The KTTZ News Team

Following last week's vote to close Hodges Elementary School, starting in the 2025-2026 school year, families in the attendance zone for Hodges will be in the boundaries for Bean Elementary. Our reporter Samantha Larned has more on the decision from the Lubbock Independent School District’s Board of Trustees and what comes next.The district's transfer window is open Dec. 17 through Jan. 17.

Research released this week finds the teacher workforce in Texas is more diverse than that of the country as a whole. But as KERA’s Nadya Faulx reports, it’s still not reflective of the state’s students. And KERA's Priscilla Rice has more on an inclusive new North Texas park for children of all abilities.

In yesterday’s meeting, Lubbock’s city council approved its priorities for the upcoming state legislative session. This week, Mayor Mark McBrayer also gave his support for Lubbock’s legislator for District 83 Dustin Burrows in his race for Texas' Speaker of the House, a role which he says would move the interests of West Texas forward.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that more than 93,000 Texans who have served are eligible for healthcare benefits, but unenrolled. The VA is encouraging veterans exposed to blasts during their service to pursue care. And our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on Lubbock Animal Services' donation campaign and advice for pet owners this holiday season.

Lubbock Republican representative Dustin Burrows says he has the support to become Texas’ Speaker of the House, opening a competitive race before the next legislative session. Texas Democrats chose Representative Gene Wu of Houston to chair the House Democratic Caucus for the 2025 legislative session.

Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider has more on opposition to a potential statewide THC ban from Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. ERCOT's meteorologist has predicted an elevated chance of a severe weather event this winter, with patterns similar to those from 2021.

Lubbock Independent School District's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to pass phase one of its school consolidations last night. The plan will consolidate Overton Elementary School into Rush Elementary School, OL Slaton Middle School into Dunbar College Preparatory Academy and Atkins Middle School, and see the closure of Hodges Elementary School.

The Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees will meet tonight at 6 p.m. to make a final decision on possible consolidations and closures of several elementary and middle schools, potentially including Hodges Elementary, O.L. Slaton, and Overton Elementary. KERA's Pablo Arauz Peña reports that Texas remains the top state for domestic net migration, according to the latest Census data.

Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports on a Texas committee's announcement to skip over investigating pregnancy related deaths for the years 2022 and 2023. Coffee with the Mayor, hosted by Lubbock mayor Mark McBrayer and District 3 councilman David Glasheen, will be tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. at the Market Street at 3405 50th Street.

With inventories, monitoring and planned upgrades in the future, those using tap water in the city of Lubbock don't have much to worry about in terms of potability. But our reporter Olivia O’Rand spoke to local experts who say those outside of the city, on well water, are at risk of ingesting high levels of arsenic.