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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TEA investigating Brownsville ISD over lunch-hour ICE raid protest

February 2608:28 AM

The Texas Education Agency is investigating Brownsville ISD over allegations of helping facilitate walkouts by high school students to protest Trump administration immigration enforcement tactics. In a statement, BISD said the walkouts were well within the students’ constitutional rights. view article

2 Longview educators face trial over alleged student abuse in life skills classroom

February 2608:27 AM

The trial of two former Longview ISD educators accused of involvement in the alleged abuse of students in a J.L. Everhart Elementary life skills classroom continued Wednesday. Former J.L. Everhart Principal Cassandra Renee James and former Curriculum Coordinator/Assistant Principal Linda Kay Browne Lister each face 16 counts of injury to a child and one count of abandonment or endangerment of a child. view article

Seguin ISD takes preliminary steps toward establishing its own police department

February 2608:25 AM

Seguin ISD board members took what administrators describe as a first step Tuesday night toward potentially establishing a new district police department. Dr. Ruben Carrillo, Seguin ISD chief of technology and security, presented the item to the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees, outlining a resolution that would allow the district to begin exploring and ‘preparing the necessary framework to eventually make a formal decision. view article

Kermit ISD votes against new Texas law that would add prayer period

February 2608:25 AM

A new law requiring all public school districts to vote on whether they will permit prayer periods has been rejected by another West Texas school district. view article

Dr. Joe Waldron Named Lone Finalist for Abilene ISD Superintendent Position

February 2608:25 AM

The Abilene Independent School District has named Dr. Joe Waldron as the lone finalist for its next superintendent. Trustees made the announcement during a special board meeting Wednesday at One AISD Center, moving forward in the process to replace current Superintendent Dr. John Kuhn. view article

Fort Worth ISD rejects state law allowing school prayer period

February 2608:25 AM

Fort Worth ISD rejected a new state law on Tuesday night that allows school districts to establish a time for prayer. The district joins a growing list of school systems, including Grapevine-Colleyville, that have voted against the proposal. Some North Texas districts, including Keller and Aledo, have approved it. view article

‘I don’t think I can handle it’: Families leave Judson ISD board meeting in tears after school closures announced

February 2608:25 AM

The Judson Independent School District school board on Tuesday voted to close three elementary schools during a special meeting. The board voted 5-2 to close Park Village Blended Learning Academy, Ed Franz Leadership Academy and Rolling Meadows Elementary. Other schools considered for closure included Spring Meadows Elementary/Spring Meadows College Prep and Millers Point Elementary. view article

Midway ISD trustees to vote on closing Speegleville Elementary

February 2608:25 AM

Midway ISD trustees have set a special called meeting to consider the closure of Speegleville Elementary School at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. They will also consider approving new attendance zones for students currently zoned to attend the school next school year. view article

Suspect detained after threat at Lamesa ISD

February 2608:25 AM

One suspect was detained on Wednesday after issuing threats to Lamesa ISD, according to a social media post by Lamesa ISD officials. The district was made aware of the threat and immediately activated threat assessment protocols and notified local authorities. view article

Temple ISD Communications Department wins 14 Star awards from TSPRA

February 2608:25 AM

The Temple Independent School District Communications Department took home a host of awards this February. The district announced that the Communications Department was presented with 14 Star Awards by the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) at the association's annual conference in late February. view article

USPS inspector investigating property tax mail fraud involving Spring Branch ISD resident

February 2608:25 AM

The United States Postal Service said they are aware of mail fraud for school property taxes in the Spring Branch area. The Spring Branch Independent School District's tax office confirmed to ABC13 that it has received concerns from people who've had their tax checks intercepted in the mail, the information changed, and that check fraudulently cashed. view article

67-year-old bicyclist dies 1 week after Arlington ISD school bus crash

February 2608:24 AM

Arlington police officers responded to a collision at the intersection of Treecrest Drive and the Interstate 20 frontage road just after 2:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Investigators determined a bicyclist was struck by a school bus carrying four students. view article

Clint ISD celebrates new stadium, weight room at Mountain View High School ribbon-cutting

February 2608:21 AM

Cheers and applause marked a major milestone for the Clint Independent School District on Tuesday as Mountain View High School celebrated the completion of a new stadium and weight room with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. view article

Siblings in 1995 Dallas ISD desegregation case remembered during Black History Month

