Wylie ISD board proposes tax cut, adds to teacher salaries

Trustees of the Wylie Independent School District proposed a tax rate of $1.13 per $100 of property value for the 2016-17 fiscal year — a tax cut of 2.4 cents — and added more money to the proposed budget for teachers' salaries during Monday's regular board meeting. Trustees conducted their third of three workshops for the 2016-17 budget of $32.340 million and set a special meeting for Monday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m. to receive comments from the public on the budget and tax rate and then consider approval. view article  

Fort Worth ISD Finds Lead in School Drinking Water

Fort Worth Independent School District officials said they have been working to reduce the quantity of lead in school drinking water during the summer. Testing of drinking water at Fort Worth ISD schools in June and July revealed lead levels exceeding recommended Environmental Protection Agency levels — 20 parts per billion — in dozens of areas. view article  

Leander ISD names lone finalist for superintendent

The Leander ISD Board of Trustees named Dan Troxell, Ph.D., as the lone finalist to be the district’s new superintendent. Troxell has been superintendent of Kerrville ISD for 14 years, and was named Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards in 2008. Troxell also previously worked for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Allen ISD and Round Rock ISD. view article  

Round Rock ISD awards $1.9M to ‘innovation’ schools

The Round Rock school district awarded $1.9 million in grants to 34 campuses to help foster innovation in schools through programs, models or initiatives that enrich learning. The grants range from $7,500 to $100,000 and support the district’s strategic goal of implementing, enhancing and reinforcing innovative teachings and learning models, according to a district news release. view article  

West Oso ISD board to discuss superintendent’s job

West Oso Independent School District trustees are considering new leadership. Discussion on whether to appoint an interim superintendent if Elizabeth Saenz resigns had not concluded as of presstime Monday. The board called the special meeting to discuss and consult with legal counsel on Saenz's contract and possible resignation agreement, according to the meeting's agenda.

We Need a Brexit in Texas Education

The people of America recently woke up to witness the independent spirit of the people of Great Britain. Despite the polls, the people voted 51.8%to 48.2% to leave the  [Education schoolkids] European Union and chart their own path. What were the issues that the Brits were upset about? The first thing I thought about the morning after was, we need a Brexit in education. view article  

Proposed Judson ISD high school name change sparks community cry

A new Judson Independent School District high school is on the verge of changing its name before it opens. Mackey High School opens in August and nine trustees from Judson ISD host a special meeting to vote on a name change. view article  

The cult of ignorance in the United States: Anti-intellectualism and the “dumbing down” of America

There is a growing and disturbing trend of anti-intellectual elitism in American culture. It's the dismissal of science, the arts, and humanities and their replacement by entertainment, self-righteousness, ignorance, and deliberate gullibility. Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason, says in an article in the Washington Post, "Dumbness, to paraphrase the late senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, has been steadily defined downward for several decades, by a combination of heretofore irresistible forces. These include the triumph of video culture over print culture; a disjunction between Americans' rising level of formal education and their shaky grasp of basic geography, science and history; and the fusion of anti-rationalism with anti-intellectualism."  view article  

Jump in dyslexia diagnoses spurs Richardson ISD to hire more specialized teachers

Brooklyn Petersen loves to read. Dyslexia used to get in the way. Reading out loud in class used to be difficult. “I felt like, ‘What is happening?’ Because all the other kids were so good at reading,” said Brooklyn, a fourth-grader at Bowie Elementary in the Richardson Independent School District. view article  

Former transgender student responds to Bonham ISD’s bathroom policy

Bonham ISD announced Monday they won't follow the new federal transgender bathroom policy. The superintendent told us there's no problem for transgender students at Bonham schools, but a former transgender student disagrees. view article  

Mississippi school district ordered to desegregate schools after 51-year legal battle

A Mississippi school district has been ordered to desegregate its schools after what the Justice Department called a five-decade-long legal battle. The Cleveland School District, about two hours northwest of Jackson, was told that it must consolidate its schools in order to provide real desegregation for students in the city of about 12,000. view article  

FORT BEND ISD CHANGES LUNCH POLICY FOR DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS

Fort Bend ISD is going to begin serving up something different for some students who continually fail to pay for their lunches -- a cold cheese sandwich with a side of milk, and that's not sitting well with some parents. We're not talking about students who qualify for free school meals. But apparently, these repeat offenders have gotten so "forgetful" that it's draining the district's budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars. view article  

Cy-Fair ISD closes all schools and facilities through April 22 as flooding effects linger

As the aftermath of the major April 18 rainfall event continues to wreak havoc in the Cy-Fair area, officials with Cy-Fair ISD have announced all schools and facilities will be closed through Friday, April 22. “School closure is not a decision I take lightly, but it is currently the best option for all our students and staff as we support those who have lost everything and ensure all buildings are safe for school,” CFISD Superintendent Mark Henry said in a statement posted to the district’s website. view article  

Katy ISD alerts parents to social media threat

A threat was made against Seven Lakes Junior High School via social media Thursday, officials said. view article  

Southside ISD board names lone finalist for superintendent

The Southside Independent School District’s months-long search for a superintendent came to an end Saturday with the naming of a lone finalist from a field of 58 applicants. Mark E. Eads, the current superintendent of the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, was selected as the finalist during a special meeting after the applicants were narrowed down to three candidates. view article  

Abilene ISD Bus Driver Assaulted by Student

An Abilene ISD bus driver was assaulted Monday morning. Police reports say the driver was transporting students back to the Abilene State Supported Living Center when one of the students refused to stay in his seat. The driver pulled over when he wouldn't sit down as requested, and after she stopped the bus, "the student began punching and kicking the bus driver," according to the reports. view article  

Southside ISD’s Mark Weber wins ExCEL Award

Teachers and students gathered together in the cafeteria at ACES Early College High School for an exciting surprise, and for Mark Weber. The announcement was one that touched his heart. Mark Weber is currently serving as the AVID site coordinator for Aces Early College High School in the Southside Independent School District, and he says he absolutely loves his job. view article  

Dallas ISD board could consider building new South Oak Cliff High School following complaints

Students and supporters of South Oak Cliff High School could be a step closer to getting a new building. The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees is expected to weigh in on the issue for the first time in early April during a discussion about the 2015 bond program. Trustees could consider replacing the 1951 building or continue with plans to make less expensive improvements. view article  

March 2408:20 AM

 

From what we’ve seen and heard, ongoing meetings of concerned community members on various ways to bolster both neighborhoods and the troubled Waco Independent School District campuses in them have demonstrated determination, resourcefulness and ingenuity. We’re especially excited about novel efforts to encourage more parental involvement in the academic instruction and daily attendance of local children.

TEA Commissioner Requests AG Opinion on SB 507

On March 11, 2016, the Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, requested an opinion from the Texas Attorney General on the implementation of SB 507. This new law requires video surveillance of certain special education settings upon request beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. In an earlier blog post, I outlined the provisions of SB 507. view article  

Complaints: Former Frisco coach told black students he’d ‘hang them from a tree’

The Frisco School District has released documents tied to the investigation of racist comments made by a former football coach. Todd Campbell was an assistant coach at Centennial High School. He was put on administrative leave last November after the district received many formal complaints of his alleged comments from offended students and their parents.  view article  

Red Oak ISD: Builder agrees to pay for Shields Elementary tornado repairs

More than two months after a tornado hit Shields Elementary School in northern Ellis County on Dec. 26, Red Oak ISD confirmed Thursday that the original builder of the school, Ratcliff Constructors, has agreed to pay for the repairs. Fox 4's Lori Brown began investigating concerns about the quality of construction at the school  in Glenn Heights after an exterior wall collapsed in the tornado. view article  

Poth ISD board picks Paula Renken

She has served since January as the interim superintendent of the Poth Independent School District (ISD). After March 9 -- when the state-mandated 21-day waiting period runs out -- Paula Renken will take the helm in a permanent capacity, after the board of trustees Feb. 17 named her as the lone finalist in their superintendent search. view article  

Students to see revamped SAT in March, Cy-Fair ISD encourages practice

This spring, high school students throughout the U.S.—including those at Cy-Fair ISD—will be introduced to an entirely redesigned SAT as the College Board, a nonprofit organization that designs and administers the SAT, has drastically changed one of the most popular college aptitude tests in the country. Beginning in March, students will take a redesigned SAT that, according to the College Board, does away with the difficult vocabulary section and adds in more straight forward questions based on real-world college and career concepts. view article  

