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Congratulations to the following New Supers
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Superintendent Vacancies
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| Vacant | Timpson ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO | Vacant | Burton ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Dr. Danny LovettINFO | Vacant | Union Hill ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Grape Creek ISD; Search by: Grape Creek ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Santa Maria ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Vysehrad ISD; Search by: Region 3 ESC, Exec. Dir. Morris LyonINFO | Vacant |
Pettus ISD - Jesus Hernandez III, Chief of Staff,Southwest ISD; Search by: JCA Law, PLLC and DBU Educational Leadership Consulting Corporation.INFO |
Vacant | University of Texas High School Special Purpose District; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Scurry-Rosser ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Huntington ISD; Search by: Kelli Karczewski, Fisher FirmINFO | Vacant | Granger ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO | Vacant | Bremond ISD; Search by: Bremond ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | San Isidro ISD (Short Timeline); Search by: Region One ESC, Exec. Dir. Dr. Daniel P. KingINFO | Vacant | Commerce ISD - Search by: Commerce ISD Board of Trustees; INFO | Vacant | Decatur ISD; Search by: Decatur ISD Board of Trustees INFO | Vacant | Bells ISD; Search by: Bells ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Gustine ISD - Coy Barker, Principal,McCamey ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO | Vacant | Comstock ISD; Comstock ISD Board of Trustees and O.K. Wolfenbarger IIIINFO | Vacant |
Frank Liu Jr. Academy of Music and Art (Houston) ; Thompson & Horton LLP - David Thompson & Dr. Mike MosesINFO |
Vacant | Webb CISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Moulton ISD; <p>Search by: Region 3 ESC, <a href="mailto:mlyon@esc3.net">Exec. Dir. Morris Lyon</a></p>INFO | Vacant | Hidalgo ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Banquete ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Rick AlvaradoINFO | Vacant | Priddy ISD; Search by: Region 15 ESCINFO | Vacant | Sweeny ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson & Roalson P.C.& Education Consultant Dr. Ann DixonINFO | Vacant | Ramirez CSD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Mart ISD; Search by: Mart ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Abernathy ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESC, Kyle Wargo Exec. DirectorINFO | Vacant | Kingsville ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO | Vacant | Groom ISD; Region 16 ESC, Dr. Tanya Larkin, Exec. Dir.INFO | Vacant | Clarendon ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Spring ISD; Search by: Spring ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Huffman ISD - Angeles Perez, Interim,Huffman ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Jim Hogg County ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Hart ISD; Search by: Juan Dominguez and Hart ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Hitchcock ISD (Interim Search); Search by: Hitchcock ISD Board of Trustees & Region V ESC - Dr. Rolando “Rudy” TrevinoINFO | Vacant | Laredo ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Premont ISD; Search by: Doug Arnold & Arte AlmendarezINFO | Vacant |
Executive Director Region 11 ESC; Thompson & Horton LLP - David Thompson & Dr. Mike MosesINFO |
Vacant | Lago Vista ISD; Search by: Leon|Alcala PLLCINFO | Vacant | Goose Creek CISD; Search by: Thompson & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses, David Thompson & Dr. Curtis CulwellINFO | Vacant | Bynum ISD; Search by: Bynum ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Canutillo ISD - Dr. Josue Borrego, Associate Super,Houston ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | West Rusk CCISD; Search by: Lawrence Coleman & West Rusk CCISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Clarksville ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO | Vacant | Stafford MSD; Search by: Stafford ISD Board of Trustees & Region V ESC - Dr. Rolando “Rudy” TrevinoINFO | Vacant | LaPoynor ISD; Search by: LaPoynor ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Newcastle ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO | Vacant | Fort Davis ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson & Roalson P.C.& Education Consultant Mr. Jim McClellanINFO | Vacant | Pleasanton ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | South Texas ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO | Vacant | Panhandle ISD; Search by: Panhandle ISD Board of TrusteesINFO | Vacant | Elkhart ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | Rockdale ISD; Search by: Danny Lovett Powell Law GroupINFO | Vacant | Loraine ISD; Search by: Region 14 ESC, Chris Wigington Exec. DirectorINFO | Vacant | Bullard ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | Maypearl ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | Haskell CISD; Search by: CCR Educational Consultants, Dr. Skip Casey & Rod TownsendINFO | Vacant | Merkel ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO | Vacant | Hubbard ISD; Search by: Shaun Barnett Powell Law GroupINFO | Vacant | Frisco ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO | Vacant | Ector ISD; Search by: Rod TownsendINFO | Vacant | Westbrook ISD; Search by: Region 14 ESC, Chris Wigington Exec. DirectorINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Deer Park ISD - Dr. Tiffany Reagan, Assistant Superintendent,Deer Park ISD; Search by: Deer Park ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Seminole ISD - Glen Teal, Superintendent,Jim Ned ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Needville ISD - Dr. Paul Drake, Superintendent,Chester ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist |
Compass Academy Charter School (Odessa) - Mark Dominguez, Principal,Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD; Search by: Kathy Killingsworth, Interim Superintent assisted by Larry Lee, Leadership Consultant with Region 18INFO |
| Lone Finalist | Bonham ISD - Lance Hamlin, Assistant Superintendent,Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Waxahachie ISD - Rebecca “Becky” McCutchen, Superintendent,Levelland ISD; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson & Roalson P.C.& Education Consultant Dr. Ann DixonINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Ennis ISD - Greg Bradley, Deputy Superintendent,Prosper ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Forsan ISD - Michael Valencia, Superintendent,McCamey ISD; Search by: Region 18 ESC, Dr. Dewitt SmithINFO |
| Lone Finalist |
Edgewood ISD (Region 7) - Scott Tyner, Superintendent,Martins Mill iSD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Jim Ned CISD - Will Brewer, Superintendent,Paradise ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Palmer ISD ; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Hallsburg ISD - Dr. Staci Coleman-Kirk, Principal,Hubbard ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Shaun BarnettINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Slidell ISD - Dr. Christopher M. Heskett, Superintendent,Covington ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Shaun BarnettINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Seguin ISD - Dr. Jack Lee, Superintendent,Bullard ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Royal ISD - Dr. Megan Pape, Superintendent,Snook ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Socorro ISD - James Vasquez, Interim Superintendent,Socorro ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Gunter ISD - Dr. Brandon Enos, Superintendent,Cushing ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Rotan ISD - Trevor Edgemon, Superintendent,Happy ISD; Search by: Ronnie KincaidINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Millsap ISD - Harper Stewart, Superintendent,Hamilton ISD; Search by: CCR Educational Consultants, Dr. Skip Casey & Rod TownsendINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Conroe ISD - Dr. David Vinson, Superintendent,Wylie ISD; Search by: Texans for Excellence in Education, President, John Petree, 432-557-6581INFO |
| Lone Finalist | La Pryor ISD - Cody Miller, Director,Northside ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Deweyville ISD - Grady Welborn, Principal,Bridge City ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO |
| Lone Finalist | West Hardin Co. CISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Rusk ISD - Mid Johnson, Superintendent,Timpson ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Martin's Mill ISD - Derek Driver, Principal,Harts Bliff ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Snook ISD - Kimberly Giesenschlag, Assistant Superintendent,Snook ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Nederland ISD - Dr. Steven Beagle, Assistant Superintendent,Nederland ISD; Search by: Dr. Byron Terrier, Exec. Dir. Region 5 ESCINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Munday CISD - Andrew Eudy, Director,Forsan ISD; Search by: Region 9 ESC, Darren Francis and Kenny MillerINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Cushing ISD - Stefani Jackson, AssAsst. Supt.,Cushing ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Lamesa ISD - Bonnie Avey, Superintendent,Seagraves ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Howe ISD - Ritchie Bowling, Assistant Superintendent,Howe ISD; Search by: Howe ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Era ISD - Jeff Webb, Associate Superintendent,Royse City ISD; Search by: Impact Education Specialists - Doug Williams, Kevin Worthy, Blake Cooper, Keith Bryant and Stan SurrattINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Prairie Lea ISD - Martha Melissa Gilmore, Interim,Prairie Lea ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Ingram ISD - Dr. Justin Turner, Superintendent,Hubbard ISD; Search by: Shaun Barnett Powell Law GroupINFO |
| Lone Finalist | Dawson ISD - Andrea Farish, Principal,Dawson ISD; Search by: Powell Law Group, Danny LovettINFO |
| New Super | Onalaska ISD - Dr. Kenneth Fraga, Assistant Superintendent,Onalaska ISD; Search by: Onalaska ISD Board of TrusteesINFO |
| New Super | El Paso ISD - Dr. Brian Lusk, Deputy Superintendent,Dallas ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO |
| New Super | Queen City ISD - Casey Nichols, Superintendent,Ashdown Public Schools Ashdown, Arkansas; Search by: Danny Lovett, Powell Law GroupINFO |
| New Super | Center Point ISD - Joshua Limmer, Principal,Center Point ISD; Search by: Danny Lovett, Powell Law GroupINFO |
| New Super | Santa Rosa ISD - Isaac Rodriguez, Superintendent,Monte Alto ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO |
| New Super | Marlin ISD - Alphonso Bates, Assistant Superintendent ,Lamar CISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & CastilloINFO |
| New Super | Gonzales ISD - Dr. Dana Arreola, Superintendent,Bessemer City Schools in Bessemer, Alabama; Search by: Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson & Roalson P.C.& Education Consultant Charlotte Baker,INFO |
How do I get my SuperSearch on TexasISD.com?Former, current Winnsboro ISD superintendents arrested
QUITMAN, Texas (KLTV) — Criminal charges have been filed against the current and former superintendents of Winnsboro ISD. Jail staff confirmed that Brian David Wilcox, 50, of Texarkana, and Aaron David Nation, 39, were booked into the Wood County Jail. Nation bonded out Monday evening; he had been held on $40,000 bond. Wilcox was held on a bond of $30,000 and bonded out on Tuesday.
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Texas A&M blocks readings on gender ideology in philosophy class: ‘Plato has been censored’
A Texas A&M professor has been told not to teach certain writings from Plato, a staple in introductory philosophy courses, because they may violate the university system's new rules against "advocating" race or gender ideology, or topics concerning sexual orientation, in core classes.
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Preventive Law: New Year, New(ish) Grievance Procedures: A Review of the Recent Addition of Chapter 26A
The 89th legislative session has produced a staggering number of changes to the landscape of Texas education. Perhaps one of the more jarring changes was the addition of chapter 26A to the Texas Education Code. This new chapter codifies the grievance provisions that school districts are required to implement in policy. Some of the requirements in the Chapter simply mirror the procedures already common amongst school districts, such as the use of a multi-tiered grievance appeal process. Others, however, depart from the usual grievance procedures or create new procedures entirely. This article will highlight some of the largest departures from past grievance procedures and discuss the implications of these changes for Texas school districts.
What to know before applying for Texas’ education savings accounts next year
The Texas comptroller’s office has released a set of rules to govern the state’s $1 billion education savings account program, or ESAs. Accepted families will receive thousands of dollars in state funds to send their children to a private school or homeschool them. The overview: Accredited private schools and education vendors can begin applying to join the program as soon as Dec. 9, and applications will open for interested families Feb. 4. Most families accepted into the program will receive about $10,300 per student, which can be spent on tuition at accredited private prekindergarten or K-12 schools and related expenses. Homeschooled students will receive up to $2,000 per year, while students with disabilities will be eligible for up to $30,000 annually.
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Hundreds of private schools are being shut out of Texas’ voucher program
Hundreds of private schools have been shut out of Texas’ new school voucher program while the state comptroller’s office awaits a decision in its bid to block some Islamic and allegedly Chinese-linked institutions. Nearly all schools accredited by Cognia, the largest private school accreditor in Texas, have been unable to submit applications in the month since the state began accepting them. As of Tuesday, only 30 of the 600 schools accredited solely by the nonprofit were added to the list of approved vendors, most of them offering only pre-K and kindergarten. The majority of those were added overnight on Monday, after Hearst Newspapers began inquiring about the issue.
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Nearly 100 Extremist Groups Still Operate in Texas
Texas remains a leading state for hate groups promoting neo-Nazi, anti-government and anti-LGBTQ ideals. Editor’s Note, 1/9/2026: This article was originally published in January 2025. It has been updated with new and current information. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), nearly 100 groups dedicated to hate and anti-government ideals called the Lone Star State home by the end of 2024; only California and Florida surpassed Texas with 97 and 100 groups, respectively. Nine of the 92 groups found in Texas operate statewide, according to the nonprofit civil rights organization, with several of them being headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The SPLC has published a census of hate groups each year since 1990, and the data shows that Texas is growing more extreme with each passing year. In 2015, the group found 84 active hate groups across the state compared to the most recently recorded 97; in 2005, the SPLC identified 45 groups across Texas.
