Keller superintendent clears out office ahead of vote on separation agreement

Keller superintendent Tracy Johnson has cleaned out her office ahead of a vote on a voluntary separation agreement with the district, according to a school board member. Trustee Joni Smith confirmed that Johnson has vacated her office in a text message to the Star-Telegram. Johnson did not respond to a text message and voicemail seeking comment. At a special meeting of the board on Jan. 16, she announced that she had already written up her letter of resignation.
In historic first, Texas House approves private school voucher program

The Texas House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would create a $1 billion private school voucher program, crossing a historic milestone and bringing Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority closer than ever to reaching his desk.The lower chamber signed off on its voucher proposal, Senate Bill 2, on an 86-61 vote. Every present Democrat voted against the bill. They were joined by two Republicans — far short of the bipartisan coalitions that in previous legislative sessions consistently blocked proposals to let Texans use taxpayer money to pay for their children’s private schooling. “This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children,” Abbott said in a statement, vowing that he would “swiftly sign this bill into law” when it reached his desk.
Cy-Fair ISD projects $50M shortfall in 2025-26 budget as legislative decisions loom

Cy-Fair ISD is exploring options to address a projected $50.1 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2025-26. CFISD Chief Financial Officer Karen Smith said at the April 15 meeting that the shortfall is due to a lack of state funding and an anticipated 1% drop in student enrollment, among other factors. The details:Public schools in Texas have not seen an increase in the basic allotment of $6,160 per student since 2019, according to the Texas Education Agency. CFISD officials said schools statewide are struggling with costs as the Texas Legislature considers bills that could boost public school funding.
The Texas House is set to vote on school vouchers and public school funding. Here’s what you need to know.

The vote will be the proposal’s biggest test yet and will show whether Gov. Greg Abbott has built enough support since a similar bill died in the lower chamber in 2023. The Texas House is expected to vote Wednesday on bills to create a $1 billion private school voucher program and give public schools more funding per student, setting up what could be a dramatic floor showdown over the two marquee education proposals of the session. The House vote is the voucher bill’s biggest hurdle, and it will mark the first official test of whether Gov. Greg Abbott and his allies have built enough support in the lower chamber since a coalition of House Democrats and rural Republicans sank the previous voucher proposal in 2023.
Keller ISD faces new legal fight over proposed spli

I’m David Moreno, arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report.
School voucher bill gets initial approval in the Texas Senate, heads over to a more skeptical House

The Senate also approved Senate Bill 2, which would infuse $5.2 billion to school districts to help them with teacher raises and rising costs. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would add those items to the special session’s agenda once lawmakers approve a voucher program.

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Killeen ISD’s Union Grove Middle School to use metal detectors at entrance for rest of week

March 1108:00 AM

A Killeen ISD middle school will be implementing the use of metal detectors for the remainder of the week following a deadly stabbing at Roy J. Smith Middle School on Monday, March 10. Union Grove Middle School announced on social media that it will be implementing the use of metal detectors for all students entering the school through the rest of the week. All students will reportedly be required to use the front entrance, which the school says may cause delays in normal entry procedures. view article

Former Keller ISD superintendent to earn $425K after resigning amid split proposal

March 1010:09 AM

Keller ISD will pay former Superintendent Tracy Johnson $425,384 through the end of 2025, according to her resignation agreement with the school board. The agreement, obtained by the Fort Worth Report through an open records request, outlines that Johnson will receive two lump-sum payments and retain her salary and benefits through Dec. 31, 2025. Johnson’s last day as superintendent was Jan. 31. Her salary was $275,000. view article

Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD votes to close 4 schools

March 1008:27 AM

The Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD Board of Trustees voted to close down four schools in an attempt to improve the district’s financial situation. view article

Vouchers aren’t pushing Fort Worth ISD to close schools, leaders say. Here’s what is

