Long lines linger at Houston’s biggest airport as TSA agents miss work during partial government shutdown

The ongoing partial government shutdown has led to long security lines at airports across the country, but no airport has felt the effects as acutely as George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. On Thursday, wait times at Bush, one of the nation’s busiest airports, reached four hours or more, with lines extending outside its terminals. Passenger volume at Bush is expected to get worse this weekend, driven by major events in Houston, including the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament. The lines are a result of many Transportation Security Administration officers — who aren’t getting paid during the shutdown — not coming to work. As airline passengers waited in long lines and congressional negotiators appeared far from a deal to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump late Thursday said on social media that he will sign an emergency order for the department, which oversees TSA, to immediately pay TSA officers. He did not elaborate where the money for the agency, unfunded by Congress for more than a month, would come from.
Northside ISD has nearly $200 million in 2022 bond project ‘on hold’

Nine school improvement projects totaling nearly $200 million from Northside Independent School District's 2022 bond issue are "on hold" with no indication of when the projects will be built. Just four years after its nearly $1 billion bond election, San Antonio's largest school district intends to seek voter approval in November on a bond package for security upgrades and other improvements. Northside's Building Committee got an update Wednesday on the $198.47 million in projects that were approved nearly four years ago but have not since been executed. Superintendent John Craft told a panel of trustees he wants to "be careful in not putting millions and millions of dollars into these facilities and then having to come back in a very short amount of time (and saying), 'Well, we really need more science labs.'
147 measles cases reported in Texas so far this year, most of them in federal detention centers

Local officials report that 108 of the cases originated in a contracted detention facility in Hudspeth County. The largest outbreak is in a single contracted federal detention facility in Hudspeth County, as of March 18, according to DSHS. Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie told The Texas Tribune that the 108 cases are all at the West Texas Detention Facility, which is managed by LaSalle Corrections, a private company. The facility has previously housed immigrant detainees, though it’s not clear if it still does. It does not appear on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s list of detention facilities. “Not having jurisdiction, my office is not involved in response,” MacKenzie added in a statement, “however I remain in communication with DSHS and LaSalle, as I regularly do.”
Why an East Texas rancher donated part of his water rights to the state

JEFFERSON COUNTY — Bob Sanders bumps along the dirt roads of his 1,100-acre ranch in a beat up burgundy Chevrolet Suburban, the engine roaring as his sprawling cattle operation, known locally for its wagyu beef, stretches around him. A shotgun rides in the passenger seat and battered binoculars sit on the dashboard. The sloping pasture where his rust-colored cows graze gives way to trees that flank a narrow ribbon of water. It doesn’t look like much, just a slow-moving channel threading through sweetgums and cypress, but this 2.6-mile stretch of the Big Cypress Bayou carries a lot of weight — it connects Lake O’ the Pines, the region’s main water supply, to Caddo Lake, the state’s only natural lake. Water feels abundant in the area. But even in this lush corner of the state, water is increasingly top of mind. For Sanders and many of his neighbors, the bayou represents something increasingly fragile in Texas: water that still belongs to the landscape it came from. The sloping pasture where his rust-colored cows graze gives way to trees that flank a narrow ribbon of water. It doesn’t look like much, just a slow-moving channel threading through sweetgums and cypress, but this 2.6-mile stretch of the Big Cypress Bayou carries a lot of weight — it connects Lake O’ the Pines, the region’s main water supply, to Caddo Lake, the state’s only natural lake. Water feels abundant in the area. But even in this lush corner of the state, water is increasingly top of mind. For Sanders and many of his neighbors, the bayou represents something increasingly fragile in Texas: water that still belongs to the landscape it came from.
Muslim parents, private schools sue Texas over exclusion of Islamic institutions in voucher program

The federal lawsuits argue Texas officials are engaging in religious discrimination by preventing Islamic private schools from accessing state voucher money. Four Muslim parents and three private schools have sued Texas leaders for excluding Islamic private schools from participating in the state’s private school voucher program. The two federal lawsuits ask the court to block the voucher program from discriminating on the basis of religion. The first suit, filed March 1 by a parent acting on behalf of two children who attend a Houston private school, names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Education Commissioner Mike Morath as defendants. A second suit filed March 11 by three parents and three schools names Hancock and Mary Katherine Stout, education savings account program manager, as defendants. Here’s what to know.
As Superintendent Karen Molinar exits takeover, Texas signals a hard reset for Fort Worth ISD