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Brooks County ISD board appoints interim superintendent
The Brooks County Independent School District Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Ricardo Garcia II as Interim Superintendent, effective immediately. District officials said Dr. Garcia brings extensive experience within the district, having served in multiple teaching, campus leadership, and administrative roles.
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Texas House Democrats raised record-breaking $2.2 million in 2025
The majority of the Democratic caucus’ haul came when the party broke quorum over the summer to delay the GOP-controlled Legislature from redrawing the state’s congressional map. With a little help from their quorum break last summer, the Texas House Democratic Caucus raised $2.2 million in 2025, a record-setting year for the minority party in the state’s lower chamber. The HDC is set to file those figures, shared early with The Blast, at the campaign finance reporting deadline Thursday. Caucus Chair Gene Wu says that will let Democrats “preemptively” plan for the 2027 legislative session.
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Shallowater ISD names Strickland as lone finalist for superintendent
A longtime employee of the Shallowater Independent School District has been named the sole finalist to be its next leader. On Tuesday, Shallowater ISD announced that Dr. Aron Strickland — who currently serves as the assistant superintendent — has been named the lone finalist for the position of superintendent.
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TEA to meet with Lake Worth ISD community amid possible takeover due to failing ratings
The Texas Education Agency will meet with the Lake Worth community Wednesday as the school district braces for a state takeover. The meeting is an opportunity for parents, teachers and the community to ask questions and learn more about the takeover. Marilyn Miller Language Academy is the campus that is triggering this state takeover. They have been rated an 'F' for five years. Under Texas state law, that rating allows the TEA to intervene.
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Why Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s endorsed candidates always win
No GOP candidate for the Texas Senate has ever defeated a Patrick-endorsed primary opponent since he became the state’s second-in-command over a decade ago. Jon Gimble says he has plenty to offer GOP primary voters in his bid for an open Texas Senate seat. He’s a lifelong Texan and a local public servant, upsetting a Democrat in 2014 when he was elected district clerk in McLennan County. And he says he has political relationships in Austin while also being in touch with residents living in rural areas outside of Waco, who feel some of their biggest problems are neglected at the Capitol. But the one thing Gimble can’t offer might kneecap his chance of representing the district southwest of Dallas he seeks: an endorsement from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the upper chamber’s kingmaker.
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Celina football coach retires after district clears him of cover-up allegations amid son’s sex abuse scandal
Bill Elliott was placed on administrative leave in October after his son Caleb, a football coach at Celina’s middle school, was accused of secretly filming boys in the school’s locker room and possessing child pornography. Bill Elliott, who has been employed by the district for more than three decades, was placed on administrative leave in October after his 26-year-old son Caleb, a football coach at Celina’s middle school, was accused of secretly filming boys in the school’s locker room and possessing child pornography. Caleb Elliott surrendered his teaching license and remains in Collin County Jail on multiple federal charges.
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TribCast: Can Texas zero out property taxes?
We’re a year out from the next legislative session and already, the battle lines are forming around a key issue that’s sure to divide Texas Republicans — how to go about lowering property taxes. Gov. Greg Abbott has shared his proposal, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has thrown his pitch, and we’ll all spend the next year nervously assessing whether their disagreement portends a special session or two in 2027. To discuss all this, Eleanor and Matthew are joined by John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
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Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C.
Leon Alcala, PLLC
Webinar: Transparency in Action: Understanding the Texas Public Information Act
Presented by: Victoria Olivarez
Read more and register here...
Saginaw ISD appoints new career and technical education director
Saginaw Intermediate School District (ISD) officials appointed Joshua Miller as its new director of career and technical education, the district announced following board approval. Miller brings more than two decades of experience working with students and families across Saginaw County to the position. He will oversee career and technical education programming for high school students throughout the county, preparing them for careers and college through hands-on learning experiences.
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Man arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting Spring ISD student, records show
A Spring man has been arrested, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old who said she was leaving school when he picked her up, according to court records. Records show the teenager told police he even carried her into his home so she couldn't get away.
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Conroe ISD appoints board member to vacant position; some trustees question process’ transparency
After a three-hour executive session on Tuesday, the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees appointed Agueda “Aggie” Gambino to fill the board’s vacancy following former Trustee Tiffany Nelson's resignation.
