Spring Branch ISD directed campus leaders to remove a Ramadan display at Bunker Hill Elementary School, saying the decoration violated district policy.  A Ramadan display set up in the lobby of Bunker Hill Elementary School in Houston was removed earlier this week after Spring Branch ISD determined it violated the district’s policy on religious and political neutrality.  “Because the display was religious in nature, campus leaders were directed to remove it,” the district said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. A district spokesperson said the removal was prompted by a parent complaint.  he display was put up by the Parent Teacher Association’s cultural awareness committee. Casey Kaf Alghazal, the committee’s chair, said the school has had Ramadan-related decorations in past years, but this year’s display was larger than previous ones. It featured “Ramadan Mubarak” signage and crescent moon imagery in the school’s lobby. view article

Republican primary voters across Texas overwhelmingly supported a ballot proposition calling for the prohibition of Sharia law, according to unofficial results from the March 2026 Primary Election.  The measure—Proposition 10—asked voters whether Texas should prohibit the use of Sharia law. The proposition was one of 10 non-binding questions placed on the Republican primary ballot by the Republican Party of Texas to gauge grassroots priorities ahead of the party’s 2026 convention and the 2027 legislative session.  The propositions are advisory only but are often used by party activists and lawmakers to shape the party platform and future legislative priorities. view article

This Tuesday, Tribune reporters are watching two blockbuster senate primaries, an open attorney general seat, and more high-stakes, competitive races up and down the Texas ballot. view article

As companies look to build projects that consume more power than cities, ERCOT is trying to plan transmission. view article

Republicans on Capitol Hill are about to give President Donald Trump a major boost — a green light to conduct a war against Iran without worrying about Congress, at least for now.  The House and Senate are on track this week to vote down a pair of bipartisan war power resolutions aimed at limiting Trump’s ability to conduct the Iran campaign. Rank-and-file Republicans are prepared to back Trump, giving them co-ownership of a conflict that’s already unpopular with Americans.  The Senate is likely to vote Wednesday, with the House set to vote on Thursday. The House and Senate will receive separate briefings on Iran this afternoon from top administration officials.  Who to watch. In the Senate, previous GOP skeptics of Trump’s unilateral war-making authority say they’re comfortable with the president’s efforts on Iran. view article

Polls close today in the Texas primaries. Here are 5 things to watch.  This Tuesday, Tribune reporters are watching two blockbuster senate primaries, an open attorney general seat, and more high-stakes, competitive races up and down the Texas ballot. view article

Every day at lunch, a handful of teenagers in Frisco, Texas, would pop into room C112, face a whiteboard and kneel for one of their five daily prayers. Last week, top state officials learned about the room — and suddenly Liberty High had a big issue indeed. view article

A Nacogdoches non-profit organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary while also honoring Black History Month. The event highlights two decades of community service and cultural contributions in the area.  Local residents and supporters are invited to join the celebration, which includes tributes, guest speakers, and performances recognizing local Black leaders and history. The event takes place in Nacogdoches, Texas. view article

If you are wondering where to find a good example of how important the simple wheat grain once was to Fort Worth, go to a museum.  In this case, architect Louis Kahn’s iconic Kimbell Art Museum — which has a design that features cycloid barrel vaults reflecting the grain silos and Egyptian granaries.  While the art aficionados swooned with flowery words about the design at its opening in October 1972, few realized Kahn’s architecture plan for the museum was no simple design choice meant to “wow” the snooty criticsfrom both coasts.  The namesake family of museum had built their fortune on wheat, explains TCU history professor Rebecca Sharpless. Her upcoming book “People of the Wheat” explores the history of the grain and its importance to North Central Texas. view article

