We’ll start today with the biggest news, which is the change of heart from the half of the board of Keller ISD which makes the decisions, and move on from there. The themes are clear: districts have a lot of money problems, small districts are going to four days a week, and a lot of kids need to get vaccinated.
- Fort Worth Report: Keller ISD abandons plan to split district into two, citing financial barriers; Dallas Morning News: Keller school board kills plan to split district, citing costs associated with detachment; Star-Telegram: Keller school board kills plan to split district, citing costs associated with detachment. Not the outcome I expected but I’m glad they came to the correct conclusion. Nobody wanted the district to split except half of the board, and I hope those folks aren’t on the board much longer after all this. Also, some related items from before the board made this decision:
- KERA: Keller ISD grapples with potential $12.4M deficit as new split details emerge. One of the factors leading up to the decision.
- Fort Worth Report: Former Keller ISD superintendent to earn $425K after resigning amid split proposal. Also a factor. And now they lost her and the money for nothing.
- As Keller ISD saga continues, lawmaker seeks to require public vote on school district splits. That’s State Rep. David Lowe (R-North Richland Hills), and the bill was filed before the decision not to split the district came out.
- KERA: Dallas ISD absences spiked in January – and it could cost the district. Looks like it wasn’t just illnesses, but also immigration threats. The article explains how attendance and absences affect funding.
- DMN: Fewer Dallas teachers will get bonuses as school turnaround model shifts. This is about bonus money teachers get at schools that need to “turn around”. They’re reducing the number of schools that get extra support from 80 to 50, so fewer teachers will get the extra pay.
- Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth ISD spares five schools from closure or consolidation. More decisions loom. The district isn’t going to get any more money from the state, and enrollment is declining as we go into another demographic low, so they’re going to have to find savings somewhere. I feel sorry for everyone involved. Related, also from the Fort Worth Report: Vouchers aren’t pushing Fort Worth ISD to close schools, leaders say. Here’s what is.
- Star-Telegram: Fort Worth ISD school board hires Karen Molinar for superintendent position. This is something of a formality since she was the only finalist. See also the Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth ISD trustees hire new superintendent.
- Star-Telegram: FWISD board says it prioritizes literacy. Time to put district’s money where its mouth is | Opinion. I don’t know the organizations behind this op-ed, but I’m noting it here.
- Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth ISD trustees OK $22M in spending. Here’s what they approved in February. The Fort Worth Report covers FWISD spending every month.
- Fort Worth Report: Fact brief: Is Fort Worth ISD considering a four-day school week? No. Though other area districts are.
- Star-Telegram: 4 challengers are on Fort Worth ISD school board ballot in May. Here are their priorities.
- Fort Worth Report: Arlington ISD cuts 27 junior high teaching positions through attrition, increases class sizes.
- Fort Worth Report: Q&A: These candidates want to be on Arlington ISD school board. Here are their priorities.
- KERA: Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD to close four schools. Three elementary schools and one middle school.
- Fort Worth Report: Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD faces $10M deficit in next budget, admins eye cuts.
- KERA: Grand Prairie ISD names lone superintendent finalist. He’s Gabe Trujillo, currently Nacogdoches ISD superintendent.
- Star-Telegram: Mondays no more: Kennedale ISD to switch to four-day school week in 2026. Kennedale is south-southeast of Fort Worth, between Fort Worth and Mansfield.
- D Magazine: Monty Bennett Is Secret Mastermind Behind Dallas Charter School Group. And when the educators involved figured it out, most of them immediately quit because Bennett is toxic.
- Is the four-day school week inevitable? Why more Texas districts are headed that way | Opinion. This op-ed by Mark Davis, a local talk radio guy who regularly opines for the paper, is probably a good look at what the talk radio listener at home thinks.
- DMN: What does the U.S. Department of Education do for Texas students?. Our tax dollars no longer at work, because the current administration has decided to close the Department of Education whether it’s legal or not.
- Last but not least, a series of articles about measles:
- DMN: Map: These Texas schools have low measles vaccination rates. Yikes.
- WFAA: These North Texas schools have the lowest measles vaccination rates in the region. Also yikes.
- DMN: Fort Worth’s Mercy Culture celebrates school with lowest measles vaccination rate in Texas. Under 15%. Very yikes. This is the school attached to the church where Rep. Nate Schatzline is pastor.
- Star-Telegram: Mercy Culture pastor celebrates church school having lowest vaccination rate in Texas. There’s even a picture of the head pastor wearing a T-shirt celebrating this “achievement”.