) Cedar Hill head football coach Nick Ward has been placed on leave for the second straight season. It is pending an investigation, according to a letter sent by Cedar Hill principal Courtney Washington to parents.
Lockhart ISD screen time cutbacks show early success to ‘unlock childhood’
(KXAN) In August, Lockhart ISD started “Childhood Unlocked,” a program that gives kids more recess and free play and cuts classroom screen time roughly in half. It’s too early to tell if grades are improving, but attendance is up at most campuses, and tech use in classrooms has dropped about 40%. Parents in Round Rock and Austin are now pushing their districts to do the same.
Del Valle ISD superintendent to leave in November
(KVUE) Dr. Matthew Gutierrez is leaving the district on Nov. 6 to take a job with the Region 4 Education Service Center in Houston.
New Edinburg CISD policy prohibits energy drinks during school
(myRGV) Edinburg CISD now bans energy drinks and high-caffeine snacks at school this year. Staff will throw away or hold the items and call parents instead of punishing students. The district made the rule after some middle and high school students who drank energy drinks fainted, had a racing heart or very high blood pressure, and a few needed an ambulance.
Port Neches-Groves ISD unveils design for $8 million transportation center
(KBMT) Port Neches-Groves ISD unveiled plans for an $8 million transportation center, replacing a 60-year-old facility. Freeing up space on its growing high school campus.
The Daily Texan explains: Who makes up the UT System Board of Regents?
(Daily Texan) With the next Board of Regents meeting spanning Nov. 18 to 19, The Daily Texan took a closer look at UT System websites to learn more about each regent.
Massive Texas backlog of voter registrations that scrambled workers has been cleared, state says
(AP) A massive backlog of voter registration applications in Texas that frustrated counties and raised concerns among Democrats nationally has been cleared days before early voting begins, state election officials said Thursday. The backlog, which state officials attributed to a software glitch, left counties big and small scrambling to process scores of voter registrations late in an unusually competitive midterm election season in Texas. Early voting in the state begins Monday.
Starr County voters face separate early voting sites for local and general elections
(KRGV) Early voting is coming up in Starr County, but voters will need to use different sites for the school board election and the general election. That means people who want to vote in both elections during early voting will have to go to two separate polling places. Rio Grande City Grulla ISD will have four early voting locations. San Isidro ISD will have one polling location. Starr County will have five early voting locations for the general election. On Election Day, Starr County voters will be able to vote at any polling location.
Why Baylor University’s live bear habitat just lost its zoo accreditation
(Houston Chronicle) Baylor held this distinction for five years. Now it’s gone.
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SY 2025-26
PEIMS Articles:
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ISD Superintendent Total Pay Rankings - Part 2:
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Special Student Populations - Part 5:
Statewide Enrollment Data - Part 6 (Final):
ISD and Charter Enrollment Rankings
