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Oct. 15, 2026
Property tax cuts aren’t supposed to affect Texas schools. Districts say it doesn’t always work
(KERA) Texas officials say nearly 1.5 million homeowners now pay zero school property taxes. The state is supposed to hold districts “harmless,” but some say there is a “gap.”
Managers stress teacher trust as they revise draft of Fort Worth ISD goals, limits on superintendent
(Fort Worth Report) Fort Worth ISD’s state-appointed board rewrote its draft rules for Superintendent Peter Licata after district staff removed language requiring teacher input on curriculum changes. The board put that requirement back, though it rejected one member’s push to use the word “autonomy.” It also added a separate rule requiring Licata to give teachers a regular say in classroom decisions. The board plans to adopt the final rules Nov. 10. Related:
- Fort Worth ISD parents say special education students are left behind by district (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Most Tarrant County graduates are labeled college-ready. Are they?
(Fort Worth Report) More than 80% of all public high school graduates from Tarrant County were deemed college-ready in 2025. But only 1 out of every 4 met the same standard using either the SAT or the ACT — both of which are considered by researchers to be among the best indicators of a student’s success in higher education. The difference is at the heart of a new report issued by the Fort Worth Education Partnership on Oct. 13. Brent Beasley, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Education Partnership, said the results show how the state’s education system may mislead parents about whether their child is prepared.
‘All means all’: How this San Antonio ISD high school became one of the city’s highest rated
(San Antonio Express-News) Brackenridge High School serves students from low-income households and affluent neighborhoods. In August, it became the first San Antonio ISD neighborhood high school to earn an A on state ratings.
TEACHER VOICE: How I rethought disciplinary school in Texas
(Hechinger Report) An investigation found what Texas disciplinary programs look like at their worst. This is what they can look like when someone decides to do it differently.
Inside the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD Strategy Getting Texas Attention
(Texas Border Business) PSJA’s leadership and teachers are drawing attention to what is possible in public education.
For Texas schoolchildren, minor misbehavior can mean serious punishment
(New York Times via San Antonio Express-News) More students ages 10 to 13 are ending up in the justice system after vaping, making threats or lashing out at school.
Teacher Pay and a Controversial Curriculum: Inside District’s 10th State Takeover
(The 74) Texas took over South San Antonio ISD in 2025, its 10th state takeover since 2000. The new state-appointed leaders cut administrative jobs, raised teacher pay, and adopted a single curriculum. The district has already improved by one letter grade on its state report card. In an interview with The 74, board president Ray Tijerina credits careful trustee vetting and community-known appointees for the district’s one-letter-grade improvement this year, while acknowledging ongoing challenges like declining enrollment and the need to prepare future elected leaders to sustain the gains.
Cy-Fair ISD launches framework for balanced instructional technology usage
(Community Impact) Informed by research and developed by the district’s curriculum and instruction department, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD’s “Technology’s Presence & Purpose in Instruction” framework establishes districtwide expectations for device usage, parent choice, hands-on learning and teacher-led instruction, according to a news release.
Tomball ISD board reviews new details for virtual cybersecurity academy
(Community Impact) At the Oct. 13 workshop board meeting, the Tomball ISD trustees received an update on the curriculum and student standards for the proposed virtual cybersecurity program. TISD Chief Academic Officer Michael Webb provided the board with some clarity on how the proposed online program would operate. The board will vote on the project’s official approval this October and submit its Early College Amendment application to the Texas Education Agency by Dec. 4.
Pflugerville ISD identifies site for 202-unit teacher housing project
(Community Impact) Pflugerville ISD has identified a site for its teacher housing development. PfISD Chief Operations Officer Victor Valdez said the facility will be built near the district’s upcoming Advanced Pathways for Excellence Center. “It really makes a nice blended area … a nice place for teachers to live and feel like they’re in a residential area,” Valdez said. “Development of our complex fits really well there.”
Lubbock ISD considers school changes as district reviews enrollment costs
(Everything Lubbock) Lubbock ISD is reviewing how it operates its schools as declining enrollment, rising costs and limited funding put pressure on the district’s budget. The district’s school optimization plan evaluates campuses based on enrollment, building utilization and the cost of educating students. District leaders say the data will help guide decisions about how to use resources more efficiently while maintaining opportunities for students.
Round Rock ISD Residents Request Less Screen Time for Students
(Texas Scorecard) Individuals in a local chapter of “Schools Beyond Screens” are requesting Round Rock ISD change its policies surrounding technology use in classroom instruction.
Texas transgender rights group says it didn’t send texts that prompted call for an investigation
(Texas Tribune) The Transgender Education Network of Texas sent cease-and-desist letters to messaging companies Peerless Network and Infobip after unauthorized texts promoting TENT’s guides on school bathrooms and gender-affirming care were sent Monday and Tuesday. TENT says it did not send the messages and has faced threats and hateful responses. The texts appeared aimed at Republicans and arrived days before early voting in a competitive election in which Ken Paxton has criticized James Talarico over his support for transgender youth.
Northside ISD substitute suspended after students report remarks about ICE, police
(San Antonio Express-News) A Northside Independent School District substitute has been suspended from assignments while officials investigate a student’s report that the substitute mentioned calling ICE and police on a class. The student reported the incident Oct. 6 at Rayburn Middle School, district spokesman Barry Perez said. Officials said the substitute made the remark while addressing a fourth-period class about students’ behavior.
IDEA Public Schools bus driver refuses to drive over safety concerns, cites potential mechanical issues
(Fox 26 Houston) A school bus driver with nearly 30 years of commercial driving experience, is refusing to operate his bus over an active Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) warning light. IDEA Public Schools says that vehicles with defects compromising safety must be addressed before returning to service and that drivers are expected to report unsafe conditions. The driver maintains he properly reported the safety concern according to protocol, but says the defect remains unaddressed. Follow-up inquiries regarding Clarence Lenton’s specific claims have been sent to IDEA Public Schools administration, but a response is still pending.
