Latest TexEdNews:

Reported Elsewhere:

Having problems?
Please refresh your browser.

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.

August 27, 2026
Gov. Abbott orders higher ed agency to help create three-year bachelor’s degrees

(Austin American-Statesman) Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to create a plan to bring three-year bachelor’s degrees to Texas. In a Wednesday letter to higher education Commissioner Wynn Rosser,  Abbott pitched three-year degrees as a way to make higher education more affordable, efficient and attainable for Texans amid a growing need for a college-educated workforce.

Here’s what Greg Abbott, Gina Hinojosa say about education priorities in Texas governor’s race

(Texas Tribune) From school takeovers to college affordability, the Democrat and Republican are rolling out their education priorities ahead of November’s election.

Lawmakers Scrutinize Barbers Hill ISD’s Massive Education Foundation

(Texas Scorecard) The House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight scrutinized Barbers Hill ISD’s controversial education foundation Wednesday. House members questioned nearly $100 million directed to the foundation, its real estate investments, and potential conflicts of interest.

In the era of vouchers, school districts are trying their best to reel in new students

(Dallas Observer) North Texas districts are now advertising for their lives amid campus closures and vanishing enrollment.

New TEA ratings reveal deep gaps for North Texas low-income students

(Dallas Morning News) North Texas students from low-income families have a hard time accessing quality education, according to a Dallas Morning News analysis of new school ratings data released by the Texas Education Agency.  In the North Texas counties of Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant, only 8% or 35 of 437 schools graded A in the latest TEA accountability ratings had a high share of students from poor families. 

How a national Christian group influenced a new Texas law requiring public schools to allow Bible classes

(CBS Texas) Texas now requires public schools to let students leave for parent-approved religious instruction during the day, a practice pushed by LifeWise Academy. Supporters call it parental freedom; critics warn it favors Christianity, cuts into class time, and raises church-state separation concerns amid a broader push for religion in public schools.

Meta to pay Texas $1 billion in child safety case

(Texas Tribune) As part of Texas’ settlement, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram will apply stricter age verification measures and institute a daily two-hour limit for teens.

Mike Miles says his Houston ISD exit could be coming sooner than you think

(Houston Chronicle) Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles says he expects the district’s state intervention could officially end at the close of the 2026-27 school year- and suggested his own time leading the district could end soon after. “Get out of here as fast as possible. That’s my exit strategy,” Miles said during an appearance Tuesday on Hello Houston when asked about his plans for leaving the state takeover. Miles later clarified that he has a contract extending four more years, but added he expects a newly elected HISD school board to choose its own superintendent once the state intervention ends. Related:

Killeen ISD cuts spending, rolls back tax rate

(Fox 44) The KISD board has adopted a general fund budget some $17.6 million dollars less than last year, meaning a lower tax rate and smaller deficit. In their Tuesday night meeting, the KISD Board of Trustees adopted a General Fund near $502.9 million and reduced its planned General Fund deficit from approximately $4.2 million the prior year to $1.4 million.

Edinburg CISD super gets $335K annual contract; discusses dire financial situation

(myRGV) The Edinburg CISD board decided in a 4-3 vote to approve a three-year contract for new Superintendent Angela Dominguez, who is taking the helm of the district that is in financial distress.

Canutillo ISD launches $4 million private network for digital learning, security

(KVIA) Wednesday, the Canutillo Independent School District broke ground and formally launched a private fiber network to help with digital learning. CISD Superintendent Josue Borrego said the network is a $4 million modernization move. The district said the private network will give students access to high-speed, reliable connectivity.

Pflugerville ISD pauses Flock Safety cameras as city ends contract

(KVUE) The district said in a letter to families Wednesday that it removed all cameras from its high schools and the Pfield athletic complex.

Northside ISD joins list of school districts partnering with OpenAI

(San Antonio Report) Artificial intelligence company Open AI is partnering with a growing number of school districts in Texas, including one here in San Antonio. Northside Independent School District confirmed it will be using ChatGPT for Teachers, an artificial intelligence chatbot made by OpenAI specifically for school systems and educators. Related:

Fort Worth ISD cancels all outdoor activities, practices amid Texas wildfire

(Dallas Morning News) Fort Worth ISD canceled all outdoor after-school activities and practices Wednesday, as wildfires scorch thousands of acres across Texas. Related:

Austin ISD’s vaccination rates have risen dramatically amid a nationwide dip

(KUT) After a yearslong decline, the school district brought vaccination rates up for some shots by more than 20% last year. District health leaders credit the change to a range of targeted efforts.

Education technology industry to advocate for responsible digital usage in classrooms amid proposed screen time limitation

(Spectrum) A new nonprofit, Responsible Technology in Education, will advocate for more thoughtful use of technology rather than eliminating it, while teachers’ union leaders say screen use should be left largely to educators’ discretion.

Some schools being ‘begged’ to move football games to Thursday due to ref shortage

(Everything Lubbock) Texas is facing a shortage of high school sports officials, prompting some schools to consider moving football games from Friday to Thursday so enough referees are available. South Plains coaches say the shortage is driven in part by the way officials are sometimes treated by players, coaches and fans.

