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Reported Elsewhere

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April 17, 2025
Legislative Update:
Texas House preliminarily approves controversial school voucher plan, $7.7B school funding bill

(KUT) After more than 12 hours of debate, the Texas House gave initial approval to two of the most closely-watched bills of the legislative session – a $7.7 billion public school funding package and a hotly contested proposal to create a pathway for families to use state tax dollars to help send their kids to private schools. Before floor debate on SB 2 began Wednesday afternoon, the Texas House first took up — and gave preliminary approval to — House Bill 2, a sweeping school funding proposal.

Reforms for Public University Governance Pass Texas Senate

(Texas Scorecard) The legislation ends the “shared governance” model between faculty senates and boards of regents. The legislation now moves to the Texas House, where, if passed, it would head to the governor’s office.

Bill to transfer University of Houston-Victoria to Texas A&M System moves forward

(Crossroads Today) The proposed transfer of the University of Houston-Victoria to the Texas A&M University System is moving forward after Senate Bill 2361 received unanimous approval today in the Texas Senate.

Also Reported:
Safety concerns raised after unidentified student let alleged shooter into Wilmer-Hutchins High School

(CBS Texas) An unidentified student let the suspected gunman into Wilmer-Hutchins High School through an “unsecured door,” according to arrest records. The 17-year-old suspect then “displayed a firearm and began firing at the students indiscriminately,” the affidavit said. Five students were injured in Tuesday’s shooting. Related:

Fort Worth ISD recommends closing 2 schools, rebuilding another to reshape Northside campuses

(Fort Worth Report) A new middle school could open by 2029 — but only if Fort Worth ISD shutters Kirkpatrick Elementary and Kirkpatrick Middle School and demolishes part of J.P. Elder Middle School.

Conroe ISD to implement Bluebonnet Learning curriculum in elementary schools

(Community Impact) Conroe ISD will implement the Bluebonnet Learning language arts and reading curriculum in all its elementary campuses for the 2025-26 school year following a 7-0 vote at its April 15 meeting.

Houston ISD sees decline in disciplinary reports, but 133% spike in firearms possession

(Houston Chronicle) While nearly all disciplinary incidents declined, firearm possession reports in the district increased by 133% this year.

Kingsville school board tables decision on returning to five-day week, seeks community input

(KIII) One of the major topics at the Kingsville Independent School District school board meeting was whether or not the district should move back to a five-day school week. The matter was tabled, and a survey will be sent out to staff, students and parents about which of the two proposed calendars they prefer.

Teacher in San Antonio’s North East ISD was told to remove ‘Hate has no home here’ sign

(Texas Public Radio) More than a dozen people attended the North East Independent School District board meeting on Monday evening to protest an order requiring an NEISD teacher to remove a sign from her classroom. The sign in question is a small cloth banner that was attached to the side of algebra teacher April Jones’ desk. The banner said, “Hate has no home here” and showed a white and Black raised fist and hands holding a rainbow heart, a heart in the colors of the trans Pride flag, and a heart striped with different skin tones. Jones said she hung her ‘Hate has no home here’ sign in her classroom for years and never had a problem until this school year.

Here’s how much Arlington ISD receives in funding from the federal government

(Arlington Report) Since 2023, AISD lost nearly $4 million in federal funding. Now, district leaders plan to keep a closer watch on how Washington impacts their bottom line.

Lamar CISD plans for staff raises despite projected $5M shortfall for FY 2025-26

(Community Impact) Chief Financial Officer Jill Ludwig said despite the projected shortfall, district leaders are prioritizing employee pay and recommend the following raises: A $2,000 flat raise for all teachers on the salary schedule, bringing starting teacher pay to $65,700 and a 3% raise at the midpoint for other staff groups.

UT-Rio Grande Valley students caught in nationwide sweep sue Homeland Security over immigration status

(Texas Tribune) The four students were involved in minor criminal cases that have been resolved, which they argue shouldn’t be used to justify ending their higher ed goals in Texas.

UT Austin professors fear Trump administration’s funding cuts will derail life-saving research

(KUT) Since President Trump took office, the National Institutes of Health — the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world — has significantly cut grant funding. More than 80 percent of NIH grants go to researchers in the U.S. — including the labs that Andrea Gore and John Wallingford run at UT Austin. Gore and Wallingford — who spoke on their own behalves and not on behalf of the university — are worried their students will not have the same opportunities to pursue science.

How Trump’s DEI cuts canceled summer literacy camp for 130 kids in Houston

(Houston Chronicle) It took a presidential executive order and one nervous donor just a few months to tear up Brandi Brown’s carefully-laid plans for her summer literacy camp. HYPE Freedom School was set to expand this year, ready to welcome 380 students into a six-week, reading-based program that helps youth in Sunnyside and South Park. One HYPE donor worried that the nonprofit fell into the DEI category and slashed its $200,000 pledge to $50,000. Now, 130 students HYPE had planned to add to the program cannot attend, and 21% of HYPE’s budget is gone.

