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Oct. 20, 2026
Hundreds of thousands of potentially eligible Texas homeowners aren’t claiming their property tax savings

(Texas Tribune) Homeowners aren’t claiming a homestead exemption because they do not know about it or find the process too complicated, experts say.

Texas law­makers rethink­ing 4-day school week for stu­dents

(Austin American-Statesman) During the pandemic, a four-day school week grew in popularity, but some Texas lawmakers are reconsidering the rules that allowed districts to create the model.

Playtime pays off for kids. But Texas schools are reluctant to give them more

(Fort Worth Star-Telegram) Research spearheaded by a Texas Christian University professor shows students can benefit academically from having an hour of outdoor play per day. But convincing educators to budget this much time into the school day is a challenge.

Frontline data breach may have exposed personal information of 38K, including Klein ISD employees

(Houston Chronicle) A data breach involving education software company Frontline may have exposed personal information of 37,966 people, including Klein ISD employees, according to a report filed with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. The Oct. 16 report says the information potentially exposed includes addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and other personal details.

Houston ISD spent millions building its own curriculum. Now other school districts are using it for free

(Houston Chronicle) Houston ISD invested millions in taxpayer funds to develop its own curriculum and is sharing its materials for free with other school systems – a move that experts call rare and that expands the reach of state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ model in Texas and his home state of Colorado. Public school districts, including Beaumont, Garland and Tyler ISDs, the charter network International Leadership of Texas, and the Montezuma-Cortez School District in Colorado have all used HISD’s curriculum to some degree, according to records and a district statement.

New U.S. News rankings crown the best elementary and middle schools in Texas

(Houston Chronicle) Some Texas elementary and middle schools soared more than 20 spots in the new national ranking by U.S. News and World Report, while others lost ground in the race to be named the best.

‘It was so heartbreaking’: Dallas ISD pulls library books for review amid pressure from Austin

(Dallas Morning News) Dallas ISD pulled thousands of books for review after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned districts they could face consequences if they don’t remove “vulgar” titles from libraries. Seventh grader Maya Madabhushi checked out several of the targeted books before they were boxed up, and she and her mother are now pushing back against the district and state policy.

Austin ISD Webb PTA asks TEA to investigate disputed petition to close school

(Austin Current) Hundreds of Burnet and Webb parents signed petitions to close their children’s schools to avoid a district takeover, but some parents say they were pressured.

Who earns the most in Abilene ISD?

(Abilene Reporter News) Salary records obtained by the Reporter News through a public information request offer a closer look at Abilene ISD’s top earners, highlighting the administrators and educational leaders responsible for overseeing campus operations, instruction and districtwide initiatives.

Canyon ISD is in its fifth consecutive deficit budget year

(Amarillo Tribune) Supply and insurance costs have risen faster than local and state revenue; departments across the district determined how to make 6% budget cuts.

North East ISD names 3 campuses for possible closure before next fall

(San Antonio Express-News) The North East Independent School District on Monday released a tentative plan to close three campuses by next fall. District officials proposed Montgomery, Oak Grove and Dellview elementaries for closure, according to a presentation by CFO Susie Lackorn at a Monday night board meeting. NEISD leaders plan to present their official recommendation to trustees on Nov. 9. The school board is scheduled to vote on the plan that same night.

A board in waiting: South San Antonio ISD trustees prepare for an uncertain return

(San Antonio Express-News) Texas took over South San Antonio ISD in February 2025 after years of board infighting and mismanagement, leaving its elected trustees sidelined with no official role. The district must hit certain benchmarks, including at least a C rating and financial stability, before the trustees can return, possibly as early as 2027. So far, the state-appointed board has raised the district’s rating from a D to a C and plans a gradual handoff to keep the old problems from returning.

United ISD addresses staffing shortages as special education vacancies grow

(Laredo Morning Times) United ISD reported campus staff vacancies, including numerous special education aide positions. Officials said substitutes are covering many openings while officials plan hiring efforts.

Dayton ISD bus driver back in custody after crash leaves teen fighting for his life

(KHOU) A Dayton ISD bus driver accused of striking and seriously injuring a 14-year-old boy has been arrested after police obtained a new warrant in the case. The family identified the boy as Brantley and confirmed he was the student involved in Friday morning’s collision near U.S. Highway 90 and Stilson Road. He remains hospitalized at Texas Children’s Hospital, where his family says he is receiving intensive medical care. Dayton Police Chief Shane Burleigh said Ricky Eugene Cherry, 70, was driving a school bus along Highway 90 when he struck a juvenile walking along the highway. The chief said Cherry continued driving without stopping to help.

Terroristic threat charge: Lumberton ISD MS student lied about weapon on campus

(KFDM) A Lumberton Middle School student faces a terroristic threat charge and will be placed in Hardin County juvenile detention after allegedly claiming to have a weapon on campus. Administrators located the student right away and put the campus on a precautionary hold. Police, school resource officers, and district safety staff, using a contraband-detection dog, searched the campus, found no weapon, and lifted the hold.

Gainesville ISD school custodian arrested for indecency with a child

(Fox 4 KDFW) Hervey Nava, a 62-year-old custodian at Gainesville Junior High, was arrested Friday and charged with indecency with a child following an investigation into allegations by a 13-year-old student. Police began investigating Nava earlier this month after a 13-year-old Gainesville Junior High student reported that he had hugged her and touched her inappropriately after a brief conversation in a classroom. The victim left the classroom and immediately told another school employee what had happened, police said.

Former Kingsville youth football board member indicted in $9K theft case

(KRIS) Nearly a year after more than $9,000 went missing from a Kingsville youth football league, a former board member has been indicted. Here’s what we know about the case. Francisco Villarreal Jr. is now facing a theft charge after money was reportedly taken from the league’s Cash App account over several months.

Some East Central ISD voters got incomplete ballots Monday. Bexar County blames it on state-run elections system

(San Antonio Report) In a mass email to the press on Monday afternoon, district officials said some East Central voters reported not seeing the measure, titled Proposition A, on their ballot, instead seeing an item from a different school district. Bexar County spokesperson John Moreno confirmed the discrepancy and said it’s related to the Texas Election Administration Management system, the state’s central platform to manage voter registrations and elections.  “I can confirm this has been resolved for Bexar County and affected less than 1% of our eligible voters,” Moreno said.

UT Austin Cuts Foreign Research Ties Flagged As National Security Risks

(Dallas Express) The University of Texas at Austin cut foreign research relationships flagged as national security risks following Pentagon scrutiny, the Department of War announced Monday as it reported the results of security audits at 30 universities.

Randall County jail academy pipeline to become statewide mode

(KFDA) Randall County is turning a first-of-its-kind program into a model for the rest of Texas. In 2024, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement gave the Randall County Sheriff’s Office a waiver to let high school students attend its jailers academy. Only one other sheriff’s office in the state has this permission. Students who complete the academy can take the state test and earn a Texas jailer license. Canyon ISD students have gone through three academies so far. Nine have graduated, and seven of them have been hired.

For undocumented students, the path from high school to college is shrinking

(Chalkbeat) “It has been a little bit bleak and disappointing,” said Martinez, a college counselor in Texas, which is one of the states that has backtracked on in-state tuition for undocumented students. (Chalkbeat is only using her last name because she is in the process of gaining citizenship and concerned about immigration enforcement.)

Feral hogs damage Forestburg ISD junior high practice field

(KAUZ) Feral hogs have torn up part of Forestburg ISD’s junior high football practice field, prompting the district to ask the community for help. While the varsity team practices on the main field, the junior high team uses a smaller practice field twice a week. Forestburg ISD Athletic Director Cori Hayes said the damage has limited the space available for practices. “It’s just something that’s recurring. The way that they populate, there’s not much you can do to deter them, especially on open land like this,” Hayes said.

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TRS Adds San Felipe-Del Rio CISD to ActiveCare

The TRS board during a special meeting last week approved San Felipe-Del Rio CISD (SFDRCISD) to join the TRS-ActiveCare employee health plan starting Jan. 1, 2027. The board specifically adopted the district’s special…
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