FWISD Superintendent Karen Molinar observed the children learning as she visited classrooms Monday and Tuesday, knowing the clock on her three decades in Fort Worth schools was winding down. Molinar, 51, learned her time in the district that grew her from a reading teacher into a principal and, eventually, the leader of its schools was over after the Texas education commissioner told her last week she won’t serve during the state takeover. She informed families and staff Wednesday that she will not remain as superintendent. “I promised them at the beginning of this that I would be transparent, and I would give them updates,” Molinar told the Fort Worth Report. “I had to do that even when it came to what would happen to me personally and professionally. I had to stand up to my word.” Her impending departure from FWISD drew mixed reactions. Some teachers, parents and city leaders praised Molinar’s decades of service and insisted she should remain in the role during the takeover. Others argued new leadership is necessary as state leaders try to turnaround years of failing academics in Fort Worth.

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Preventive Law: Viewing AI Risk Through a School Law Lens

April 0710:28 AM

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) use is on the rise in Texas schools. From lesson-planning platforms to student-facing chatbots, AI is reshaping how instruction happens. But as more people use AI, one question lingers: Who is responsible when mishaps occur? In Texas, AI creates legal complexities where education law already demands careful attention to student privacy, curriculum standards, and teacher certification. Because AI provides a new way to violate state and federal laws, even inadvertently, educators and administrators must be mindful when using AI to ensure that the law is still being followed.

Texas is cutting undocumented immigrants off from school, work and driving

April 0708:40 AM

The sweeping rule changes, all enacted outside the typical legislative process, have upended life for noncitizens, including those who are here legally. Over the last year, Texas Republicans have enacted sweeping regulatory and legal changes that have upended all facets of life for noncitizens. The state has limited who can get an occupational license; register or buy a car; obtain commercial driver’s licenses; and get in-state tuition at colleges and universities. Over the last year, Texas Republicans have enacted sweeping regulatory and legal changes that have upended all facets of life for noncitizens. The state has limited who can get an occupational license; register or buy a car; obtain commercial driver’s licenses; and get in-state tuition at colleges and universities. The changes are wreaking havoc on the 1.7 million people without documentation in Texas, as well as tens of thousands of refugees and people with protected legal status, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Already, more than 6,400 refugees and DACA recipients have lost their commercial driver’s licenses. Many more noncitizens are expected to lose the ability to work in licensed industries from construction and medicine to air conditioning and cosmetology.The changes are wreaking havoc on the 1.7 million people without documentation in Texas, as well as tens of thousands of refugees and people with protected legal status, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Already, more than 6,400 refugees and DACA recipients have lost their commercial driver’s licenses. Many more noncitizens are expected to lose the ability to work in licensed industries from construction and medicine to air conditioning and cosmetology. view article

Texas Moves To Block Professional & Commercial Licenses for Illegal Aliens

April 0705:00 AM

The rule comes after a recent opinion by Attorney General Ken Paxton requiring licensing authorities to obtain social security numbers from applicants. Beginning May 1, Texas will bar individuals who cannot prove they are lawfully present in the U.S. from obtaining or renewing state‑issued professional licenses. It will also impact occupational and trade licenses. Commissioners for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) approved a new rule on Tuesday to check the lawful presence of people applying for or renewing state licenses when they are flagged for verification. The new rule requires TDLR to verify an applicant’s eligibility under federal immigration law when that applicant is selected for verification under department procedures. It applies across all TDLR‑regulated licenses. If an applicant is selected, they must submit documentation before a license can be issued or renewed. view article

GRAPELAND ISD HIRES JIM DUNLAP OF ARROW EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO CONDUCT SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

April 0208:35 AM

The board of trustees of the Grapeland Independent School District has contracted with Mr. Jim Dunlap of Arrow Educational Services, Inc. to assist them in their search for a new superintendent. He will be assisted by GISD superintendent Mr. Terry Myers. Information and the application process is available on arrowsearchinc.com and the TASA Supersearch page. view article