Nelson resigned last month and announced her bid for the State Board of Education.
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Texas Taxpayers Will Fund Dozens of Private Schools that Openly Discriminate
pon signing school vouchers into law last May, Governor Greg Abbott pronounced that he had delivered “education freedom to every Texas family.” But the billion-dollar program, which opens to parents on February 4, has enrolled dozens of private schools that openly discriminate against Texas families on the basis of religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, according to a Texas Observer analysis of information gathered from the schools’ websites and handboos, and survey responses and phone calls with school leaders. The Observer gathered information about all 291 schools selected by the state that offer education beyond the kindergarten level. More than 90 percent are affiliated with or owned by a religious or faith-based group, the analysis found. More than 100 of those schools require or prioritize for admission students of the same faith, and more than 60 have a written policy that discriminates against LGBTQ+ students, the schools’ own data shows.
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Texas Teacher Caught in Scandal With Student in Walmart Parking Lot, Police Say
A Texasteacher and mother-of-four is at the center of a sprawling crime investigation after authorities say she carried out a predatory pattern of abuse involving multiple students, culminating in an inappropriate act at a Walmart parking lot while other minors were present in the vehicle. The allegations against Jaden Renee Charles, 26, have stunned parents and prompted a deep review of safeguards meant to protect students.
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Nearly $100 million gone: How Austin ISD spent bond money on schools it will soon close
A $2.4 billion bond package was pitched as a way to improve campuses as the Austin school district faced mounting financial pressures and declining enrollment.
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Texas hands over complete list of registered voters to Trump administration
The Justice Department has asked states for their voter rolls with an eye toward purging ineligible voters. Democrats say sharing the data could violate federal election law.
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Lake Worth residents invited to state meeting on takeover, board of managers
Lake Worth families and residents can hear directly from Texas education officials about what state control of the 3,200-student district means for them at a community meeting Wednesday. Texas Education Agency officials will outline steps for replacing the locally elected board; detail how those interested can apply for the board of managers; and answer questions about the intervention process. The meeting is 6-7 p.m. at the Lake Worth High School auditorium, 4210 Boat Club Road. The meeting comes about a week after Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath appointed Andrew Kim as conservator of the district.
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Supreme Court weighs states’ power to set sex-based rules in school sports
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday in two cases that could determine whether states can ban transgender athletes who identify as women from competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams, a legal fight that could have far-reaching implications on transgender policies across the country. The arguments in the two cases, Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., will examine state bans on transgender athletes participating in school sports under Title IX and the Constitution’s equal protection clause. At issue is whether laws in Idaho and West Virginia that prohibit transgender athletes who identify as women from playing on teams that match their gender identity discriminate based on sex.
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In border visit, John Cornyn resists calls to expand visas for foreign workers
HIDALGO — During a visit to the border Friday, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said changes in immigration laws should wait until the border is completely secure, a contrast from Republican lawmakers who are willing to explore legal status for immigrant workers to address labor shortages prompted by enforcement efforts at work sites. Cornyn was part of a group of Republican U.S. senators and Senate hopefuls who flocked to the Rio Grande Valley to praise President Donald Trump’s border policies as they attempt to promote their achievements and shape political narratives ahead of November’s midterm elections. Aggressive enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has prompted some unauthorized workers to stay clear of job sites, leading to labor shortages in construction and restaurants. The Valley has been among the areas hardest hit by the worker shortage, prompting a group of local builders to call for solutions to economic struggles in their industry.
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City of San Antonio shuts down its abortion travel fund
A new law barring the use of public funds to assist Texas patients seeking abortions outside the state has resulted in the dismissal of the state attorney general’s lawsuit against the city of San Antonio. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office claimed victory in the lawsuit Friday after the case was non-suited, meaning it was dismissed without a finding for either side. “Texas respects the sanctity of unborn life, and I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. “It is illegal for cities to fund abortion tourism with taxpayer funds. San Antonio’s unlawful attempt to cover the travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions has now officially been defeated.”
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Central ISD earns ‘C’ rating on Texas Academic Performance Report
POLLOK – Central ISD director of student services Bodavid Williford gave a report to the school board on the district’s 2024-25 Texas Academic Performance Report Monday evening. CISD received an overall accountability score of “C,” and its special education departments were determined to have met requirements.