Istation Scores Predict Student Success on STAAR

Istation reports a study linking student results on Istation assessments with a high probability of passing Texas' standardized reading test. This study updates Istation's previous prediction band study completed in March 2014 that tracked student performance on Istation's Indicators of Progress (ISIP™) assessments and STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) scores. view article  

Slow your roll: Frisco ISD bans hoverboards

Any Frisco ISD student who got a “hoverboard” for Christmas and wants to show it off at school is in for a rude awakening. The trendy mode of transportation will no longer be allowed on Frisco ISD campuses, the district announced Wednesday. view article  

New Texas law may prompt longer school days

Some San Antonio students may have to wake up a few minutes earlier next school year. Parents can blame it on the politicians who passed a new state law changing the amount of time students spend in school. During the last legislative session, lawmakers approved House Bill 2610. view article  

Longer School Days Ahead For Arlington ISD Students

Arlington parents are hoping a few extra minutes in school every day will mean their students are out for summer break days earlier. The school district is about to lengthen its school days hoping to either provide a buffer in case weather-related school closures are needed or give everyone an early summer break. When kids go to school they’re literally on the clock. Their school year isn’t over until the school has clocked 17,600 minutes of student time. Arlington is hoping it can push all those minutes into a shorter school year. view article  

Judson ISD board to discuss rescinding school’s name

A special board meeting for the Judson Independent School District is set to take place Wednesday night. On the agenda is the possibility of rescinding the name of Dr. Willis Mackey High School. The school was named after the district's former Superintendent who retired last year, and the topic has since been widely debated. view article  

Hallsville ISD leader to resign

Hallsville ISD Superintendent Jim Dunlap says he will resign effective at the district's next board meeting Dec. 14. Dunlap, who recently went on the district's radio station, Bobcat Radio, to announce his decision, said he has no other comment until after the board meeting. "Really, all I wanted to say was to the staff, and that has already been broadcast on Bobcat Radio," he said this week. view article  

Michelle Faust of Round Rock ISD Joins North American Solutions

North American Solutions (NAS), a leading provider of insurance and risk management services for public entities, is excited to announce that Michelle Faust, currently Director, Safety & Risk Management at Round Rock ISD, will be joining the NAS team in January. view article  

Superintendents should have teaching experience

There is no replicating the classroom teaching experience, and having that experience should not be optional for public school superintendent job candidates. The State Board of Education is voting in Austin today on the states requirements for public school superintendents and is considering removing teaching experience from the list of qualifications. view article  

School board extends student/teacher ratio

Extending the student/teacher ratio for a few third-grade classes and approving a request made by the Texas A&M Agri-life Extension office were the only highlights during November's Plainview ISD school board meeting Thursday. With a unanimous vote, PISD trustees voted to approve an application for a waiver to exceed the ... view article  

Pottsboro ISD board identifies dangerous roads, stresses student safety

The Pottsboro Independent School District’s board of trustees discussed a resolution to receive funding for a service they already provide during their regular meeting earlier this week. PISD Superintendent Kevin Matthews explained that Texas law does not provide transportation funding to school districts if the district is transporting students that live within two miles of the schools they attend, unless those areas are dangerous for students to cross. In this situation, that is the case, Matthews said. The board identified five areas they qualified as hazardous: Highway 289, Highway 120, FM 996, FM 1417 and Cardinal Lane. - See more at: http://heralddemocrat.com/news/schools/pottsboro-isd-board-identifies-dangerous-roads-stresses-student-safety#sthash.NCQqqUs4.dpuf view article  

TEA: LA MARQUE ISD’S ACCREDITATION REVOKED, TO BE ANNEXED BY ANOTHER DISTRICT

Officials with the Texas Education Agency confirmed Thursday that the troubled La Marque school district has lost its accreditation and will be annexed by another district. In a letter addressed to the Board of Trustees and La Marque ISD, Commissioner of Education Michael Williams says the school district will be closed, effective July 1. He cites the district's rating of "academically unacceptable" for 2011 and a rating of "improvement required" in the state of Texas' academic accountability rating system for 2013 and 2014. view article