Bullard ISD officially names Dr. Micah Dyer as superintendent

March 1805:00 AM

The Bullard ISD Board of Trustees officially named Dr. Micah Dyer as the district’s new superintendent during a special meeting Tuesday. Trustees had previously selected Dyer as the lone finalist in February, with state law requiring a 21-day waiting period before a formal hire. He will begin his new role on March 30, following Interim Superintendent Dr. Jan Hill’s last board meeting next Monday. “She’s been a blessing to this district and helping them with this transition,” Dyer said. “I look forward to the opportunity to get to work with her as I transition into this job full time.” Read more at: https://tylerpaper.com/2026/03/18/bullard-isd-officially-names-dr-micah-dyer-as-superintendent/ view article

Gunman opens fire at high school in Turkey, wounding at least 16

April 1409:44 AM

A former student injured at least 16 people Tuesday after opening fire with a shotgun inside a high school in Turkey before turning the weapon on himself, officials said. The 18-year-old who targeted the vocational high school in Siverek, located in southeastern Turkey, took his own life with the shotgun after he was "cornered by police," Gov. Hasan Sildak said. Video taken at the scene showed students sprinting out of a building as law enforcement and first responders arrived. The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a school canteen employee and a police officer hurt, according to Sildak, who added that five of the teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital because their conditions were more serious. view article

FWISD managers weigh staff reductions related to school closures, new campus model

April 1409:41 AM

Fort Worth ISD’s state-appointed board of managers on Tuesday will consider a reduction in force related to school closures and the introduction of a new school model. FWISD managers will vote on the resolution at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the District Service Center, 7060 Camp Bowie Blvd. The special board meeting also is livestreamed on YouTube. “The reduction in force due to program change is directly tied to school closures that were approved under the district’s existing master facility plan,” spokesperson Jessica Becerra said. “We have not expanded or altered that plan; we are implementing decisions that were already in place before the current administration arrived.” view article

Fort Worth ISD has more than 200 teaching vacancies, records show

April 1408:25 AM

Ahead of its first full school year under state control, Fort Worth ISD has more than 200 teaching vacancies that need to be filled across the district, records show. According to public records obtained by WFAA, the district has 213 vacancies across 89 divisions. view article

Boulter Middle School gets extended school year, longer days under Tyler ISD’s turnaround plan

April 1408:25 AM

For Boulter Middle School, Tyler ISD is extending the 2026–27 school year and implementing a longer daily schedule at as part of a district turnaround effort aimed at improving student performance. The change has raised concerns for some families, who cite issues with communication, logistics and equity. While most Tyler ISD campuses begin Aug. 12, Boulter Middle School will start July 27 under an adjusted calendar tied to its transition to the Accelerated Campus Excellence (ACE) model, which includes additional instructional days and a longer school day. “ view article

Wichita Falls ISD Board approves over $3 million in financial items

April 1408:25 AM

The Wichita Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees approved more than $3 million in financial items during its latest meeting, with several projects aimed at improving district facilities and preparing for future school years. A portion of that total includes an additional $158,822.75 for ongoing renovations at McNiel Elementary School. The approved change order brings the project’s total construction cost to $9,997,922.75. view article

Channelview ISD campus placed on lockdown following threat towards another student

April 1408:25 AM

School officials said Alice Johnson Junior High School activated its lockdown protocol after a student made a threat towards another student. Officials said they notified law enforcement and began an investigation. view article

Killeen ISD bus drivers advance to state safety competition

April 1408:23 AM

Two Killeen Independent School District bus drivers are advancing to the 2026 Texas Association for Pupil Transportation (TAPT) School Bus Driver Safety Competition, also known as the “Roadeo,” after earning top honors at the regional competition. Frank Walker placed first overall, while Tina Sutton earned second place overall at the regional competition held at Midway ISD. Sutton also placed first in driving and third in pre-trip inspection, while Walker earned second in the written exam and third in driving. view article

Brazosport ISD could close schools

April 1408:18 AM

The decision to close Stephen F. Austin Elementary in Jones Creek might only have been the beginning. Brazosport ISD could shutter three more campuses as it deals with declining enrollment and increasing expenses, with Lake Jackson the primary focus of a consolidation proposal to streamline operational expenses and staffing and address a multimillion-dollar budget deficit. view article

Dallas ISD’s $6.2 billion bond issue is on the May 2 ballot. Here’s what to know

April 1408:16 AM

When voters in Dallas ISD go to the polls for the May 2 election, they’ll see a $6.2 billion bond issue on the ballot. Bond proponents say the bond issue would allow the district to build more than two dozen new schools and make much-needed upgrades to other campuses, building on progress from previous bond issues voters approved. But unlike the district’s 2020 bond issue, this one would carry a tax increase. view article

Teen dies after drinking ‘a large amount of caffeine’ from energy drinks

April 1408:11 AM

A teenager died last October from an enlarged heart caused by stress and "a large amount of caffeine" from Alani energy drinks, says a coroner’s report. A lawsuit claims the energy drink caused the death of 17-year-old Larissa Rodriguez. view article

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Corpus Christi ISD board vice president resigns leadership role over undisclosed conflict of interest

April 1408:10 AM

Corpus Christi Independent School District Board of Trustees Vice President Marty Bell has resigned from his leadership role and committee assignment after acknowledging a conflict of interest. Following a closed session discussion during Monday evening's school board meeting, Bell read a statement taking responsibility for failing to disclose a conflict of interest. He resigned as vice president and stepped down from his seat on the curriculum committee, though he remains an elected school board member. view article

Dallas ISD teacher loses her job after being unable to renew her DACA permit

April 1408:10 AM

Speaking exclusively on condition of anonymity with our sister station Telemundo 39, a young teacher in Dallas says she lost her job due to delays in renewing her work permit under DACA. The educator, who has 10 years of experience with the district, says she does not know what will happen. Meanwhile, she clings to her memories of everything she has accomplished. view article

Sabine ISD hires athletic director, head football coach

April 1408:08 AM

Monday night, Sabine ISD announced the hiring of Tim Russell as its new athletic director and head football coach. Russell had been the head football coach at Tyler Grace Community since 2022. view article

Five ways the Texas school voucher bill is cruel

April 1308:45 AM

Here’s some basic arithmetic for you: The proposed school voucher bill approved tonight in the Texas Senate is cruel in at least five fundamental ways. First, it stacks the deck against public education, the bedrock of our democratic society. This has been the goal of Gov. Greg Abbott and his billionaire backers all along. They seek to undermine public education by starving it of funding. view article

Some districts use AI to review books under Texas Senate Bill 13

April 1308:40 AM

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Seven months after Texas Senate Bill 13 took effect, some Central Texas school districts say they are still working through new requirements for how they select, review and challenge school library materials — and some are using artificial intelligence tools to help manage the workload. view article

Texas Tech System leader cancels academic programs “centered on” sexual orientation, gender identity

April 1308:40 AM

Chancellor Brandon Creighton directed provosts to phase out the programs and ordered universities to recognize only “two human sexes.” view article

Judge rules to temporarily block Texas’ smokeable hemp ban

April 1308:40 AM

People will be allowed to buy smokeable hemp THC products, such as flower buds and rolled joints, from Texas businesses until at least April 23. view article

Texas’ GOP attorney general candidates want to challenge decades-old Supreme Court rulings

April 1308:40 AM

Emboldened by overturning Roe v. Wade, conservative legal groups hope Ken Paxton’s successor will help them overturn gay marriage and public school access for undocumented students. 1975, Texas passed a law allowing school districts to exclude undocumented students from free public school. When a district in Tyler enacted such a policy, a group of families sued. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe that Texas’ law was unconstitutional and children had a right to public education, regardless of their citizenship status. view article

Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies (paywalled)

April 1308:31 AM

When McPherson Middle School in central Kansas banned cell phones in school four years ago, they didn’t reconsider their school-issued Google Chromebooks that were actively being used in the classroom and at home. It wasn’t until December of last year that it asked its 480 students to give up the laptops as well. view article

Portrayals of Islam and people of color dominate discussion in Texas’ social studies rewrite

April 1308:30 AM

The State Board of Education approved an early draft of social studies changes, setting up a vote in June that will determine how students learn history over the next decade. The Texas State Board of Education voted Friday to approve an early draft of the state’s new social studies plan, but not without clashes over the portrayal of Islam and the history of Black and Hispanic Americans. A Republican majority voted to approve the changes to social studies standards — known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS — proposed during a marathon meeting that stretched all of Thursday and into early Friday. All five Democrats voted against the preliminary changes. Earlier in the week, they called for an investigation into a potential conflict of interest. view article

Spring ISD employees on leave after mistakenly leaking sensitive data in email, district says

April 1308:28 AM

Multiple Spring ISD employees are on leave after mistakenly sending an email containing other employees' Social Security numbers, the district confirmed late Friday. Spring ISD emailed its 5,600 employees at 4:50 p.m. to inform them of the breach, hours after Eyewitness News began asking the district about it. view article

Pursuit ends after suspect crashes into East Central ISD bus, DPS arrests him in Walmart parking lot

April 1308:27 AM

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said troopers arrested a suspect wanted by multiple law enforcement agencies after he crashed into a school bus on Friday morning. According to a DPS spokesperson, Brandon Xavior Cortina, 21, was being pursued by officers in Gonzales and Wilson counties when they lost sight of his vehicle. view article

Fort Worth ISD has over 200 teaching vacancies, data shows

April 1308:25 AM

Fort Worth ISD has over 200 teaching vacancies as state-appointed leadership takes over, data shows. view article

TEA investigating Splendora ISD teacher who accused student in stabbing hoax

April 1308:25 AM

The Texas Education Agency has opened an investigation into a Splendora ISD teacher accused of staging a stabbing and blaming a student, officials confirmed. A TEA spokesperson said the educator is now under review by the agency’s Educator Investigations Division. An investigatory flag has also been placed on the teacher’s certification, along with a flag in the state’s Do Not Hire Registry. view article

Frisco ISD increases security for district track meet on anniversary of Austin Metcalf’s death

April 1308:25 AM

A major track meet is bringing Frisco students together this week, but security is a top priority as the community marks one year since a similar event ended in tragedy. Thursday, April 9, marks the one-year anniversary of the death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. The Frisco Memorial High School student was fatally stabbed by another student during last year's district meet. view article

Crystal City ISD mourns death of school police officer Domingo Flores

April 1308:18 AM

The Crystal City Independent School District is mourning the loss of Police Officer Domingo Flores, leaving behind a legacy of service, dedication, and compassion. Officer Flores served the district with “unwavering integrity, courage, and dedication,” according to a statement from CCISD. Each day, he worked to protect students, staff, and the broader community, consistently putting others before himself. view article

Keller ISD weighs future bonds as $600M in facility needs strain budget

April 1308:15 AM

As Keller ISD closes schools to cut costs, some of its largest campuses are driving more than $180 million in urgent repairs. Aging high schools and elementary campuses account for the majority of Keller ISD’s short-term repair costs, according to a building conditions assessment presented at an April 8 school board workshop. view article

Parent questions missed warning signs after Comal ISD classroom shooting

April 1308:14 AM

Two weeks after a teacher was shot inside a Comal ISD classroom, a parent at the school is raising concerns about whether warning signs were missed and why key details remain unanswered. view article

Denton ISD athletic director announces retirement

April 1308:08 AM

After more than 30 years in Texas public education, Denton ISD's athletic director Joey Florence announced Friday he will retire at the end of June. Florence has been in the role with Denton ISD since January 2014, where the district said he oversaw unprecedented growth and success throughout all of its athletic programs. view article

Dallas seeking input, weighing e-scooter rule changes as ridership surges

April 1308:02 AM

More than 463,000 trips were taken between June 1, 2025, and March 31, nearly double the number recorded during the same period a year earlier, according to a memo sent to City Council members on Friday. Use was especially strong late in the year: From August through December, monthly ridership topped 50,000 trips. The average ride covered 1.15 miles and lasted about 12 minutes. view article

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TexasISD.com was the brainchild of Joe F. Smith. Joe retired early from a successful career as Superintendent of Schools for Hudson ISD, deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Due to a long battle with Post-Polio Syndrome the doctor made him hang it up and rest for six months. Never being the kind of person to sit still and also not being the person to listen to his doctor, Joe logged lengthy sessions in front of his PC researching school issues, reading papers and corresponding with his friends and colleagues in the education business.

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Construction Bootcamp: Rise of the Procurist

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