https://superintendentscorner.com/state-texas The latest Texas school district news. en-us https://hechingerreport.org/houston-isd-state-takeover-high-costs-enrollment/ https://hechingerreport.org/houston-isd-state-takeover-high-costs-enrollment/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000 Hechinger Report Policy & LegislationTexas This story was produced by The Texas Tribune and republished with permission.  HOUSTON —  Fonville Middle School hired learning coaches to help students falling behind in the classroom. It bought new state-of-the-art... https://hechingerreport.org/texas-sends-kids-to-harsh-daep-alternative-campuses/ https://hechingerreport.org/texas-sends-kids-to-harsh-daep-alternative-campuses/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Hechinger Report Teaching & LearningTexas The most notable thing about Melissa’s son’s 6th birthday should have been the vacation the family took. Instead, it was the letter waiting for them when they returned home.  Her child was assigned to the disciplinary... https://districtadministration.com/houston-isd-state-takeover-could-end-this-school-year-but-elected-trustees-face-a-long-road-to-full-control/ https://districtadministration.com/houston-isd-state-takeover-could-end-this-school-year-but-elected-trustees-face-a-long-road-to-full-control/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:50:49 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas To end the takeover, the district is required to improve school board governance, have no multi-year failing campuses, and update the special education department so it is compliant with state standards. The post... https://districtadministration.com/high-costs-dwindling-enrollment-is-houston-isds-playbook-under-takeover-sustainable/ https://districtadministration.com/high-costs-dwindling-enrollment-is-houston-isds-playbook-under-takeover-sustainable/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:25:36 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas The high price tag, coupled with less state funding from students leaving the district, raises questions about whether the academic improvements are sustainable in the long run and whether other districts can afford to... https://districtadministration.com/mike-morath-wanted-texas-to-reach-no-1-in-education-test-scores-show-theres-more-work-to-do/ https://districtadministration.com/mike-morath-wanted-texas-to-reach-no-1-in-education-test-scores-show-theres-more-work-to-do/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:29:21 +0000 District Admin Teaching & LearningTexas Appointed a decade ago, the education commissioner insists that when he has direct oversight, academic gains follow. His critics await better student outcomes. The post Mike Morath wanted Texas to reach No. 1 in... https://www.the74million.org/article/austin-mayor-releases-plan-to-prevent-texas-from-taking-over-the-school-district/ https://www.the74million.org/article/austin-mayor-releases-plan-to-prevent-texas-from-taking-over-the-school-district/ Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas In an effort to keep the Austin school district independent, Mayor Kirk Watson is pushing to close two chronically-failing middle schools that triggered the state’s takeover law. He’ll need parents’ help to do it.... https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-should-establish-three-year-bachelors-degree-options-gov-greg-abbott-says/ https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-should-establish-three-year-bachelors-degree-options-gov-greg-abbott-says/ Fri, 04 Sep 2026 18:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Wednesday to work on pathways for students to earn bachelor’s degrees in three years. Such a program could have college students take about 90... https://districtadministration.com/most-texas-voucher-recipients-were-already-enrolled-in-private-school/ https://districtadministration.com/most-texas-voucher-recipients-were-already-enrolled-in-private-school/ Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:32:58 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas The data undercuts a major argument for the vouchers—that they would chiefly help Texans hoist their kids out of failing public schools. The post Most Texas voucher recipients were already enrolled in private school... https://www.chalkbeat.org/newark/2026/09/01/school-board-gave-funeral-director-deal-to-train-students-in-hospitality/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/newark/2026/09/01/school-board-gave-funeral-director-deal-to-train-students-in-hospitality/ Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:33:00 +0000 Chalkbeat LeadershipNew JerseyTexas The Newark Board of Education unanimously approved a $700,000 contract for local funeral director Carolyn Whigham to train students in hotel and food-service business leadership. https://districtadministration.com/more-than-a-dozen-texas-school-districts-close-to-triggering-state-takeover-law-in-2027/ https://districtadministration.com/more-than-a-dozen-texas-school-districts-close-to-triggering-state-takeover-law-in-2027/ Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:38:00 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas At least 14 districts had at least one campus with a fourth consecutive failing grade, according to the preliminary 2026 ratings. The post More than a dozen Texas school districts close to triggering state takeover law... https://www.the74million.org/article/what-to-know-about-state-takeovers-as-texas-wrestles-with-the-future-of-austin-public-schools/ https://www.the74million.org/article/what-to-know-about-state-takeovers-as-texas-wrestles-with-the-future-of-austin-public-schools/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas Chronic academic underperformance at two Austin public schools has the district in jeopardy of severe state sanctions. Now, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will decide what intervention looks like for the... https://districtadministration.com/texas-lawmakers-push-for-later-school-start-dates-amid-summer-heat/ https://districtadministration.com/texas-lawmakers-push-for-later-school-start-dates-amid-summer-heat/ Mon, 17 Aug 2026 14:15:52 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas State Rep. Jared Patterson is preparing legislation that would move the start of the school year to after Labor Day. The post Texas lawmakers push for later school start dates amid summer heat appeared first on District... https://districtadministration.com/15-of-texas-schools-scored-below-a-c-on-the-state-accountability-scores/ https://districtadministration.com/15-of-texas-schools-scored-below-a-c-on-the-state-accountability-scores/ Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:57:29 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas The scores grade how well specific campuses and school districts as a whole perform academically and prepare students for college and to enter the workforce. The post 15% of Texas Schools scored below a ‘C’... https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/14/montezuma-cortez-district-rejects-bluebonnet-reading-curriculum/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/14/montezuma-cortez-district-rejects-bluebonnet-reading-curriculum/ Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:39 +0000 Chalkbeat Teaching & LearningColoradoTexas Just days after Montezuma-Cortez district officials pledged to remove Biblical material from a newly adopted reading curriculum, the school board decided not to use the curriculum at all. https://www.the74million.org/article/black-majority-schools-in-texas-receive-more-fs-than-a-ratings-leaving-parents-with-tough-choices/ https://www.the74million.org/article/black-majority-schools-in-texas-receive-more-fs-than-a-ratings-leaving-parents-with-tough-choices/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningTexas Jaleel is attending his first day of classes this month at a middle school opening its doors for the first time that specializes in air traffic control, commercial drones and engineering. His parents decided not to send... https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/10/montezuma-cortez-district-to-remove-bible-based-reading-lessons/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/10/montezuma-cortez-district-to-remove-bible-based-reading-lessons/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 23:32:52 +0000 Chalkbeat Teaching & LearningColoradoTexas District officials in the Montezuma-Cortez district will remove Christian faith-based content from elementary reading lessons provided by the Houston school district in Texas. https://districtadministration.com/tough-choices-face-black-parents-when-schools-struggle/ https://districtadministration.com/tough-choices-face-black-parents-when-schools-struggle/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:45:55 +0000 District Admin Teaching & LearningTexas Black Texas families weigh whether to send their children to schools with more academic resources — but potentially fewer of their values. The post Tough choices face Black parents when schools struggle appeared first... https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/06/montezuma-cortez-district-uses-biblically-infused-reading-lessons/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/06/montezuma-cortez-district-uses-biblically-infused-reading-lessons/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:06:58 +0000 Chalkbeat Teaching & LearningColoradoTexas The 2,200-student Montezuma-Cortez district recently adopted the Bluebonnet elementary reading curriculum, which includes Biblically infused lessons. https://www.the74million.org/article/which-families-are-using-esas-heres-what-we-know-about-texas-first-school-vouchers/ https://www.the74million.org/article/which-families-are-using-esas-heres-what-we-know-about-texas-first-school-vouchers/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas More than 85,000 families are participating in Texas’ private school voucher program during its first year, a number that could increase as state officials finalize enrollment data, according to a new state report.... https://districtadministration.com/when-a-texas-school-police-officer-got-riled-up-over-a-defiant-teen/ https://districtadministration.com/when-a-texas-school-police-officer-got-riled-up-over-a-defiant-teen/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:45:05 +0000 District Admin School SafetyTexas The incident, one of thousands of times that school officers in Texas have used physical force in recent years, underscores long-held concerns about policing in schools. The post When a Texas school police officer