One more year of a failing state accountability rating for South Waco Elementary, largely determined by State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness tests conducted in April, would trigger potential state takeover of Waco ISD operations. The district's timeframe for improving ratings was shortened by the arrival of three years worth of state ratings last year, after court challenges delayed the release of two prior years.  Turning over South Waco, which has four consecutive F's, and Dean Highland, which has three, would effectively mean a two-year reprieve from potential state intervention under a state law that passed in 2017 as Senate Bill 1882. Waco ISD was the first district in the state to take advantage of a so-called 1882 partnership when it turned over operation of five schools in 2018 to Transformation Waco, a nonprofit created locally for the purpose. The in-district Transformation Waco charter, which turned the schools back over to Waco ISD operation in the summer of 2024, included Alta Vista Elementary, Brook Avenue Elementary, J.H. Hines Elementary, G.W. Carver Middle and Indian Spring Middle.  Waco ISD Superintendent Tiffany Spicer will ask district trustees at their Thursday night meeting for the authority to negotiate a contract with Third Future Schools, a Colorado-based company that operates a half-dozen Texas public schools as charters. view article

Sherman Middle School teacher Brad Strickland resigned from Tioga ISD in 2023 in lieu of being fired amid misconduct allegations.  Mary and Wiley Alexander—parents of the girl targeted by then-Tioga ISD teacher Brad Strickland—spoke on the record at the beginning of Monday night’s Sherman ISD school board meeting.   “Do Sherman parents know his history?” asked Mary Alexander.   The Alexanders previously filed grievances accusing Strickland of grooming their daughter while she was a student in Tioga ISD, from 2020 until she graduated in 2023.   Immediately after graduation, their daughter moved in with the Stricklands. view article

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

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 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

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

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

Keep up-to-date on important public and private school deadlines with our frequently-updated calendar of events.  School choice options are expanding, including charters, magnets programs and other alternatives within traditional public school systems.  Many districts allow families to apply outside their assigned school zones, with application windows typically opening in early January and closing in March or April. view article

In South Texas public schools, I learned about Robert E. Lee and George Washington and the histories of the United States and Texas. Yet not a single lesson addressed Mexican American history — our Indigenous and African roots or the men and women who shaped this country. It was as if only Anglos made history. view article

Students who took English and math college prep courses were less likely to complete college than their peers who were not considered college ready at all.  As Texas pushes more high schoolers to get ready for college and the workforce, new research suggests that some of the ways schools count students as ready don’t equally set them up for success after graduation.  The state rewards Texas school districts for preparing students for life after graduation, tying college and career readiness to more school funding and a higher school performance rating.  The Texas Education Agency has been increasingly strict on districts about college readiness. In the 2022-23 school year, state education officials raised the benchmark for schools to qualify for an A grade in the category of college and career readiness: Schools needed to get 88% of graduates ready for life after high school, up from 60% in prior years. view article

Use our map to search for schools or special programs near you. School boundaries have changed for the 2026-27 school year. view article

Five days into early voting for the March 3 primary, Bexar County voter turnout is higher than expected, Democrats are vastly outvoting Republicans and people who’ve never participated in a primary are turning out to help choose their party’s nominees.  The last midterm election was in 2022, where Republicans voiced their displeasure with then-newly elected Joe Biden’s presidency.  Don’t miss San Antonio Report’s essential politics coverage. ��️ view article

Greetings Pasadena! We're your go-to source for what's happening in town. In today's newsletter:  How Pasadena ISD's purchasing team just hit a 10-year milestone  Have a Pasadena warrant? See how to clear it without arrest.  Which Pasadena ISD teacher will you send on a restorative retreat? view article

Residents and elected officials are speaking out against a proposed border barrier through Texas’ biggest state park and one of the jewels of the national park system.  REDFORD — Plans for a border wall through the Big Bend region of West Texas are raising alarms among residents and elected officials.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection intends to build border barriers throughout this remote region of Texas that encompasses ranchland, small towns and a cherished state and national park. view article

