In the Headlines

Latest education news

Below are links to articles produced by newspapers, TV and radio stations in Texas and across the country to provide you with a snapshot of what's happening in education.

Friday, April 26

• HISD backtracks on offering $2K retention incentives to certain teachers due to budget constraints (Houston Chronicle)
• Rice University receives $90M award to develop education research hub (Houston Chronicle)

Thursday, April 25

• Texas school districts violated a law intended to add transparency to local elections (Texas Tribune | Pro Publica)
• North East ISD’s high-stakes election: 5 races, 3 open seats, a divided board (Texas Public Radio)
• Austin ISD plans to cut at least $30 million from its next budget (KUT)
• Plano ISD projects deficit budget (Plano Star-Courier)
• Thousands of Denton ISD students will get free breakfast and lunch, once federal funding is approved (Denton Record-Chronicle)
• TWU extends free tuition to STEM-focused charter school students (KERA)
• Here’s what the law says about protesting on Texas college campuses (Texas Tribune)
• Father’s push to end gun violence persists 25 years after his son was killed at Columbine (PBS NewsHour)

Wednesday, April 24

• What you need to know about threats at schools (Texas Tribune)
• Another Houston-area school district considers cuts to avoid nearly $70 million budget shortfall (KHOU)
• Dripping Springs ISD parents say proposed policy changes endanger LGBTQ+ students (KUT)
• Arlington ISD memorializes legacy of esteemed coach in naming of new school (KERA)
• Columbia to continue talks with student protesters after deadline to clear out passes (NPR)

Tuesday, April 23

• Hays CISD school board votes to buy 30 new school buses with seat belts after fatal crash (KUT)
• Rockdale ISD teacher in the running to win America's Favorite Teacher award from Reader's Digest (KCEN)
• Two Katy ISD trustees who voted against transgender policy face opponents in re-election campaign (Houston Public Media)
• Gov. Abbott 'certain' school vouchers will pass next session (FOX 26)
• Gladewater ISD opts out of Mondays with four-day school week move (KETK)
• Mariachi music, young love and grief weave together for South Texas teen in ‘Canto Contigo’ (Texas Standard)

Monday, April 22

• Forget teaching to the test for STAAR. Now Texas students are writing to bots (Austin American-Statesman)
• Round Rock ISD, Pflugerville ISD announce raises for employees (CBS Austin)
• Prosper ISD officials OK 3.5% raise in 2024-25 compensation plan (Community Impact)
• Alice ISD to hold vote for $38 million bond, including new stadium (KIII)
• Many in Gen Z ditch colleges for trade schools. Meet the 'toolbelt generation' (NPR)

Friday, April 19

• Texas Education Agency must accommodate teachers during certification tests, DOJ says (Austin American Statesman)
• Del Valle ISD looking to hire 90 teachers (KXAN)
• Federal appeals court upholds block on Texas law restricting 'explicit' books (Texas Public Radio | KERA)
• McGregor ISD proposing $82 million bond, says a new junior high is a top priority (KXXV)
• Pittsburg ISD approves calling $93.8 million bond after previous failed election (KLTV)
• As STAAR testing is underway, some Houston ISD parents are opting their children out (Houston Public Media)
• How a Dallas bookstore is tackling book deserts and encouraging a culture of reading (Texas Standard)
• Where gun violence is common, some students say physical safety is a top concern (NPR)
• Biden’s new Title IX rules protect LGBTQ students and sexual assault victims. Transgender athletes aren’t mentioned (AP | PBS NewsHour)

Thursday, April 18

• How Columbine Shaped 25 Years of School Safety (Education Week)
• TEA appoints 2 conservators to help oversee Socorro ISD (El Paso Matters)
• Round Rock ISD proposing 1% raise for employees, bonus tied to student enrollment (Community Impact)
• Argyle ISD puts $511.5 million bond package on May 4 ballot (KERA)
• HISD parents mobilize after zoning eliminated from dual-language schools (Houston Chronicle)
• College is hard enough — try doing it while raising kids (NPR | Hechinger Report)

Wednesday, April 17

• Willis ISD approves $1,500 teacher raises (Community Impact)
• Hundreds of Corpus Christi ISD teachers earn incentives towards annual salaries based on performance, student growth (KRIS)
• Houston ISD’s teacher evaluation system offers on-the-spot training and evaluations, but is it making a difference? (Click 2 Houston)
• Tuloso-Midway ISD move STAAR testing dates due to internet outage at certain campuses (KIII)
• 'Keep an open mind and proceed with caution' | Texas schools will use AI to grade written questions on STAAR test (WFAA)
• Bryan ISD elementary schools hold pep rallies for test week (KBTX)
• Wilmer-Hutchins High School shooting raises safety concerns for Dallas parents, students (KERA)
• Columbia University president is set to testify about antisemitism on campus (NPR)

Tuesday, April 16

• After fatal crash, Hays CISD needs to spend $8.9M for seat belts on all its buses (KUT)
• Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on how new laws are affecting public education in Texas (Texas Tribune)
• Central Texas School Districts use different strategies to help students on STAAR test (FOX 44)