got... https://www.the74million.org/zero2eight/who-decides-which-stories-children-get-to-read/ https://www.the74million.org/zero2eight/who-decides-which-stories-children-get-to-read/ Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas As book bans surge nationwide, Jan Lacina — professor at Texas Christian University and associate editor of the Early Childhood Education Journal — explores the benefits of diverse children’s literature in her new... https://www.the74million.org/article/what-to-know-about-the-texas-robin-hood-school-funding-system/ https://www.the74million.org/article/what-to-know-about-the-texas-robin-hood-school-funding-system/ Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:30:00 +0000 The 74 Budget & FinanceTexas A new legal challenge to Texas’ school funding system renews questions about what methods state leaders should use to ensure students in low-income districts and those attending campuses in more affluent... https://www.the74million.org/article/the-bible-hamlet-dr-seuss-texas-new-reading-list/ https://www.the74million.org/article/the-bible-hamlet-dr-seuss-texas-new-reading-list/ Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:45:18 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningTexas https://districtadministration.com/texas-longstanding-robin-hood-school-finance-system-will-face-a-new-legal-challenge/ https://districtadministration.com/texas-longstanding-robin-hood-school-finance-system-will-face-a-new-legal-challenge/ Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:16:51 +0000 District Admin Budget & FinanceTexas Midland ISD school trustees argue they have minimal control over local taxes and can’t properly serve students as a recapture system redistributes millions of the district’s revenue. The post Texas’ longstanding “Robin... https://www.the74million.org/article/mental-health-programs-could-bear-the-brunt-of-600m-federal-cuts-to-texas-schools/ https://www.the74million.org/article/mental-health-programs-could-bear-the-brunt-of-600m-federal-cuts-to-texas-schools/ Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:30:00 +0000 The 74 School SafetyTexas As Texas schools face at least $600 million in federal funding cuts, multiple mental health programs, particularly those implemented in response to the pandemic and mass shootings, are at risk of losing funding. School... https://districtadministration.com/texas-education-board-approves-bible-stories-as-required-reading-in-public-schools/ https://districtadministration.com/texas-education-board-approves-bible-stories-as-required-reading-in-public-schools/ Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:41:41 +0000 District Admin Teaching & LearningTexas The proposal, which mandates literary works such as Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" alongside passages from the New Testament, has been closely followed by education observers who say it appears to be the first of... https://districtadministration.com/houston-isd-board-unanimously-approves-controversial-bible-infused-curriculum/ https://districtadministration.com/houston-isd-board-unanimously-approves-controversial-bible-infused-curriculum/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:55:56 +0000 District Admin Teaching & LearningTexas Adopting the state-approved Bluebonnet Learning curriculum for elementary students will come with a funding boost of more than $3 million for the district, which also approved a $2 billion operating budget on... https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-quietly-began-work-on-divisive-history-curriculum-a-year-ago/ https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-quietly-began-work-on-divisive-history-curriculum-a-year-ago/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:30:00 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningTexas The Texas State Board of Education will vote Friday on a set of new social studies standards that have drawn fire and fervor for espousing pro-American views and Christian values.  If approved, the vote would... https://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/06/25/teacher-merit-pay-benefits-student-learning-in-texas-and-south-carolina/ https://www.chalkbeat.org/2026/06/25/teacher-merit-pay-benefits-student-learning-in-texas-and-south-carolina/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:04:08 +0000 Chalkbeat Teaching & LearningMichiganSouth CarolinaTexas A classroom at Bates Academy during the first day of school on August 25, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan. Two teacher merit pay programs show benefits for students, according to two separate studies. https://districtadministration.com/school-closures-are-escalating-across-texas-its-not-a-local-failure/ https://districtadministration.com/school-closures-are-escalating-across-texas-its-not-a-local-failure/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:57:34 +0000 District Admin InfrastructureTexas At least 135 public schools have closed or have been approved to close all across Texas since late 2023, as districts face budget crises amid state funding shortfalls. The post School closures are escalating across... https://districtadministration.com/more-bible-stories-in-public-schools-changes-to-history-lessons-before-texas-education-board/ https://districtadministration.com/more-bible-stories-in-public-schools-changes-to-history-lessons-before-texas-education-board/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 11:55:34 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas The State Board of Education will vote on incorporating more Christian stories into public classrooms as well as on deemphasizing race and cultural diversity in history lessons. The post More Bible stories in public... https://www.the74million.org/article/knicks-ticker-tape-parade-is-on-a-school-day-and-conflicts-with-regents-exams-some-families-are-angry/ https://www.the74million.org/article/knicks-ticker-tape-parade-is-on-a-school-day-and-conflicts-with-regents-exams-some-families-are-angry/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:30:00 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningNew YorkTexas The New York Knicks’ victory this weekend over the San Antonio Spurs, cementing their first NBA championship since 1973, brought joy to fans across the five boroughs. Shortly after their win, Mayor Zohran Mamdani... https://districtadministration.com/whats-in-store-for-the-memphis-school-takeover-houstons-timeline-offers-clues/ https://districtadministration.com/whats-in-store-for-the-memphis-school-takeover-houstons-timeline-offers-clues/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:15:02 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTennesseeTexas Top Tennessee Republicans have heralded Houston’s intervention as a model they want to replicate in the Memphis-Shelby County district. In the first two years of the takeover, more Houston students achieved proficiency... https://www.the74million.org/zero2eight/how-san-antonio-built-one-of-americas-most-ambitious-pre-k-programs/ https://www.the74million.org/zero2eight/how-san-antonio-built-one-of-americas-most-ambitious-pre-k-programs/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:30:00 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningTexas After the birth of her son, Rex, in 2019, Jasmin Almendarez realized childcare costs in central Texas were so high that returning to work no longer made economic sense.  “I didn’t want to spend that much time away,... https://www.the74million.org/article/in-dallas-schools-community-engagement-isnt-outreach-its-infrastructure/ https://www.the74million.org/article/in-dallas-schools-community-engagement-isnt-outreach-its-infrastructure/ Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:30:00 +0000 The 74 InfrastructureTexas A recent commentary by Chad Aldeman highlighted research, drawn from focus groups in seven states, that found people in struggling school districts are not disengaged; rather, they run into walls when they try to get... https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-charter-school-boom-may-soon-bust-experts-caution/ https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-charter-school-boom-may-soon-bust-experts-caution/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:30:00 +0000 The 74 Policy & LegislationTexas Texas charter schools recently saw their smallest enrollment bump in state history, signaling that similar forces crushing traditional public districts may soon hit them as well. Students have enrolled in charters at... https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-schools-say-they-still-face-budget-difficulties-despite-8-5-billion-boost/ https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-schools-say-they-still-face-budget-difficulties-despite-8-5-billion-boost/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:30:00 +0000 The 74 Budget & FinanceTexas The influx of nearly $8.5 billion to Texas schools last year was not enough to stop schools from making tough cuts, district officials told state lawmakers during a Capitol hearing Monday.  School... https://districtadministration.com/texas-state-takeover-of-local-school-districts-expands-raising-concerns/ https://districtadministration.com/texas-state-takeover-of-local-school-districts-expands-raising-concerns/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:49:01 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas No state has taken over as many local public school districts as Texas. Just since 2020, the Texas Education Agency has installed its own hand-picked leaders in eight districts. The post Texas state takeover of local... https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-examines-use-of-national-teacher-certification-for-incentive-pay/ https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-examines-use-of-national-teacher-certification-for-incentive-pay/ Fri, 29 May 2026 18:30:00 +0000 The 74 Teaching & LearningTexas Danielle Minnis can demonstrate what putting students first looks like after 20 years in the classroom, bolstered by rigorous self-evaluation. If children fall asleep during a lesson, change the pacing. If a kid with... https://districtadministration.com/austin-isd-state-takeover-looms-after-tea-rejects-plan-to-buy-schools-more-time/ https://districtadministration.com/austin-isd-state-takeover-looms-after-tea-rejects-plan-to-buy-schools-more-time/ Fri, 29 May 2026 12:09:59 +0000 District Admin Policy & LegislationTexas Texas law has mandatory consequences when any campus achieves five failing grades in a row—the state must either close the offending campus or take over the entire school district. The post Austin ISD state takeover...