February 2608:06 AM

History often seems far off a distant memory of days long past. Sometimes though, history is not just written in books but lives among us. Two siblings named in a 1955 case to desegregate Dallas ISD are still in North Texas today. During this Black History Month, they’re reflecting on the contributions they made as children. NBC 5’s Candace Sweat has this story. view article

Edgewood ISD students offer haircuts to children at Loma Park Elementary to fund senior trip

February 2608:05 AM

Edgewood Fine Arts Academy cosmetology students spent Tuesday afternoon providing children at Loma Park Elementary with affordable haircuts. According to a press release, students offered $5 haircuts to provide families with affordable and accessible haircut services. Many of the student barbers said the visit was personal because they once attended Loma Park themselves. view article

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Money flows to boost Abbott’s voucher architect in Southside state House race

February 2605:00 AM

A deluge of spending and attack ads are suddenly raining down on two San Antonio-area state legislative races that previously weren’t getting much attention. Campaign finance reports covering Jan. 23 through Feb. 21 were due Monday, detailing money raised and spent by campaigns and outside groups in the month leading up to early voting. They showed state and national PACs pouring money into a GOP primary on the South Side, where Republicans are choosing between a school voucher architect and a trial lawyer as their nominee to replace state Rep. John Lujan (R-San Antonio). view article

The TEA falls into a familiar pattern

February 2605:00 AM

Nearly 300 people want a seat on the Texas-appointed board replacing FWISD’s nine locally elected trustees, but none of their names are publicly known. The Fort Worth Report requested the list of applicants seeking to serve on the board of managers through Texas’ open records law. Agency officials declined to release it, requesting an opinion from the Texas attorney general’s office. That lack of transparency frustrates Fort Worth parents and residents as Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath prepares to appoint the managers in the coming weeks. The appointees will govern the district during the state takeover intended to bring significant academic gains for students. view article

Houston ISD trustees to make final decision on closing 12 schools

February 2605:00 AM

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston ISD officials are expected to finalize plans on Thursday to close 12 schools. RELATED: Houston ISD to close 12 schools in upcoming 2026-27 school year, district says This comes as multiple elected officials have asked the district to delay the decision, and, according to the district, 76 people have already signed up to speak at the HISD board meeting. District officials told Eyewitness News that there have been 24 meetings with HISD families over the past two weeks. ABC13 spoke with parents, teachers, and elected officials who say two weeks is not enough time for families to meaningfully participate in this process. HISD provided a list of these schools as being slated to close: view article

These 180 people seek to lead FWISD as Texas takes over. Only 21 have a shot

February 2605:00 AM

Many are parents. Most live within FWISD — many on the western side of the district. They want to serve on the Texas-appointed board of managers that will lead Fort Worth ISD during a state takeover for at least two years. The Fort Worth Report obtained and verified a list of 180 applicants who attended mandatory governance training hosted by the Texas Education Agency. Eleven people on the list confirmed they applied to be a manager and attended the training. This marks the first public disclosure of those seeking to be a manager for the nearly 70,000-student district. view article

TEA clears Tarrant County school superintendent of wrongdoing

February 2508:45 AM

The TEA determined allegations against James Whitfield, superintendent at Treetops School International in Euless, were unfounded. Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/education/article314766005.html#storylink=cpy view article

The Tutoring Center sets opening date for second Prosper location

February 2508:44 AM

Prosper’s second franchise location of The Tutoring Center is set to open this spring. What you need to know: Owner Xin Dong said the center will open for sessions Feb. 23, with an official opening date of March 2. Dong said the center will offer one-to-one instruction in reading, math and writing for kindergarten through 12th grade students, with a focus on increasing students' academic skills and concentration span. view article

Taylor Rehmet sworn into Texas Senate District 9 after runoff upset.

February 2508:40 AM

Wambsganss vastly outspent Rehmet throughout the campaign. She raised more than $2.5 million throughout her campaign, while Rehmet raised less than $400,000. Top Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, campaigned heavily for Wambsganss, encouraging Republicans to turn out and vote. President Trump himself posted three separate messages about Wambsganns on social media in the days leading up to the election, calling her “a highly successful Entrepreneur, and an incredible supporter of our Movement to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” as well as “a GREAT Candidate” who “has my Complete and Total Endorsement." view article

Eastland County Republicans scramble as hand-count of primary ballots looms

February 2508:40 AM

EASTLAND, Texas — On Monday, a group of four people spent more than an hour at a table inside a Realtor’s office, hand-counting the results of two races on 100 sample ballots. It was only a week before Tuesday’s primary election, and for this small group, it was their first time practicing to tally votes by hand. They counted in batches of 25 and used different colored markers to keep track of where one counted batch ended and a new one began. They also used laminated tally sheets, which allowed them to erase and remark them if they made any errors. The group twice marked a vote for the wrong candidate, an error that meant they had to go back and start over and correct their laminated sheets. view article

Crockett vs. Talarico: Are Influencers Deciding Texas Senate Election?