Beaumont ISD ends on-site EMS at football games, outlines response plan for injuries

(KFDM) The district said EMS crews will “no longer” be stationed at its games and other athletic events, but medical staff will still be on hand. For all home varsity football games, Beaumont ISD said a doctor will volunteer on site to provide immediate medical expertise, along with at least one BISD athletic trainer.

Alice ISD delays opening of $38 million football stadium, moves Friday game to Beeville

(KIII) Coyotes fans will have to wait two more weeks to see Alice’s new $38 million Sky Dome after construction delays forced Friday’s game to move.

Hays CISD introduces sliding scale athletics fees for 2026-27 school year

(Community Impact) Families of student-athletes in Hays CISD will be required to pay athletics fees this year to help offset budget cuts and keep non-varsity teams running. Athletics fees will not replace or cover other costs to participate in the sport. Rather, fees go directly into the district’s budget.

San Antonio nonprofit urges free teen heart screenings after recent student-athlete deaths

(KSAT) August Heart Foundation has provided free screenings for 15 years after the passing of local athlete August Koontz.

Parents Banned From Corpus Christi ISD Property After Heated Middle School Confrontation

(KIII) A video spread on social media shows an angry parent at Dorothy Adkins Middle School on Monday following a dispute involving students. CCISD Police Chief Kirby Warnke says what began as a verbal altercation between students quickly escalated when parents became involved. Warnke says everyone involved in the confrontation has now been banned from CCISD properties. The police chief says the investigation is still underway and criminal charges could eventually be filed.

14-year-old girl taken into custody after bringing a loaded firearm onto Willis ISD HS campus

(KPRC) A 14-year-old student was taken into custody after bringing a loaded firearm onto the campus of Willis High School on Wednesday morning, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said. Deputies say the incident occurred at 10:40 a.m., when a school administrator encountered students skipping class while conducting a bathroom check. According to MCSO, a subsequent search of one of the student’s backpack revealed a loaded firearm. The student, a 14-year-old girl, was taken into custody.

Driver, passenger arrested after fleeing crash involving Conroe ISD school bus

(KPRC) Two arrests have been made following a hit-and-run involving a Conroe Independent School District school bus Wednesday afternoon, according to Conroe ISD. District officials said the school bus was transporting students home from Campbell Elementary School when it was rear-ended by a vehicle. Officials said the driver and passenger in the vehicle ran from the crash, but were later captured by law enforcement officers who responded to the crash scene. One of the suspects was reportedly found with a gun in their possession. Two students were checked out by EMS at the scene, but no transportation was needed.

Valley View ISD staff member arrested on campus Tuesday, the district reports

(WFAA) Valley View Independent School District has announced the arrest of a staff member on campus on Tuesday, according to a release from the district. In a statement, the district says the arrest is related to alleged conduct prior to the person’s employment with VVISD. The district said no students were harmed or placed in danger by the staff member’s employment, the circumstances leading up to the arrest, or the result of the incident.

TCU bans Star-Telegram over coverage of football locker room attack

(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) TCU has rescinded the Star-Telegram’s credentials to cover Horned Frogs athletics over the newspaper’s coverage of an Aug. 13 locker room assault that led to the dismissal of senior safety Jacob Fields from the football team.

$45M building coming at UT Education and Research Center at Laredo

(Laredo Morning Times) The University of Texas Education and Research Center at Laredo is building a new multipurpose building at an estimated cost of $45 million. The project covers 57,000 square feet and includes a three-story higher education building on the UT Education and Research Center at Laredo campus. The building will include classrooms, labs, academic and staff offices and related support spaces.

In focus: UT Rio Grande Valley aiming to open School of Optometry in late 2027

(myRGV) The UTRGV School of Optometry, set to be the second public optometry school in Texas, is inching close to its 2027 fall start with tuition and fees approved along with a $41.3 million investment for new academic and clinical facilities.

Bexar County proposed budget blames $1.3B in property value loss on widows of disabled veterans

(San Antonio Report) During a recent presentation to the Commissioners Court, Bexar County’s Budget and Finance Department attributed a $1.3 billion property value loss in its upcoming budget to “the disabled veteran’s widows qualifying for their spouse’s exemption.”

Tarrant County task force finds 2 election violations among 193 allegations from the public

(Fort Worth Report) There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, but county officials say the election integrity task force made elections more secure. Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, District Attorney Phil Sorrells and Sheriff Bill Waybourn created the election integrity task force to make it easier for the public to report voter fraud.

Tarrant County employers no longer just wait for graduates. They’re helping teach them

(Fort Worth Report) Leaders from Tarrant County College, UT Arlington and Azle ISD share how employers shape what students learn before entering the workforce.

Fort Worth mental health nonprofit launches youth trauma and grief collaborative

(Fort Worth Report) A Fort Worth mental health nonprofit is expanding trauma and grief care into schools. Soar, the nonprofit branch of real estate investment firm M2G Ventures, has launched the Tarrant County Trauma and Grief Collaborative in partnership with the Dallas-based Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. The organizations will aim to train 180 school and community clinicians over the next three years on how best to handle childhood grief, with the goal of serving 1,440 children.

Click for Earlier
“Reported Elsewhere” Dates

Latest from TexEdNews!

$ = Subscribers Only

No posts

TexEdNews Article Archives

$ = Subscribers Only

Commissioner’s Decisions
(Through July 2026)
SY 2025-26
PEIMS Articles: