Truancy remains a significant challenge in Texas, with around one million children reported truant each year. Recent investigations by KPRC 2 have shed light on the state's efforts—or lack thereof—in addressing this pressing issue.

Houston ISD has reported zero truancy prevention measures to the Texas Education Agency over the past four years, despite thousands of students being marked truant each year.

The alleged scheme, reportedly worth over a million dollars, involved falsifying credentials to secure teaching positions for individuals who did not meet certification requirements, according to the district attorney’s office.

Vincent Grayson was the head basketball coach at a high school in the state's largest school district.

The debate over whether cell phones should be allowed in classrooms is something state lawmakers may weigh in.

As students and teachers embark on the journey that is the 2024-2025 school year, many schools will be working to improve their accountability ratings and those already on a strong slope, will aim to keep their momentum. However, many may be wondering exactly what the accountability rating exactly is and how it’s measured.

The Houston Independent School District has provided a crisis response team to the Marshall Middle School community after a student suffered from a medical emergency on campus Wednesday.

Fort Bend ISD says they have been informed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that they are under investigation.

Test results showed a steady performance compared to previous years, but showed slight declines in meeting grade-level percentages for U.S. History.

Sean Tellez said becoming the principal at Houston ISD’s Love Elementary School in the Heights was a dream come true.

The Houston Independent School District is holding a Campus Hiring Kickoff event on Saturday.

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath spent time at Houston ISD for the first time since the state takeover.

More campuses will join Houston Independent School District’s New Education System or “NES” next school year.

Join the conversation, and let us know what you think.

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles held a news conference Tuesday to discuss the analysis of the 2022-2023 state accountability data, which he said was not a surprise to him.

Lamar High School is currently in lockdown mode as police investigate a reported incident on campus.

Representatives of several school districts have filed a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency following the recent changes to the state public school accountability system.

Despite an error on the academic calendar for 2023-2024, the Houston Independent School District posted a correction Sunday afternoon.

Alief ISD has voted to join a lawsuit brought against the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in regards to the agency’s accountability rating system.

District officials with the Houston Independent School District is hosting a meeting for community members and families Monday evening.

Several members in Houston ISD’s advisory committee received an email Wednesday night thanking them for their time on the voluntary committee and ending their service.

A new law now in effect as of September 1st says every single school in Texas must have an armed guard on campus. KPRC 2 Investigates has learned the largest school districts in our area are not ready.

The Houston Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles and the school board for implementing the new teacher evaluation system.

Parents, teachers and families: How did the first day of school go for you? Leave us a comment

The largest school district in Texas is opening a new chapter as it begins the school year.

The largest school district in Texas, the Houston Independent School District, is slated to begin classes on Monday, Aug. 28.

During the latest round of community meetings held via Zoom on Thursday, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles provided more details on the numbers of positions which would be eliminated from the district’s central office.

More than 50 Houston Independent School District leaders have joined the New Education System Aligned (NESA) initiative, Superintendent F. Mike Miles announced Tuesday.

Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles shares information about the district’s low fourth grade reading levels.

The Houston Independent School District shared on Tuesday a list of the new principals chosen to lead the 28 New Education System campuses.

The Texas Education Agency announced the appointment of a nine-member Board of Managers for the Houston Independent School District and the selection of a new superintendent Thursday.

The TEA accepted applications for managers for HISD until April 6. Hundreds of Houstonians applied. Of those, fewer than half completed a governance training required to move forward in the application process, the agency confirmed.

If you’d like to serve the Houston Independent School District’s board of managers, the deadline to submit an application is Thursday.

In an effort to ease your mind when it comes to making sure your children feel prepared for testing at school, here are some tips the Texas Education Agency has provided for STAAR test preparation:

Who will oversee Houston Independent School District? The Texas Education Agency is expected to give an update on the search for a new board Thursday evening.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced that hundreds of applicants have applied to serve as part of the Houston Independent School District (ISD) Board of Managers.

The coalition includes the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the ACLU, the Houston NAACP among others stating the takeover is potential voting rights violation.

In the two weeks since the Texas Education Agency announced plans to take over Houston Independent School District, nearly 30 people announced plans to leave the district, according to the union president.

Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is calling on the federal government to intervene to stop the Texas Education Agency takeover of the Houston Independent School District.

The Greater Houston Coalition Justice announced Thursday the filing of a lawsuit for discrimination against the Texas Education Agency on behalf of the Houston Independent School District following the agency’s decision to take over the school district, according to a news release.

Tell us what you want to know.

The Texas Education Agency announced Wednesday that it is moving forward with a takeover of Houston’s nearly 200,000-student public school district, the eighth-largest in the country.

The Texas Education Agency is moving forward with a takeover of the state’s largest school district.

Hundreds of teachers from across the state rallied near the state capitol on Monday as the possibility of the state taking over its largest school district looms.

A march against the planned state takeover of Houston ISD by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) was held Saturday at Wheatley High School.

On Thursday afternoon, some parents, educators and students will hold a news conference opposing the state’s takeover of the Houston Independent School District.

In 2009, James Earl Dunn Jr. was sentenced to 33 months in prison for defrauding the Department of Education.

George Balanchine's “Nutcracker” is back in full swing at New York City Ballet, a year after a number of performances were canceled due to COVID-19, and two years after being sidelined entirely due to the pandemic.

As investigators combed through the life of the Robb Elementary school shooter, they discovered he was absent from school for hundreds of days before being “involuntarily withdrawn” from the district.

Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Education Agency and Texas school superintendents that the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be mandated as part of school entry requirements, according to a release.

Gov. Greg Abbott today announced John P. Scott as the new Chief of School Safety and Security within the Texas Education Agency Monday.

The Texas Education Agency has just released the newest accountability ratings, which show how schools performed academically across the state last year.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that he sent a letter directing the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath to create the new position of Chief of School Safety and Security.

The Texas Education Agency has issued new guidance on COVID-19 safety protocols for the new school year.

The 2021-2022 school year has already started at some Houston area schools, piloting what TEA calls the Additional Days School Year, or ADSY.

The number of students failing to meet grade-level went up statewide across all grade levels and nearly all subject areas according to results of the Spring 2021 STAAR test released Monday by the Texas Education Agency.

Several school districts in the Houston area reported problems Tuesday with the online version of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test.

HOUSTON – Three Houston area school boards – in Friendswood, Magnolia and Tarkington – planned to vote Monday night on whether or not to remove their mask mandates. New state guidelines require all students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear masks on school property, unless school boards vote otherwise. In Magnolia, the board of trustees voted to remove the mask mandate, effective April 1. AdIn Tarkington ISD, a decision has not been made as of Monday evening. We will update this story as the school boards cast their votes.

HOUSTON – Health officials in both Houston and Harris County issued a list of coronavirus safety guidelines as the ending of the state’s mask mandate and capacity limits approaches. In a joint letter published Friday, officials at Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Department laid out nine points of guidance. New guidance for schools from Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Dept. Greg Abbott is no longer limiting capacity in private businesses and is lifting the state’s mask mandate. Abbott addressed schools in his order by requiring them to follow COVID-19 guidance issued by the Texas Education Agency.

HOUSTON – When it comes to masks and children in school, the Texas Education Agency said the mask policy will be left up to each district’s school board. We ask that other school districts do the same. “It isn’t what we wanted (for) the Texas Education Agency to come out with. Molina is the president of the Texas State Teachers Association. After a year of online learning, the state has ordered all vaccine providers to immediately include teachers and school employees.

HOUSTON – Texas students in remote learning won’t be required to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam, according to Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath. This option will be available for parents who are concerned about sending their children to school. “The kid won’t take the test and they won’t have access to that information,” said Morath, during a virtual conversation with The Texas Tribune on Thursday. Morath said that the state decided not to cancel the STAAR test because schools need the data from the tests to measure the student’s learning. He added that the state did not have the “logistical ability to do the STAAR remotely.”Students must attend school in-person to take the standardized test.

Applications are being accepted for the Supplemental Special Education Services grant for Texas students with significant and complex disabilities.

Texas is still temporarily barred from taking over Houston ISD, its largest school district. (Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune)AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is still temporarily barred from taking over Houston Independent School District, a state appellate court ruled Wednesday, upholding a lower court’s order. The appeals court ruling sends the case back to the lower court that in January blocked the state’s takeover effort. It also ordered the state to “pay all costs related to this appeal.”The TEA plans to appeal the ruling to the Texas Supreme Court. In March, Texas successfully appointed a board of managers to replace Shepherd ISD, a four-school East Texas school district.

HOUSTON The Texas Education Agency announces it will provide funding waivers to school systems that offer remote instruction in response to the coronavirus pandemic. To qualify, districts must provide daily on-campus instruction for families that want to come to campus. Here is a statement from TEA Commissioner Mike Morath:Yesterday, the Texas Attorney General issued guidance that indicated that blanket school building closures ordered by local public health authorities for preventative purposes are not lawful. School systems planning on starting the year with 100 percent remote instruction will still be fully funded in accordance with TEAs previously announced 8-week back to school transition funding waiver. Lawful building closures orders will continue to enable a school system to be funded when providing remote-only instruction.

Local school boards in areas with a lot of community spread can also delay the start of the school year. That's on top of a previous promise to reimburse all school districts for up to 75% of their pandemic-related expenses, using money from a federal grant awarded to Abbott's office. It was unclear last week whether Texas would let those local mandates stand or overrule them. And many Texas school superintendents in areas with rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have already made the decision to keep classrooms closed, without a local health order, and continue with online learning this fall. This past spring, Texas school districts struggled to get set up for remote learning, with many lacking enough computers and WiFi hotspots to send out to students.

AUSTIN, Texas Texas gave public schools Friday permission to keep campuses closed for more than 5 million students well into the fall as the state scrambles to contain one of the largest resurgences of the coronavirus in the country. Under the new guidelines, Texas schools could hold online-only instruction for up to the first eight weeks of the school year, potentially pushing a return to campus in some cities until November. The health & safety of students, teachers & parents is the top priority, Republican Gov. Texas' largest teachers organization dismissed Friday's announcement as based on an artificial deadline. Right now, with the pandemic still raging across Texas, we dont know when that will be, Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina said in a statement.

The presidents of the 10 largest school boards in Texas have come together to write a letter to Gov. “School districts require stability to open without fear of financial losses, and we need flexibility to open school in a manner we determine best for each community,” the letter reads. Secondly, the presidents requested that Abbott allow school districts the flexibility to design instructional systems that meet the needs of families and staff given local health conditions. The board called on Abbott to respond with his decisions by July 17 so that they can better inform their local school districts on the mentioned issues. The presidents of both the Aldine and Houston school boards were among those who signed the letter.

Katy ISD announced on July 23 that it will begin the school year with three weeks of online learning. Parents and students who are interested in Katy ISD’s online learning, Katy Virtual Academy, can make their choice by August 5. “On September 8, the goal is to resume plans to reopen campuses for both in-person instruction and virtual instruction. District staff and faculty will be required to wear facial coverings. Measures not in place:PartitioningClass size limitsExtracurricular activities:Students who participate in Katy Virtual Academy can partictpate in UIL-cocurricular and extracurricular activities.

Parents raised many concerns, including STARR testing being put back on the calendar for the upcoming school year. Katy Independent School District officials are working on a safety plan that will give parents the option of both online or in-person instruction. The district plans to finalize its plans within the next few weeks. STARR testing to resumeWhile school officials attempt to get students and teachers back safely, parents are not happy with the STARR testings back on the schedule. KPRC 2 reached out to the TEA Commissioner to see if districts would be given any more time or if state officials will consider moving STARR testing.

As Fort Bend ISD continues to plan for the upcoming school year, the Texas Education Agency’s recent announcement has created concern for the district. “Today’s (Tuesday’s) announcement from the TEA is disappointing because the guidance, as written, does not provide local school districts with the flexibility to make decisions based on local data or community and staff values and expectations,” a spokesperson for Fort Bend ISD said. “Fort Bend ISD is considering many safeguards and precautions to mitigate the spread of illness within our schools,” Superintendent Charles Dupre said. “Our teachers and campus staff are at the heart of everything we do, and we will not ask them to bear the risk and weight of any re-opening plan,” Dupre said. Additionally, pre-registration will reveal the number of students desiring either face-to-face or virtual instruction and better allow the district to decide how classrooms will be used at each school.

HOUSTON – Many school districts were discussing Wednesday how to move forward with the start of school under the new state guidelines. “The best learning is still going to take place in the traditional classroom,” said Superintendent Dr. Greg Poole of Barbers Hill ISD. Dr. Poole is the superintendent of the Barbers Hill Independent School District. Districts are required to follow the state mask order, which applies to students ages 10 and up. Dr. Poole said children will unavoidably be next to each other, but complete online learning could be detrimental to a student’s development.

Through this partnership, students have access to digital books in English and Spanish on the myON by Renaissance platform. We couldnt be more excited to work with educators across the great state of Texas, said Chris Bauleke, CEO of Renaissance. In addition to digital books, students are able to read news articles that are reviewed by a child psychologist for age-appropriate content. To help readers, myON also provides optional reading supports like naturally-recorded audio, text-highlighting, and an embedded dictionary. Through this no-cost version of myON, available exclusively through TEA, every child in Texas is granted access to:

Consistently implementing recommendations to the extent feasible is the best way to reduce the potential negative impact of infection on students educational experiences, the draft document reads. Abbott told state lawmakers last week that schools would open for in-person instruction in the fall, but gave few details. Many of the public health guidelines in the TEA's draft document are suggestions and not mandates for how school districts can keep communities safe during the coronavirus pandemic. The draft document said Texas would continue to fund school districts serving students remotely. Texas required districts to sign a form saying they were providing remote instruction in order to continue receiving funding much less stringent than the plan in the draft guidance.

Millions of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be distributed to schools across Texas for the 2020-2021 academic year. School districts are being provided disposable and reusable masks, face shields, gloves, no-contact thermometers, and hand sanitizer. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) calculated PPE allotment by using 2019-2020 student and on-campus staff counts. While total numbers of equipment vary, 70% of every school districts masks supply will be adults size and the remaining 30% will be student/child size and face shields are available in adult size only. To view how much PPE was allotted in your school zone, select your district in the drop-down bar.

Alief Kerr High SchoolGrades: 9-12 | Address: 8150 Howell Sugar Land Rd, Houston, TX 77083 | Phone: (281) 983-8484 | Mascot: Alief Kerr TigerAlief Kerr High School is a Title I public school of choice in west Houston. 86 percent of Kerr High School students attend a post-secondary institution immediately after graduating high school. The school’s honorsU.S. News & World Report ranks Kerr High School the 40th best high school in Texas and the tenth best in the Houston area. In 2019, nonprofit Children at Risk ranked Kerr High School the second best high school in the Houston area and the eighth best in Texas. Kerr High School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2010 and 2016.