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Sept. 16, 2026
Mike Morath wanted Texas to reach No. 1 in education. Test scores show there’s more work to do

(Texas Tribune) Appointed a decade ago, the education commissioner insists that when he has direct oversight, academic gains follow. His critics await better student outcomes.

Texas Lawmakers Explore Path to Replacing School Property Taxes

(Texas Scorecard) The Texas House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday reviewed property tax relief options ahead of 2027, weighing dueling plans from Abbott (eliminate school M&O taxes for homeowners plus spending caps) and Patrick (expanded exemptions, senior freeze at 55). Education Commissioner Morath testified that fully eliminating M&O taxes would cost the state about $29.2 billion annually to replace, on top of $23.5 billion already spent on relief since 2019 — and stressed that funding levels and funding sources are separate questions, with total school funding rising from $47.44 billion to $72.55 billion since 2015-16.

El Paso ISD adopts new tax rate, but more than 20,000 homeowners will pay nothing

(El Paso Matters) The new EPISD tax rate will generate $13,389 per student – $183 less than last year but $396 more than this year’s no-new-revenue rate – while more than 20,000 owner-occupied homes will owe no school property tax.

Voucher in hand, no school to spend it on. Thousands of Texas students with disabilities returned state aid

(Dallas Morning News) Politicians promised vouchers would give students with special needs options. Some families were turned away, couldn’t make the commute, or never heard back from prospective private schools.

This Houston-area school district is still missing thousands of Bluebonnet materials

(Houston Chronicle) Officials at Conroe ISD knew there might be hiccups getting their state-created Bluebonnet textbooks and lesson plans this school year. But they weren’t prepared for how bad it would be. The Texas Education Agency’s printing contractor blew every delivery deadline. When boxes of workbooks and lesson plans did arrive, they were unlabeled, mislabeled, or went to the wrong school. As of Tuesday, a month into the school year, the district was still waiting on about 35,500 materials from the state, according to a Conroe ISD board member who detailed the problems in an email to members of the State Board of Education on Monday.

‘Something we’ll need to do’: North East ISD identifies 16 schools facing closure

(KENS) The futures of 16 elementary schools in San Antonio’s second-biggest district are up in the air amid continued financial challenges.

Houston ISD removes race, income and disability from gifted student criteria despite past ‘rampant’ inequity

(Houston Chronicle) Houston ISD’s board approved bans to race, ethnicity, income, sex and disability in gifted-and-talened scoring as districts respond to federal DEI scrutiny.

Austin ISD launches new dashboard tracking turnaround plan progress

(Community Impact) Austin ISD launched a public dashboard Sept. 15 on its School Improvement Page tracking academic and staffing data at 29 campuses carrying “unacceptable” ratings from the Texas Education Agency, giving families and staff an ongoing look at teacher quality and student performance throughout the school year. Related:

Bryan ISD faces bus driver shortage, approves pay raise

(KBTX) Bryan ISD is running more than 100 bus routes daily while being 30 drivers short, forcing transportation staff, mechanics, and administrators to drive routes to cover the gap. In response, the district’s school board voted Monday night to raise starting pay for bus drivers from $18.65 to $22 an hour, a change that takes effect immediately, with the goal of boosting recruitment and retention.

Beaumont ISD targets higher attendance after finishing last year at 89.6%

(KFDM) Beaumont ISD is asking parents, staff and community members to help tackle a problem that state appointed superintendent Sandi Massey says “is not looking very good” right now: student attendance. The district reported more than 17,000 student absences, with some students absent more than once. Massey said the district is trying to determine what barriers are keeping students from school.

Socorro ISD board approves virtual academy pilot program for eligible high school students

(KFOX) High school students at the Socorro Independent School District may soon have a new way to attend class after the Socorro school board approved a pilot program for a virtual academy on Tuesday.

North Texas schools set AI rules as educators weigh risks and rewards

(Dallas Morning News) School districts across Texas and nationwide are developing guidelines to regulate student and teacher use of AI tools in classrooms to ensure responsible usage. Researchers warn that the risks of AI in schools, such as students becoming overly reliant on AI tools, could outweigh the benefits to student learning, emphasizing the importance of proper implementation and guardrails.