March 1008:26 AM

A multitude of factors are pushing Fort Worth ISD to close schools. None are related to the Texas Legislature’s proposal for a voucher program. The biggest factor? Declining enrollment. Another contributor? Fort Worth ISD’s dollars and staff are spread too thin to adequately meet the educational needs of students, according to district officials. view article

Fort Worth ISD reduces number of schools on list for possible closure and consolidation

March 1008:25 AM

Fort Worth ISD is reducing the number of schools on its list of possible closures. The district said it has to shut down several campuses to deal with a $17 million budget deficit and declining enrollment, and the options will continue to evolve throughout the process. view article

Socorro: SISD offers buyouts, Sun Metro worker dies, traffic ticket amnesty ends Saturday

March 1008:23 AM

This is your weekly news roundup, which takes a quick look at some developments in government, politics, education, environment and other topics across El Paso. Some Socorro Independent School District employees may be able to take a $2,500 payout to resign as the second-largest district in El Paso prepares to lay off 300 workers. view article

Henderson ISD campuses to resume classes after buildings cleared

March 1008:21 AM

Some Henderson ISD students were briefly evacuated Thursday morning due to smoke in a school building. Henderson ISD announced at about 10:20 a.m. that students at Wylie Elementary and Wylie Primary School were being evacuated “due to the presence of smoke in the common areas of the building.” The ISD said fire crews responded to investigate and found that the smoke was due to a malfunction in the air conditioning equipment. The incident was handled before a fire could occur. view article

La Porte ISD receives 11th straight financial reporting award

March 1008:20 AM

La Porte ISD’s Business Office has received its 11th consecutive Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International. The award recognizes districts that have met the program’s high standards for financial reporting and transparency. La Porte ISD’s Certificate of Excellence is for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended 2024. “For over half a century, ASBO International’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting has been the gold standard in promoting and recognizing excellence in financial reporting,” said ASBO International Executive Director Jim Rowan. view article

Houston ISD is considering school closures. Elected trustees want community involvement

March 1008:19 AM

As Houston ISD’s state-appointed board of managers considers closing an undisclosed number of campuses for the 2026-27 school year, elected trustees are asking for community members to be involved in the process. view article

CFBISD closing four schools, including popular elementary for gifted students

March 1008:19 AM

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD decided Thursday to shut down four schools next school year, a decision also faced by two dozen other school districts across Texas. The district blamed Texas lawmakers for a lack of money for schools and declining enrollment as fewer young adults choose to have children. view article

Socorro ISD to offer payout incentive for 100 employees who resign

March 1008:18 AM

Some Socorro Independent School District employees may be able to take a $2,500 payout to resign as the second-largest district in El Paso prepares to lay off 300 workers. SISD trustees voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $2,500 incentive for the first 100 probationary, non-certified and contracted employees who voluntarily resign at the end of their 2024-25 school year contract. view article

Frenship ISD hiring for multiple positions

March 1008:18 AM

view article

Temple ISD to pay $420,000 for traffic relief at elementary school

March 1008:17 AM

Temple ISD is constructing a new stacking loop at Kennedy-Powell Elementary to alleviate traffic congestion. “The current pick-up and drop-off pattern at Kennedy-Powell Elementary School brings vehicles into the campus from Cearley Road to the west of the facility,” Jon Wallin, Temple ISD executive director of communication, said in a news release. “Several parents and community members expressed concerns to Temple ISD about traffic backing up onto Airport Road during peak times.” view article

Center ISD school board votes to adopt 4-day school week

March 1008:17 AM

The Center ISD School Board has voted to adopt a 4-day school week for the 2025-2026 school year. The district announce the news Thursday night after the school board meeting. They noted that a copy of the official school calendar will be posted at a later date. view article

Dallas ISD teachers to rally against school vouchers in Austin

March 1008:16 AM

This week, students in the Dallas Independent School District are on spring break while one of the district's largest teachers' unions is heading to Austin to appeal directly to state lawmakers about school vouchers. NEA-Dallas, the National Education Association-Dallas, plans to bus a group of educators to the Texas Capitol to join hundreds of others in rallying against school choice vouchers. view article