College Station ISD school board members announced they are extending the application deadline for its out-of-district transfer program. The application deadline was originally February 27th, but it will now remain open for the foreseeable future. According to College Station ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider, they’ve only received 15 applications so far view article

Trustees for the Houston-area school district narrowly voted last August to implement a policy that prohibits employees from discussing gender-related issues with students and requires them to notify students’ parents if they identify as transgender. That policy is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. view article

Local citizens who are preparing their own lawsuit against the chemical giant say Attorney General Ken Paxton’s suit could shield Dow from bigger penalties. view article

Early voting begins on Tuesday. Here’s a look at what the officials elected to several local offices oversee. view article

On a drizzly November morning, inside Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu—a strip mall gym wedged between an indoor driving range and a medical testing lab in North Austin—John Danaher sat on a mat near a vinyl logo advertising The Joe Rogan Experience.  view article

With the girls basketball postseason continuing this week with the area round, here is a rundown of the scheduled playoff matchups for all schools within Star Local Media markets. This list is continually being updated by the Star Local Media sports staff, so be sure to check back for information on all upcoming playoff games within the area. view article

The family of Don Huffines, a former Republican Texas senator who is now campaigning to become the state’s comptroller, bought the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in New Mexico after the child sex trafficker and molester died.“Four years after Mr. Epstein’s death, the Huffines family purchased property in New Mexico listed at public auction whose proceeds benefited his victims. Prior to the auction listing, they had never visited the property,” Huffines’ campaign spokesperson Allen Blakemore said in a statement Friday.  In a follow-up statement Monday, Blakemore said the family had not been approached by any authorities to search the property but would cooperate should they be. The statement was released in the wake of calls from officials in New Mexico for federal and state authorities to open a probe after an email recently surfaced that two girls may be buried at the ranch or near it.  The ownership was first reported earlier Friday by the Santa Fe New Mexican, which attributed its reporting to public records obtained through public information requests. view article

The organization has responded to the viral incident.   A peaceful prayer in a Plano park was disrupted Sunday when a man shouting Islamophobic remarks harassed members of the congregation.  The Islamic Relief at the University of Texas at Dallas (IRUTD) had gathered at the park for a Barakah Breakfast—a community centered event focused on reflection, connection and service, according to the organization.  During prayer, a man was filmed harassing the group, calling Islam a "disgusting fake religion" and yelling that members would "go to hell" unless they repented, among other inflammatory and offensive remarks. An Instagram account seemingly belonging to the instigator also posted a partial video of the harassment.  view article

The Texas Lyceum, the state’s premier nonpartisan leadership development organization, recently welcomed 15 business and civic leaders from across the state as new directors, leading the organization into its 46th year of service to Texas. Among those sworn in was Lufkin community leader Jeff Walker. Walker is the president of Collegiate Edu-Nation and the former executive director of Partners for Rural Impact - East Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science from Hardin-Simmons University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. Walker is actively engaged in regional civic leadership, serving on the executive board of the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce and in leadership roles with several East Texas community organizations. view article

Voting for the 2026 primaries starts Tuesday. Texas Republican and Democrat voters will pick which candidate they want to represent their interests and their party on the ballot for the November general election.  Before you head to the polls, you should know you have rights as a voter and there are certain rules in place at voting locations about what you can bring and wear. You also need an approved photo ID to vote in person. view article

The temporary moratorium is intended to allow for completion of an investigation into various Chinese companies that manufacture parts for wind, solar, and battery storage projects.   With rural counties across Texas looking for ways to push back on industrial‑scale, unreliable energy projects and foreign‑linked equipment, Van Zandt’s move will likely serve as both a roadmap and a test of how far local officials can go without violating state limits on county power. view article

A mass “sickout” is planned across Houston ISD on Thursday, as parents, students and community members continue protesting the state takeover of the district. Organizers are calling on families to keep students home or bring them to school after lunch so they will be counted absent. The goal, they say, is to send a message to state leaders and demand the return of the district’s elected school board. view article