More than 250 uncertified teachers taught in Webb, Zapata County classrooms last year

(KGNS) More than 250 uncertified teachers taught in Webb and Zapata County classrooms during the 2025-26 academic year, according to data from the Texas Education Agency published in the spring. That figure represents roughly 6% of teachers in the two counties. The data shows 64 uncertified teachers at Laredo ISD, 163 at United ISD, one at Webb CISD and 31 in Zapata County.

UT Austin students say Hasan Piker event is being pushed off campus. What’s actually happening?

(Austin American-Statesman) Student leaders from the University of Texas’ University Democrats chapter this week accused their school of forcing an event with liberal political commentator Hasan Piker off campus. UT has not cancelled the event nor ordered its relocation. But the event’s future remains uncertain as more than 2,400 people have said they want to attend, and conservatives and a Democratic congressman have pressured UT to shut down the talk.

For second year, UNT score dips in free speech analysis among US colleges

(KERA) A civil liberties advocacy group found that the University of North Texas fared worse in protecting the freedom of speech this year than it did during an analysis of the 2025-26 school year.

UT Rio Grande Valley professor on yearlong suspension without resolution

(myRGV) For more than a year, UTRGV political science professor Clyde Barrow has been on suspension with pay with no resolution. The professor, however, is claiming his criticism over certain choices is the root cause. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) published Barrow’s case on Monday in an effort to draw public attention.

In Hidalgo County, teachers who prey on students rarely go to prison

(ValleyCentral) During the past decade, 17 educators in Hidalgo County admitted to inappropriate relationships with students. Just four spent any time in prison. The era of slap-on-the-wrist sentences, though, may be coming to an end. When the Texas Legislature returns to Austin in 2027, Gov. Greg Abbott wants lawmakers to create a new, 10-year mandatory minimum for any educator convicted of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Venus High School ‘Teacher of the Year’ arrested for improper relationship with student

(Fox 4 KDFW) Former Venus High School Teacher of the Year Jamie Corder was arrested and held on a $1 million bond for an alleged improper relationship with a student. Venus ISD placed Corder on leave after receiving an allegation, and he is no longer employed by the district. The exact timeline of when the district received the report and removed Corder, as well as whether there are other victims, remains unknown.

Juvenile taken into detention after bringing gun to KIPP academy, Houston police say

(KTRK) A juvenile was taken into detention after law enforcement confiscated a gun at KIPP Mosaic Academy on Tuesday, according to Houston police.

Student taken into custody after gun found in backpack at Somerset ISD Elementary

(News4SA) A student was removed from Somerset Elementary School on Tuesday after a gun was found in the student’s backpack. According to district officials, Somerset ISD police were notified about the firearm around 12:45 p.m. School staff and officers took the student into custody and seized the weapon.

Chief appraiser takes heat for changes to Bexar County’s 1-year appraisal reprieve

(San Antonio Report) The Bexar Central Appraisal District (BCAD) is adjusting a popular 2024 policy that sought to keep property owners from having to challenge their appraisal values as often as usual. Chief Appraiser Rogelio Sandoval said Monday the change is merely a language compliance issue that won’t impact taxpayers — but several board members accused him of misrepresenting the situation to clawback hard-fought protections. Two years ago, Bexar County was among several Texas counties where appraisal districts pursued innovative policies after the Legislature expanded boards.

When Texas Sex Ed Falls Short, Gen Z Women Turn to Social Media

(The Nation) With Texas requiring no mandated sex education (and its abstinence-only Texas Abstinence Education Program excluding topics like consent, contraception, and sexual orientation), many Gen Z women in the state say they’ve turned to TikTok and YouTube shorts to learn about reproductive and menstrual health, with a 2025 study finding 70 percent of adolescents sought reproductive health information through social media platforms.

Even with government assistance, many Texas families can’t find affordable childcare options

(KERA) Thousands of Texas families are waiting for help paying for childcare – but government payments don’t always cover the full cost, so even families who get that help can struggle to find care they can afford.

New Dallas ISD program teaches students how to fix DART buses

(KERA) Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is launching a new program that gives Dallas students hands-on bus maintenance experience and a chance at a good-paying job right after graduation. DART’s High School Student Bus Maintenance Externship program focuses on valuable mechanic skills ranging from automotive basics to fixing buses with supervised hands-on training. Related:

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