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Wylie ISD superintendent takes the wheel as bus driver

March 1008:15 AM

Being a school district superintendent comes with many responsibilities, including working with the school board, keeping students safe, managing budgets, and more. But some of those tasks aren’t just in the office; they are on campus in the parking lot, picking up students on a school bus. view article

Prosper ISD construction site catches fire, 1 firefighter injured

March 1008:12 AM

One firefighter was injured while putting out a fire at a Prosper ISD construction site, officials said. The Prosper Fire Department responded to a fire around 2:31 a.m. at the Richland High School construction site located at 3450 Prairie Drive, the Prosper Fire Department said in a press release. The school is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in August 2025, Prosper ISD said. view article

Fort Worth city attorney to consult Attorney General Ken Paxton on Keller ISD split

March 1008:10 AM

A trio of Fort Worth City Council members has spurred a movement to get clarification on a possible Keller ISD split. Council members Charlie Lauersdorf [District 4], Alan Blaylock [District 10] and Macy Hill [District 7] have been proponents against a possible split. They have gotten the city involved in questioning the legality of the plan. view article

14-year-old Cy-Fair ISD student shot, killed during altercation involving large groups of teenagers, HCSO says

March 1008:07 AM

Family members identified the victim as 14-year-old Jaquai Thompson, a Rowe Middle School student who loved playing sports and being outside. view article

Dallas ISD absences spiked in January – and it could cost the district

March 0609:28 AM

Dallas ISD could lose out on thousands of dollars in funding after student absences spiked in January. More than 15% of the district’s roughly 138,900 students were absent on Jan. 21, according to records requested by KERA, and the percentage stayed in the double digits through the end of the month. view article

Is a family earning $156,000 poor? It is according to this Texas voucher bill. | Opinion

March 0608:35 AM

Most of us think we know the definition. Poor means, as Woody Guthrie sang, "you ain’t got the do re mi." It means struggling to afford necessities: food, shelter, clothing. But how poor is poor enough to get a hand from the government? It depends what you're asking for. view article

The Fifty Texas is poised for a big fight over Trump’s top education priority

March 0608:35 AM

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is on the cusp of enacting a $1 billion school voucher program that will provide tens of thousands of students with taxpayer dollars to pay for private school tuition, providing a massive boost to the conservative school choice movement. But to finally achieve his long-sought policy goal, Abbott needs to hold together a precarious coalition of conservative and moderate Republicans in the Legislature — which he played a heavy hand in reshaping in order to usher through what would likely be the largest voucher program in the country. view article

Grand Prairie ISD names lone finalist for new superintendent

March 0608:29 AM

The Grand Prairie Independent School District has picked a lone finalist for its open superintendent position. What we know: Dr. Gabriel Trujillo will be coming to Grand Prairie ISD from Nacogdoches ISD in East Texas. Grand Prairie ISD said he has more than 30 years of education experience. He’s a U.S. Air Force veteran and a former Cub and Scoutmaster. He’s been recognized statewide and on the national level for his leadership excellence. view article

What does the U.S. Department of Education do for Texas students?

March 0608:28 AM

Billions of dollars flow to Texas from the U.S. Department of Education — from school funding to college financial aid. President Donald Trump said he wants to shutter the department, stating the work should go back to the states. It was one of Trump’s campaign promises to close the department as he criticized it for promoting “woke” ideologies and DEI and for lagging student outcomes. view article

Voucher bills want to prioritize low-income families and be open to all students. Those goals might be at odds.