Clear Creek ISD makes changes to policies regarding AI

(Community Impact) More requirements related to artificial intelligence are making their way into school code at Clear Creek ISD after the board of trustees approved revisions to a pair of policies at its April 14 meeting.

Ector County ISD: Three arrested after Odessa High School lockdown

(KOSA) ECISD police have arrested three Odessa High School students for their part in Wednesday’s lockdown at the school. An 18-year-old senior, and two 16-year-old boys are all charged with Unlawful Carry of Weapons a Class A Misdemeanor. In addition, one of the 16-year-olds is being charged with Unlawful Restraint, a third degree felony, after two other students came forward to police and said the boy grabbed them and forcibly took them to a room. This all happened before the Secure and Lockdown were put into effect. Around 2:25 p.m., a campus officer received a report of a student with a gun in a parking lot at the school. Police found the student in the school, and he did not have a weapon.

San Antonio ISD student shot, killed in fight after school dismissal, police say

(MySA) A San Antonio ISD student was shot and killed during a fight as school dismissal took place on the Westside on April 16. Officials are working to identify the group of teenagers who police said carried out the attack. Chief William McManus said that a group of seven teenagers had an altercation with an eighth teenager about a block and half away from Brewer Academy when one of the teens took out a gun and shot the teenager who was on the ground. Police said the teen died of his injuries. 

Frisco police explain source of bullet that shattered elementary school window

(NBC DFW) Frisco police say the investigation into a bullet that struck Hosp Elementary last month is complete, and no charges will be filed. On Wednesday, Frisco police said detectives discovered a female resident in the 1000 block of Gentle Wind Lane believed someone was in her home and, armed with a handgun, searched the second floor of her home. Police say she stumbled, and that’s when the gun accidentally went off. The single shot penetrated an exterior wall of the home and then shattered the school’s window.

Multiple Stratford ISD employees under investigation for engaging inappropriately with students

(KFDA) According to a press release, multiple Stratford ISD employees are under investigation for engaging inappropriately with students. On April 11, the district received a report of a second rumor that another employee may have been involved in a romantic relationship with a student. The administration initiated an internal investigation of each educator and reported these incidents to local law enforcement. Stratford ISD Superintendent Paul Uttley confirmed that one staff member is on paid administrative leave.

What are TCU’s top salaries? Here are the 23 highest-paid university employees

(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) TCU’s three highest-paid employees were football coach Sonny Dykes, men’s basketball coach James Dixon and Chancellor Victor Boschini. Dykes’ total compensation was over $6.9 million in 2023. Dixon was paid over $4.2 million in 2023, including a $50,000 performance bonus. Chancellor Boschini received $2.7 million in compensation in 2023, including a $500,000 performance bonus.

‘Did you just stab my brother?’ — Brother of Joe Ramirez recounts days leading up to deadly stabbing at Belton High in 2022

(KWTX) It was another day of palpable emotions inside the 146th District Court in Bell County. The brother of Joe Ramirez, Josh Rios, ended day three of testimony in the trial against Caysen Allison where he recounted the tension building up to the fatal fight on May 3, 2022, and what happened in those fateful moments.

Deer Park HS student tells police he was showing off doing donuts when he hit 2 students on campus

(KTRK) Christian Perez, an 11th-grade student at Deer Park, reportedly told officers he was trying to show off by doing donuts when he hit the two students. Officials say one of the victims was possibly sent as high as 30 feet into the air; the other was sent as high as 20 feet. Perez faces two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with a bond set at $50,000. He must wear a court-ordered GPS monitor, and he can no longer drive without permission from a judge. The injured students — a boy and a girl — are both 18 years old. They’ve been released from the hospital and are recovering at home.

WATCH: Teen driver in custody after vehicle speeds across Killeen middle school campus Wednesday

(KXXV) Viewer video shared with 25 News shows a vehicle speeding across the campus of Manor Middle School in Killeen on Wednesday.

Here’s the staggering amount of money UT student athletes have made on NIL since 2021

(KXAN) University of Texas student-athletes have already earned $17.6 million this school year, the highest single-season amount since they became eligible to profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL) in 2021, according to data obtained by the Austin Business Journal through an open-records request.

Have Major League Baseball’s polarizing torpedo bats made their way to Texas high school baseball?

(Dallas Morning News) The torpedo bat has gained attention in baseball circles, but its potential arrival in Texas high school play remains uncertain. While the innovative bat isn’t used in the UIL, some coaches believe it could debut as soon as next season. But, others question its place in a league that has long used aluminum bats.

Five years after COVID disrupted schools, what has changed in high school sports?

(Texas Standard) Texas is all about those Friday night lights, but athletes across all sports experienced pandemic changes.

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UIL

Oct. 15-16 UIL Legislative Council Meeting Results

Moving the pilot Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) contest to a permanent part of the UIL robotics program was among the several UIL rule changes approved by the league’s 32-member rule making…
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TEA Seeks Special-Ed Mediators

The TEA is accepting applications from licensed attorneys (with at least these minimum qualifications) to serve as mediators to help resolve special-ed related disputes between parents and ISDs, charters or other local education…
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