Monday, April 15

• McAllen ISD helping students with special needs (KRGV)
• Killeen ISD outsources substitute teacher management program (Killeen Daily Herald)
• Tyler ISD launches app to monitor children's screen time, activity on devices (Fort Bend Herald)
• Argyle ISD’s $512M bond looks to accommodate growth (Community Impact)

Friday, April 12

• Another West Texas school district is moving to a 4-day week, will Lubbock ISD follow? (KYFO)
• Central ISD proposes $28.4 million school bond (Lufkin Daily News)
• UT Austin students want answers on the DEI-related layoffs of at least 66 employees (KUT)
• 'Who's going to be fired next': Texas university, legislative leaders decry DEI ban layoffs (KERA)

Thursday, April 11

• Consumer Reports asks USDA to remove Lunchables from schools' lunch menus (NPR)
• Some South Texas school employees could be barred from holding elected office after fraud investigation (Texas Tribune)
• Dallas ISD student files civil rights complaint alleging antisemitic bullying (KERA)
• Lake Travis ISD faces $1.5 million lawsuit over peanut allergy incident (KUT)
• Many men don’t finish college. This North Texas school is trying to reverse the trend (Texas Standard)

Wednesday, April 10

• Most 18-year-old Texans aren’t signed up to vote despite a law requiring voter registration in high schools (Texas Tribune)
• Abernathy ISD moving to four-day school week beginning in 2025 (KCBD)
• Mike Miles says HISD may backtrack on plan to add English-only track at two popular immersion schools (Houston Chronicle)
• Socorro ISD Board of Trustees appoints Interim Superintendent (KVIA)
• Spring ISD trustees nix 2% administrator salary cuts in split vote (Community Impact)
• This AI Tool Cut One Teacher’s Grading Time in Half. How It Works (Education Weekly)

Tuesday, April 9

• Texas will use computers to grade written answers on this year’s STAAR tests (Texas Tribune)
• Houston lawmakers call for state hearing to address alleged violations of state law in HISD (Houston Chronicle)
• Fort Worth ISD extending pre-K school hours for next school year (WFAA)
• Austin ISD parents, students share once in a lifetime moment during a solar eclipse (KXAN)

Monday, April 8

• New organization aims to promote 'honest' Texas history (Texas Public Radio)
• Biden seeks student debt relief for millions (NPR)
• Two Denton school district principals indicted on charges of illegal electioneering (Texas Tribune)
• In St. Louis, a historic teacher pay hike, and bigger questions about the future (PBS NewsHour)

Friday, April 5

• Higher teacher pay, fewer central staff positions planned for Dallas school budget (Dallas Morning News)
• A new Texas law allows schools to hire chaplains as counselors. So far, only one school has opted into the program. (Texas Tribune)
• Austin ISD talks position cuts as they face budget deficit (KXAN)
• This year, colleges must choose between fast financial aid offers, or accurate ones (NPR)

Thursday, April 4

• Houston ISD teachers call in sick to protest Mike Miles’ reforms, teachers’ union urges non-participation (Houston Public Media)
• ‘Just try to be in the moment’: Bill Nye shares eclipse insights & tips ahead of his trip to Texas (Texas Standard)
• FWISD school nurses recently completed over 22 hours of training. Here’s what that means to students (KERA)
• Missy Testerman Makes Immigrant Students Feel Welcome. She’s the National Teacher of the Year (Education Week)

Wednesday, April 3

• What’s Missing From States’ Reading Laws? The Role of Content Knowledge (Education Week)
• College will cost up to $95,000 this fall. Schools say financial aid can numb sticker shock (PBS NewsHour | AP)
• UT-Austin announces round of firings in latest step to comply with Texas’ DEI ban (Texas Tribune)
• 1.7 million Texas households are set to lose monthly internet subsidy (Texas Tribune)

Tuesday, April 2

• State Board of Education again delays discussion on whether to approve new Native studies course (Texas Tribune)
• Crowley ISD shares design of new high school as elementary nears completion (KERA)
• Austin Community College will offer free tuition to high school grads (KUT)
• Brianna Young wins KENS 5 EXCEL Award for Judson ISD (KENS)
• El Paso ISD announces 2024-25 initiatives: bilingual education, resource centers, algebra (KFOX 14)
• Spring Branch ISD parents raise $570K to fund programs cut in budget crisis (Houston Chronicle)

Monday, April 1

• Behind the scenes of Houston ISD teacher evaluation rollout: TEA called classroom observation approach ‘odd,’ liaison said training sessions ‘much larger than is recommended’ (Houston Public Media)
• Fort Worth ISD board approves contract to start closure of Forest Oak Sixth Grade (KERA)
• How AP African American Studies Works in a State That Limits Teaching About Race (Education Week)
• Why Oregon schools' pandemic recovery lags behind much of the nation (NPR)
• Schools in the path of April’s solar eclipse prepare for a natural teaching moment (PBS NewsHour | AP)

Read the latest Texas education headlines posted by texasisd.com