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Texas
2nd April 2026
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THE HOT STORY

Birthright citizenship faces court doubts

The U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to reject President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship, with both conservative and liberal justices expressing skepticism about its consistency with the Constitution and longstanding legal precedent. During oral arguments on Wednesday in Trump v. Barbara, justices questioned the legal and practical basis of denying citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are undocumented or temporarily present, with Chief Justice John Roberts and others suggesting the administration’s arguments stretched narrow exceptions too broadly. While Justice Clarence Thomas showed some openness to Trump’s position, other conservative justices, including Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, also raised doubts, indicating the policy could be struck down either on constitutional grounds or under existing federal law. The case carries significant implications for schools and immigrant families, as limiting birthright citizenship could leave more U.S.-born children without legal status, potentially discouraging school enrollment despite legal protections guaranteeing access to public education. 

INCREASE ENROLLMENT

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STATE NEWS

Texas voucher program lacks diversity

The Texas voucher program is facing criticism for its lack of diversity among applicants. Preliminary data from the Texas comptroller's office indicates that 45% of the 256,700 applicants are white, while only 23% are Hispanic and 11% are Black. This contrasts sharply with the demographics of Texas public school students, where 24% are white, 54% are Hispanic, and 13% are Black. The program, which allows families to use taxpayer funds for private schooling, is expected to conduct a lottery due to demand exceeding $1bn in available funding. Priority will be given to students with disabilities and low-income families, but many families may struggle to find private schools that accommodate their needs.

WORKFORCE

Texas teacher pay takes a hit

According to a report by the University of Houston Education Research Center, the average salary for Texas public school teachers has decreased by approximately $5,000 over the past decade, now standing at nearly $63,000. Toni Templeton, the center's senior research scientist, said: "Average teacher salaries haven't kept up with inflation." Despite state funding aimed at increasing pay based on experience, these raises have not significantly impacted overall average salaries.

Plano ISD raises teacher salaries

Plano ISD is planning a 2% minimum salary increase for staff and a $1,000 boost to starting salaries for new teachers in the 2026-27 school year. Chief of employee services Duana Kindle presented the compensation plan, which will raise the starting salary for teachers to $64,000, up from $63,000 in 2025-26. The new compensation plan is projected to cost $2.43m, with $7.43m allocated for employee raises and $1.5m for new staff to support upcoming programs. The board is expected to finalize the budget in June.

GOVERNANCE

Parents left in the dark over charter school takeover

During a recent meeting, San Antonio ISD officials faced criticism from parents regarding the district's decision to transfer three struggling campuses to the Colorado-based charter operator Third Future Schools. Parents expressed concerns about the lack of information on curriculum changes and extracurricular activities. Shawn Bird, SAISD's deputy superintendent, acknowledged Third Future's track record but admitted: “I don't know the specifics of this program.” Public-education activist Melody Herrera challenged this response, questioning the district's decision-making process. The transfer aims to improve academic performance and avoid intervention from the Texas Education Agency. However, parents remain anxious about the implications for their children's education, particularly regarding sports and transportation options.

Austin school closure chaos

Austin ISD internal messages regarding school closures have sparked significant community backlash. These messages, revealed through a parent's open records request, showed staff casually discussing which schools to close and expressing frustration over parent feedback. The district has acknowledged the need for improvement in its engagement process, with Ali Ghilarducci, senior executive director of communications, saying: “We acknowledge that a process resulting in this level of frustration has room for improvement.” As the district prepares for future discussions on closures and boundary changes, parents are demanding more involvement in decision-making processes.

New leadership takes charge in Fort Worth

Fort Worth ISD's newly appointed Board of Managers convened for its inaugural meeting, where they confirmed Peter Licata as the district's superintendent. Licata emphasized his commitment to "student achievement and transparency," stating: "Everything I do, all decisions that I make with my team, will be focused on student achievement and transparency." The board also temporarily suspended local policies to enhance operational flexibility during this transitional phase. Public comments raised concerns about the transparency of these changes, with former board members expressing skepticism about the state takeover's intentions. The board, led by President Pete Geren, Vice President Courtney Lewis, and Secretary Rosa Maria Berdeja, aims to improve communication and governance in the district. The next meeting is scheduled for April 28, where further details on Licata's long-term contract will be discussed.

DISTRICTS

Round Rock ISD boosts struggling schools

Round Rock ISD is directing resources to six campuses to enhance instruction and student performance, supported by grant funding. Trustees have approved improvement plans for Anderson Mill, Callison, Joe Lee Johnson, Bluebonnet, Wells Branch, and Deerpark Middle Schools. These plans focus on instructional enhancements and curriculum modifications to aid teachers in boosting student performance. "These campuses were identified for improvement based on state and federal accountability requirements," said Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez. Anderson Mill and Joe Lee Johnson received "F" ratings for 2025, while Callison scored a "D." The district also secured $1.3m in LASO 3 IL grant funds to support instructional leadership at these schools. Overall, Round Rock ISD earned a "B" rating in 2025, with 80% of campuses rated "B" or higher.

Allen ISD shows academic progress

Allen ISD officials presented mid-year interim assessment results to the board of trustees, highlighting improved academic performance since the start of the year. Jennifer Wilhelm, assistant superintendent of Learner Services, stated that these assessments “empower teachers to personalize student learning” and provide insights into academic achievement across grade levels. The assessments, conducted in January and February, showed increased proficiency in literacy and math for pre-K and early childhood students compared to earlier assessments. Board President Polly Montgomery noted “some good highlights” in the presentation, particularly the growth in assessment scores for younger students. 

Fort Bend ISD takes bold steps

Fort Bend ISD is moving forward with plans to close seven elementary schools following a board vote on March 9. This decision is part of a three-year boundary planning process aimed at addressing enrollment imbalances across the district. Beth Martinez, deputy superintendent chief of staff, said the boundary implementation team will prioritize "student and staff transitions, logistical management and timely communication." Over 500 staff members affected by the closures will receive new assignment information by March 31, with a job fair scheduled for those who disagree with their placements. More updates for families are expected by mid-April, along with secondary boundary reviews planned for the coming months.

FINANCE

Budget cuts loom for Hays CISD

The Hays CISD Board of Trustees has approved preliminary budget cuts of $12.25m for the 2026-27 fiscal year, a decision met with concern from community members and educators. A McCormick Middle School student expressed worries about the impact on sports and extracurricular activities, saying: "Many of my friends can't afford to play outside of school because of the costs." Educator Jessie Hartgrave highlighted the potential loss of qualified special education teachers due to stipend cuts, emphasizing that "teachers are the only group that is being asked to take less money next year." Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright noted that the budget cuts were necessary following a failed tax ratification election.

STUDENT SUPPORT

Lack of awareness around school counselors’ work raises concerns

The American School Counselor Association's State of the Profession 2025 report reveals a significant gap in understanding the role of school counselors among various stakeholders. While 73% of students and 65% of administrators recognize counselors' contributions, only 8% of the general public does. Danielle Crankfield, a school counselor at Crofton High School in Crofton, Maryland, said: "When people don't understand what we do, then you have school boards that want to spend less money on school counseling." The report highlights that counselors face challenges such as being assigned inappropriate duties (59%) and managing high caseloads (54%). With 75% of counselors responsible for more than 250 students, the report emphasizes the need for advocacy and support to ensure counselors can effectively serve students. Recommendations for school leaders include regular meetings with counselors and reassessing non-counseling tasks.

SPORTS

NCAA cracks down on transfer violations

The NCAA Division I Cabinet has enacted emergency legislation imposing severe penalties on coaches and schools that allow athletes to participate without first entering the transfer portal. Effective immediately, the new rule mandates a suspension of the head coach for 50% of a season and a fine of 20% of the sport's budget for violations. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said: "This is a necessary step to address a critical roster management issue facing our sport and to protect the integrity of football's transfer window." The legislation, proposed by the Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee, applies to all transfers occurring on or after February 25, 2026. An Infractions Process Task Force is also reviewing the penalties associated with NCAA rule violations, including tampering.

INTERNATIONAL

Seoul targets tutoring cost burden

South Korea’s Ministry of Education has unveiled a broad plan to reduce private tutoring expenses, expanding after-school vouchers, increasing in-school academic support, and tightening regulation of private academies as annual private education spending exceeds 27trn won ($17.9bn). The government will raise voucher coverage for third-grade students to 70% this year and extend eligibility to fourth graders in 2027, while rolling out nationwide writing programs in middle schools and scaling individualized support systems for struggling students.
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