Here’s why many North Texas school buses still may lack seat belts by 2029 deadline
(Dallas Morning News) State law now requires Texas school buses to have three-point seat belts for students by Sept. 1, 2029, but many North Texas districts say they cannot afford the upgrades.
Records: Cotulla ISD tech director accused of owning 750+ child sexual abuse files on phone
(KSAT) Police allege Joseph Yanez uploaded child sexual abuse files to a social media account.
Melissa ISD school bus driver fired following arrest on child pornography charge
(Fox 4 KDFW) Phillip Bates, a Melissa ISD driver for Route 15, was arrested Tuesday by McKinney police on a child pornography charge and immediately fired. District officials stated there is currently no evidence connecting the criminal charge to any Melissa ISD students or school activities.
How limits on teaching race, history have reached Texas private universities
(San Antonio Express-News) A new Texas law requires every teacher-training program, including those at private universities, to follow the same limits on teaching race, sex and history that apply to K-12 schools. The state made each program sign a promise to comply, and programs that don’t sign could lose state funding and the ability to certify teachers. Professors say the rules are so vague that they’re cutting material from their classes to stay safe.
Texas State University launches first-ever satellite into space
(Fox 7 Austin) A Texas State University student-built satellite lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This marked the university’s first-ever satellite launch. The satellite’s primary scientific objective centers on atmospheric defense.
City of Austin, UT Austin close to agreement on preserving Muny Golf Course
(Fox 7 Austin) The City of Austin and the University of Texas at Austin are close to an agreement to preserve Lions Municipal Golf Course, known as “Muny.” The proposed deal will give ownership of the golf course to the city. In 1950, Muny became the first public golf course in the south. It allowed people of color to play on the course. It was then listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a civil rights landmark.
UT San Antonio students demand answers months after tornado
(News4SA) Nearly three months after a tornado damaged a student apartment complex near the University of Texas at San Antonio, some students say they are still paying full rent without access to several amenities they expected when signing their leases.
Huston-Tillotson University parking dispute video sparks protests outside Austin home
(Fox 7 Austin) A parking dispute video near Huston-Tillotson University in East Austin has gone viral. A couple who lives along East 9th Street were seen telling people not to park in front of their home. They were also seen making comments about the university. The City of Austin said parking is allowed on those blocks of East 9th Street.
Prairie View bars private parties during homecoming after Labor Day violence reports
(Houston Chronicle) As Prairie View A&M University prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary homecoming, city officials are cracking down on large, privately organized gatherings by denying permit applications. The restrictions follow reports of violence during Labor Day weekend.
Fall enrollment grows at most San Antonio colleges and universities. Here’s how each school fared
(San Antonio Report) Enrollment across most of San Antonio colleges and universities increased this fall, with more than 166,000 students attending public and private institutions in the city. Our Lady of the Lake University was the only institution to report a loss in student enrollment of nearly 12% since last fall, landing at 1,550 total students this fall.
UT El Paso enrollment hits record 27,000 while students face parking shortages
(KVIA) Fall 2026 marks the first year UTEP’s enrollment has surpassed 27 thousand, a 10% increase from 2020, when the university had fewer than 25,000 students, according to the university communications. Students say the number of parking spots isn’t keeping up with those higher enrollment rates. Limited parking spots is forcing commuters to plan for extra time on their drive and possibly a long walk to class.
Sex crimes and stigma: reports and reporting culture across five Texas universities
(CBS Austin) CBS Austin looked at sex-crime reports at five big Texas public universities after a Texas State student was assaulted on Oct. 11. Each school records these crimes a little differently, and Texas A&M’s reported rapes dropped by about half after 2023. UT students said that even though help is available, many victims don’t report because they fear being exposed or judged. None of the universities responded to CBS Austin before the story ran.
SMU announces first-of-its-kind Texas athletics partnership as university reports surge in applications
(WFAA) Texas Capital Bank’s logo will appear on uniforms for all 17 SMU teams as university leaders report a 65% increase in undergraduate applications since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU Athletics and Dallas-based Texas Capital announced Tuesday a jersey patch partnership covering all 17 of the university’s varsity sports programs, marking what officials say is the first all-sports agreement of its kind for a Power Four athletics program in Texas.
A Dallas private school wants to serve gifted students with special needs. What to know about twice-exceptional learners
(Dallas Morning News) Twice-exceptional students embody an unexpected combination. They’re intellectually gifted but have learning challenges, such as dyslexia, autism and ADHD.
Private school in Tyler builds personalized learning environments for dyslexic students
(KLTV) Bridgemark Center for Learning Differences is private school specializing in providing learning environments for students with learning disabilities.
City of Liberty falls victim to $600,000 wire transfer fraud, officials say
(KTRK) Officials with the City of Liberty said it fell victim to a fraudulent wire transfer of about $600,000. The city said it initiated the transfer in response to a payment request from an email domain that appeared to impersonate a legitimate vendor to whom the city owed payment.
Texas town gets $31 million to ditch septic tanks, with schools first in line for sewer hookups
(The Cool Down) More than $31 million in federal funding will help Ben Bolt, a small South Texas town, move away from septic tanks and begin building a modern sewer system. The first connections are expected to go to local schools as the long-delayed project gets underway.
Katy ISD turns to robots to fill custodian shortage
(KTRK) Katy ISD has deployed cleaning robots at 17 of its schools after struggling to find enough people to fill custodial positions. District officials say they are short 100 custodians districtwide.
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TexEdNews Article Archives
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