March 0608:26 AM

In public hearings, during Capitol floor debates and in rooms packed with their constituents, Texas lawmakers have pitched school vouchers as a tool that will primarily benefit low-income students — and not just, as their critics argue, offer taxpayer dollars to families already sending their children to private schools. “These are parents living paycheck by paycheck,” said Gov. Greg Abbott at a recent private school event in San Antonio. Families supporting his top legislative priority, he added, do “everything they can” to provide the best educational pathway for their children. view article

Canutillo ISD trustees weigh potential layoffs, cutting programs amid budget woes

March 0608:25 AM

The Canutillo Independent School District is considering laying off employees, increasing class sizes and cutting student programs as it faces potential financial exigency — the equivalent of bankruptcy for education institutions. The Canutillo ISD school board met Tuesday to discuss the budget for the 2025-26 school year and go over cost-saving options, including eliminating elementary school music classes, canceling district-funded travel and setting a hiring freeze on non-essential employees. view article

Fort Worth ISD spares four schools from closure or consolidation. More decisions loom

March 0608:25 AM

Four Fort Worth ISD schools are no longer being considered for closure or consolidation. As the district continues weighing a facilities master plan that could lead to the closure or consolidation of more than a dozen campuses over the next several years, officials stressed that options are ever-changing. view article

Robinson ISD looking for approval of $95.5M bond

March 0608:25 AM

Robinson ISD is hoping voters will approve a new bond proposition this May. According to Robinson ISD, the $95,495,000 bond will go towards a new/renovated high school at the junior high school campus, renovations of band halls into classrooms at the intermediate school and safety and technology updates. view article

Judson ISD approves one-time incentive for special education teachers

March 0608:24 AM

The Judson ISD board of trustees approved a one-time $750 retention incentive for special education and bilingual teachers and a $300 one-time retention incentive for special education and bilingual instructional paraprofessionals for the 2024-2025 school year Feb. 20. Funds for these incentives will be paid from 2024-2025 Every Students Succeeds Act Title II Carryover Funds. Funds will be paid in August 2025 for the staff working at the district effective January 2025 who are also returning in August for the 2025-2026 school year, according to agenda documents. view article

Senate committee discusses bills on prayer, Ten Commandments in school

March 0608:22 AM

The Texas Senate Committee on Education discussed two bills that could bring religious materials into public school classrooms. Senate Bill 10 would require all public schools to display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The text specified in the bill is the same as the text on the Ten Commandments Monument behind the Texas Capitol. view article

Arlington ISD cuts 27 junior high teaching positions through attrition, increases class sizes

March 0608:22 AM

A 20% student enrollment decline. A 6% smaller staff. A 14-point gap. Arlington ISD trustees stared at the bleak, misaligned numbers underlining the district’s rapid change over the past 10 years. They came to the same conclusion: The district had too many teachers for too few students. view article

A bomb threat forced three HEB ISD schools to evacuate Wednesday

March 0608:22 AM

Wednesday morning 1,200 students and staff were evacuated from three Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District schools after a bomb threat was directed at a couple of the schools, according to Euless Police. Police said around 10:24 a.m., officers responded to a bomb threat at KEYS High School and The District Alternative Education Program (DAEP), which are located at 1100 Raider Dr., in Euless. Investigators believe it was sent via email. view article

Texas senators push through legislation for Ten Commandments and school prayer

March 0608:21 AM

Texas senators are a step closer to bringing the Ten Commandments and designated prayer time to Texas public schools. In a committee hearing on Tuesday, senators advanced Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 11, which would require public elementary and secondary schools to display the ten commandments in classrooms and dedicate time for prayer and the reading of religious texts. The bills have now passed out of committee and are headed to the Texas Senate for further consideration. view article

Why Choose Choice Schools? — A Best-Fit School for Your Child

March 0608:21 AM

All children are unique. Each learns differently, has aspirations for different careers, and is interested in different subjects. The district believes that if all students can attend a high-quality school that matches their interests, they will achieve their academic potential. The more options suit a student’s interests, the better for the student. view article

San Antonio ISD, SA Food Bank partner to distribute food ahead of Spring Break

March 0608:20 AM

San Antonio ISD will distribute food to families ahead of Spring Break at the Alamo Stadium, according to a press release. The school district is partnering with the San Antonio Food Bank on March 5 to distribute food to 300 families before the break, which is March 10 through March 14. 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

May 13, 2025