Texas Education Agency

Rural Liberty County, Texas, illustrates a growing divide in Texas public education: charter school systems expanding quickly into fast-growing rural areas while traditional school districts struggle to finance new facilities. Cleveland ISD, overwhelmed by growth tied to the Colony Ridge development, has seen voters reject multiple bond proposals since 2019, forcing staff cuts and budget shortfalls even as it faces possible state takeover over failing academic ratings. Meanwhile, ILTexas, a charter network invited into the region by the state in 2020, has opened new, well-resourced campuses and is now outpacing traditional districts in enrollment growth.

Statewide, rural districts added over 156,000 students since 2021 while urban districts lost nearly 90,000, but Texas's funding formulas—capped fast-growth allotments, property-wealth calculations skewed by owner-financed land deals, and reliance on local bond votes—leave traditional districts unable to build ahead of demand. Charters face no such constraints and can cap enrollment. Experts warn that without funding reform, Texas's dual public school systems could increasingly compete for the same students and dollars rather than complement each other.

Texas legislators are debating whether to mandate five-day school weeks after data showed the state's 4th and 8th grade reading scores now trail Mississippi's, a state once ranked near the bottom nationally. Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath told the Senate Committee on Education that Mississippi requires a 180-day school year and holds back struggling 3rd graders, while Texas schools average only 169 days, with more than 100 districts having adopted four-day weeks.

Researchers testified that four-day weeks produce modest cost savings and less bullying, but no improvement in teacher quality and increases in juvenile crime and food insecurity. Natalia ISD's superintendent described his district's academic rating falling from a "C" to an "F" under a four-day schedule before reverting to five days. Despite this, he and researcher Emily Morton stopped short of recommending a blanket mandate, instead urging guardrails similar to Indiana's, which restricts four-day weeks to high-rated districts meeting salary and access requirements. A prior 2023 bill to restrict four-day weeks passed the Senate but stalled in the House, setting up renewed debate next session.

A protest against a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in San Antonio began and ended at Davis Middle School, part of the San Antonio Independent School District. The "March for Freedom and Justice" was organized by the Bexar County Democratic Party and drew more than 100 participants, including U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, and local clergy. Groups such as LULAC, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and the Brown Berets also took part. Demonstrators carried signs criticizing ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, some with vulgar language, and a voter registration drive was held alongside the rally. San Antonio police escorted the group to the site of the proposed ICE facility and back to the school.

The event has drawn scrutiny partly because Davis Middle School recently received an F rating from the Texas Education Agency. The protest reflects ongoing local opposition to the Trump administration's plan to open an immigrant detention facility on San Antonio's East Side.

Alpha School, a private school network built around an AI-driven "two hours a day" learning model, was rejected by the Texas State Board of Education for a charter last summer amid skepticism about its academic claims and reliance on software over certified teachers. A year later, Alpha has expanded to more than 30 Texas campuses, most approved for the state's new voucher program, which is overseen by the comptroller's office and requires only accreditation, two years of operation, and standardized testing—not curriculum or outcome review.

Co-founder MacKenzie Price and her husband donated more than $2 million to Texas legislators and voucher-backing groups. Similar charter rejections occurred in Arizona (which later approved one charter), Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Utah, citing untested claims, conflicts of interest, and reliance on AI instruction. Reviews of test data in Texas and Arizona partnerships showed results falling short of Alpha's projections. The case highlights gaps between charter oversight and voucher eligibility standards as school choice programs expand nationally, raising questions about accountability for taxpayer-funded private education.