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Celina ISD parents demand answers, leadership changes after coach scandal
Frustration grew Monday as parents addressed school board members at a special meeting in Celina ISD. “It has been 108 days since 38 families got the call that pictures of our boys in various states of undress were identified in Caleb Elliott’s phone,” one mother said. The meeting was held to receive and review a third‑party investigation into former Moore Middle School football coach Caleb Elliott. Elliott was previously arrested and charged with secretly recording boys in the locker room.
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Transgender athlete bans get Supreme Court review in landmark case
Transgender athlete bans get Supreme Court review in landmark case The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday it will hear two cases about whether transgender athletes can play on girls’ and women’s sports teams, according to several media outlets. The cases involve state laws in West Virginia and Idaho barring transgender athletes from participating on women’s teams. Both laws were blocked by federal appeals courts after transgender athletes sued. West Virginia said in its declaration to the court that transgender girls should not compete on girls’ teams because there are “inherent physical differences between biological males and biological females.“ However, the mother of the transgender girl that sued the state after she was barred from participating in her middle school girls’ sports teams said her daughter does not have an advantage because she “has lived as a girl in all aspects of her life for years and receives puberty-delaying treatment and estrogen hormone therapy, so has not experienced (and will not experience) endogenous puberty,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
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Mike Miles’ HISD takeover has major wins — and 1 fatal flaw
Something clicked as I listened to former Louisiana state schools superintendent John White talk about how he built support for his controversial education reforms a decade ago. It wasn’t just that he had taken the time to visit every parish to meet with teachers who were skeptical of the youngish outsider pushing tectonic shifts in rigor, quality and accountability. It wasn’t how he gathered their input, enlisted them to review curriculum or helped assemble thousands for a state conference that still empowers teachers as leaders and evangelists for high quality in their own communities.
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Texas proposes 13,000% licensing fee hike on retailers who sell hemp-derived THC
Hemp advocates say raising annual licensing fees for retailers from $150 to $20,000 and for manufacturers from $250 to $25,000 would shutter small businesses. Texas state health officials have proposed raising licensing fees by as much as 13,000% for some hemp businesses, among a slate of changes that many industry members and advocates say will shutter small operations in favor of large out-of-state companies.
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‘History will tell’: as US pressure grows, Cuba edges closer to collapse amid mass exodus
They are not alone. After 68 years of partial sanctions and nearly 64 years of total economic embargo by the US, independent demographic studies suggest that Cuba is going through the world’s fastest population decline and is probably already below 8 million – a 25% drop in just four years, suggesting its population has shrunk by an average of about 820,000 people a year. There are a number of root causes for this exodus, but most experts agree that the blockade, decades of economic crisis, crumbling public services, political repression and widespread disillusionment with the revolution have merged to become a “polycrisis”.
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An ICU in the sky: Texas Children’s Hospital gets own helicopter for Austin
Critical care team will be able to fly as far as Waco, Brownwood, San Antonio and College Station. A new helicopter will take to the skies over Central Texas on Tuesday. Texas Children's Hospital has added a helicopter to its Kangaroo Crew intensive care transport team, which previously used only ambulances to bring patients to its Austin facility. The team will be able to travel 120 nautical miles to pick up a patient. The hospital, which opened almost two years ago, has launched programs that are attracting patients from across Texas and around the country, said Dr. Jeff Shilt, the president of Texas Children's in Austin. "Having a helicopter for a pediatric hospital is really a differentiator for us."
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Judson ISD superintendent on leave, board president says, after marathon meeting with unclear finish
The future of Milton “Rob” Fields III as the superintendent of the Judson Independent School District remains uncertain, after the school board took back a vote that would have relieved him of his duties. After meeting in open session, the motion to place Fields on administrative leave passed by a 6-1 in favor vote.
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TEA appoints Andrew Kim as conservator amid Beaumont ISD takeover
The Texas Education Agency has denied Beaumont Independent School District’s appeal and will move forward with a state takeover of the district, with Andrew Kim appointed as the new conservator. Kim said his focus will be on strengthening the district in partnership with local leadership. “I have spent my entire career focused on strengthening public schools and supporting the incredible educators who teach our kids every day,” Kim said. “As I step into this role, I am committed to working closely with district leadership and the community to establish strong systems that work for the students, staff and families of Beaumont ISD.”
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