February 2508:40 AM

The Texas Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico has been heavily shaped by social media influencers. Online creators on platforms like TikTok, X, and SubStack are driving viral moments and amplifying allegations against both candidates. The conversations are being framed as a broader debate over identity, electability, and the future of the Democratic party in Texas. Kayla Guo, reporter for The Texas Tribune, discusses the rising influence of these social media pundits and the changing landscape of political discourse. view article

Did your school district vote for or against adding prayer time in schools?

February 2508:37 AM

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Last spring, the Texas Legislature passed a bill that allows school districts to add a period dedicated to prayer and reading the Bible or other religious texts in public schools. Now, school districts are nearly at the end of their deadline to vote on whether or not they’ll do so. While Senate Bill 11 doesn’t require prayer in all public schools, it allows school districts to “adopt a policy requiring every campus of the district or school to provide students and employees with an opportunity to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text on each school day.” view article

Itasca ISD warns families after former student arrested in AI‑generated pornography case

February 2508:31 AM

The Itasca Independent School District in Hill County is warning families after a former high school student was arrested for creating AI‑generated pornography using photos of teachers and students, according to district officials. The district says the former student took photos of students and staff on Itasca ISD campuses and in neighboring districts, then used an artificial‑intelligence platform to alter them into nude and sexually explicit images digitally. view article

Former Point Isabel ISD substitute teacher sentenced after recording kindergarten students in the bathroom

February 2508:25 AM

A former substitute teacher at the Point Isabel Independent School District was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison on over 20 counts of child pornography-related charges, court records show. Leif Ericson Varnum secretly recorded kindergarten students while they used a classroom restroom with the door open, according to a statement from Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz. view article

Celina ISD hires new Athletic Director after previous AD resigned amid scandal

February 2508:25 AM

Celina ISD announced the hiring of a new athletic director after the previous AD, Bill Elliott, retired amid the investigation into his son's arrest on numerous sex crime charges. Brent Whitson, who previously was the athletic director and head football coach at Denison High School, will begin the role on March 23, the school district said in a press release view article

Former Principal embraces mindset shift in Beaumont ISD takeover

February 2508:25 AM

About 60 applicants attended a two-day training session over the weekend led by the Texas Education Agency. view article

HISD 2026 school closures: The Houston Chronicle’s complete coverage

February 2508:25 AM

In a sharp reversal, Houston ISD's state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has proposed plans to close 12 schools by the 2026-27 school year. The district plans to close eight campuses and relocate four others, citing lower-than-expected enrollment and aging facilities. Over the past decade, the HISD schools slated for closure and co-locations have seen enrollment drop by nearly half, leaving most operating far below their ideal capacity. view article

Lumberton ISD bus driver released on $10K bond, faces felony DWI charge for allegedly transporting students while intoxicated

February 2508:25 AM

A Lumberton Independent School District bus driver arrested on a state jail felony charge after police say he was intoxicated while transporting students has been released on a $10,000 bond with strict monitoring conditions. view article

Celina ISD to introduce new Athletic Director

February 2508:25 AM

Celina ISD announced the hiring of a new athletic director, Brent Whitson, after the previous leader retired when his son was arrested for sex crimes. view article

3 more Central Texas school districts reject daily prayer time under new state law

February 2508:25 AM

On Monday night, three more Central Texas school districts voted against setting aside time for prayer each day. Boards of trustees in Manor ISD, Hays CISD and San Marcos CISD passed resolutions against dedicating time for prayer. Under a new state law, school boards are required to vote on the issue. It is the result of Senate Bill 11, passed by state lawmakers during the regular legislative session last year. view article

College Station ISD lifts ‘Secure status’, threat deemed a hoax call

February 2508:24 AM

College Station ISD has lifted the Secure status at all campuses after law enforcement determined a reported threat was a hoax. Monday afternoon, all campuses were placed on secure status, meaning no one enters or leaves a building, but classes continue as normal, following a threat that prompted an extensive law enforcement response. 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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