Texas School District News

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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’...

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.

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...

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.

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...

The 2,200-student Montezuma-Cortez district recently adopted the Bluebonnet elementary reading curriculum, which includes Biblically infused lessons.

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...