The four-day school week is increasingly popular, particularly in rural districts, with roughly 900 school districts having adopted such a truncated schedule as of 2023. Districts often turn to the four-day schedule in the hope of reducing costs, improving attendance, and increasing teacher recruitment and retention. While the first goal is often achieved (though savings are small), evidence regarding the latter two is mixed. view article

The governor is calling for an expansion of in-state anti-terrorism programs and an increase in federal partnerships.   view article

Residents of Mart left Monday’s special school board meeting both angered and wanting answers after the district’s superintendent, Betsy Burnett was suddenly terminated from her position. Later Mart ISD posted on Facebook explaining the reasons for her termination and revealed they have communicated this decision with Burnett since January of 2024. view article

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court has no power to stop a proposed break up of the Keller school district if its board passes a resolution to do so, Commissioner Matt Krause said in a post on the social media platform X. Krause, a Republican whose precinct covers northeast Tarrant County, was responding to calls from constituents after it surfaced that Keller school board members were having behind the scenes conversations about the plan without first seeking public input. The board is scheduled to discuss the proposed break up in an executive session following public comment at the Jan. 16 5 p.m. meeting. view article

The Eanes ISD school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to close Valley View Elementary as part of an effort to reduce an estimated $6.5 million budget deficit. District officials said closing the campus, which is currently at 50 percent of its operational capacity, will save $2 million. Starting next school year, Valley View students will attend Barton Creek Elementary, which is about 6 miles away. view article

President Mark Welsh has canceled university participation in a DEI conference after Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to fire him.   view article

On Wednesday night, the Eanes Independent School District Board of Trustees passed a resolution to close down Valley View Elementary in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, according to a press release from the district. view article

The proposal to split the district in two represents a special public interest, which demands more transparency per the Texas Open Meetings Act, the attorneys said. view article

Gov. Greg Abbott threatened the job of Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III over claims that the university broke the state’s ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.  view article

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD trustees are considering a gender policy that could require staff to notify parents if their child uses a pronoun at school other than their biological sex. Staff would also be prohibited from diagnosing or treating a student with "gender dysphoria" under what some are calling a "hateful policy." view article

Cy Fair ISD is considering adoption of a gender policy similar to one enacted by Katy ISD. view article

Texans were told the lottery would fund education, but that was a lie. Examine the lottery’s predatory nature, and how the agency that administers the game has a bad habit […]  Examine the lottery’s predatory nature, and how the agency that administers the game has a bad habit of going rogue, exposing Texans to more pernicious forms of gambling. view article

Just before the Crystal City Independent School District let out for winter break, the district laid off 32 employees. The district told KSAT that none of the layoffs included any contractual employees but instead, “staff members in various non-contractual positions.” Victoria Noel, a woman who grew up in Crystal City and was set to move back to the district, said she’s communicated with teachers impacted by the cuts. view article

Two Keller school board members issued statements late Thursday afternoon saying that they are opposed to a plan to split the Keller school district. Chelsea Kelly and Joni Shaw Smith said that they hope the board will “pause” the process to split the district. They urged a transparent approach that includes collaboration and community debate. “I am not OK with this,” Kelly wrote in the Jan. 9 statement posted on Facebook. “I am not OK with the way this has been rolled out or that our community has had no input on this idea.” Kelly said the board discussed the plan in one closed meeting, which was the first time they had heard about it. view article

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to impose term limits for members of Congress. view article

Former Fort Bend Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Christie Whitbeck has dropped the defamation lawsuit against the district she used to run, as well as some trustees. She is still suing for breach of contract, the district announced Tuesday. A Fort Bend ISD spokesperson said she concedes she cannot legally maintain her claims against trustees regarding statements made about her performance. view article

The governor is calling for an expansion of in-state anti-terrorism programs and an increase in federal partnerships.   view article

A Judson Independent School District board member is facing a charge of driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of .15 or higher, according to Bexar County court records. San Antonio police arrested trustee Debra Eaton in December 2023, but at least one Judson ISD board member told KSAT Investigates they didn’t learn of the charge until this month. view article

Fernando Lucas de Urioste secured a decisive victory over Lindsey Stringer for the Austin school district’s open at-large seat in Saturday’s runoff election. view article

While other public officials have come under scrutiny for similar charges, the drunken driving arrest of Judson Independent School District board member Debra Eaton appeared to go unnoticed — even by fellow trustees. Board members said they were never informed that Eaton, 69, was arrested by San Antonio police last year on a DWI charge. view article

Houston ISD's state-appointed board members gave initial approval early Wednesday to policy changes regarding public comment at meetings, but backed off a proposal to eliminate virtual participation. In a preliminary, after-midnight move long after most of Tuesday night's meeting attendees had left HISD headquarters, the board voted 8-1 to move toward restricting community members from addressing topics that are not on the posted meeting agenda, among other proposed changes to public participation. Whereas student speakers have typically spoken near the beginning of meetings and before their adult counterparts, the board also signaled support for giving itself the discretion to alter that practice on a meeting-by-meeting basis. view article

Mike Mercer, who was elected as the District 7 trustee six years ago, wrote in a news release: "Serving alongside what I believe to be the most dedicated and compassionate staff in the state of Texas has been the honor of a lifetime. Your unwavering commitment—giving 110% every single day—ensures that our students have every opportunity to succeed. I am profoundly grateful to each of you, the board members I have had the privilege of serving with, and the community that entrusted me with this role. view article

A former Southlake Carroll ISD superintendent is suing the district, alleging the district breached their voluntary retirement agreement with him, leading him to receive a lower payout in retirement benefits from the Teacher Retirement System. David Faltys served as Carroll ISD’s superintendent from 2006 until 2021. Faltys filed the lawsuit Monday in Tarrant County District Court. view article

A former superintendent at Carroll ISD sued the district Monday after alleging it paid him lower retirement benefits than what was agreed upon in his contract. David Faltys, who served as superintendent for 15 years before stepping down in 2021, claims in the suit the district breached its voluntary retirement agreement with him. A district member at the time told Faltys an issue with his retirement payout was made by the Teacher Retirement System, not by the district, according to the suit. view article

Board president Misty Odenweller previously floated the idea of drafting a policy that would require educators to "out" transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary students, which former trustees shot down.   view article

The Texas Education Agency is considering whether to replace the South San ISD’s board of trustees with appointed board managers. “What happens to the old board? Do they have anything, any repercussions?” asked a woman attending the TEA and South San ISD meeting. view article

As the Austin Independent School District faces a $92 million deficit-- district leaders have laid out ways to reduce expenses. In a virtual town hall Monday evening, AISD Chief Financial Officer, Katrina Montgomery, discussed possible solutions to their financial woes but first explained how the deficit reached dire levels. view article

Monday evening the Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees voted to permanently close five elementary schools. Not all votes were unanimous, but all carried. Several campuses will also undergo rezoning as part of the plan. The following changes will take effect for the 2025-26 school year. view article

Monday evening the Lewisville ISD Board of Trustees voted to permanently close five elementary schools. Not all votes were unanimous, but all carried. Several campuses will also undergo rezoning as part of the plan. The following changes will take effect for the 2025-26 school year. view article

Lewisville ISD board members voted Monday night to close five of its elementary schools, a cost-saving measure officials say the district needs as student enrollment continues to decline and state funding for schools is uncertain. It was a highly emotional meeting, with more than a dozen people taking to the lectern during the public comment section to beg elected leaders to delay a school consolidation plan. Some speakers joined board members in directing rage at the state Legislature, accusing politicians by name of starving public schools and hurting neighborhoods. Gov. Greg Abbott, state Sen. Tan Parker and state Reps. Ben Bumgarner and Mitch Little were all named as bad actors. view article

All the schools up for closure are seeing declining enrollment, officials said. view article

The Lewisville Independent School District’s board of trustees will once again discuss plans to close some schools due to falling enrollment and budget problems. It’s been the same story at a number of school districts around North Texas. And it’s never welcome news for parents, students, teachers, and support staff at the schools that are affected. view article

Monday night the Lewisville Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the School Retirement and Boundary Adjustment Proposal which would close five elementary schools and rezone students. The five schools in jeopardy of closing are feeder schools into five Lewisville ISD high schools, which include: view article

Former Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck is suing the district and some trustees for defamation and breach of contract. The announcement comes exactly one year after the board approved her early retirement and she was forced out of the role. view article

The Lubbock ISD School Board approved consolidation measures impacting at least six schools in the district on Wednesday night, after hearing about an hour and a half of public comment. The board approved the consolidation of Overton Elementary School into Rush Elementary School and O.L. Slaton Middle School into Dunbar College Academy and Atkins Middle School. view article