Education

To combat summer hunger, Lubbock and Frenship Independent School Districts are once again offering free summer meal programs for children 18 and younger, regardless of enrollment.

The deal, confirmed by three lawmakers familiar with the discussions, appears to strike a face-saving compromise for both chambers over how to increase funds for the state's public schools.

This week, the Texas Senate gave final approval to the Uvalde Strong Act, a bill focused on improving school safety training and coordination between officers and schools. After the retirement of longtime head coach Jill Schneider, Lubbock ISD has announced a new head girls basketball coach at Monterey High School. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren breaks down the hire. Civic Lubbock, Inc. has extended sign-up deadlines to June 15 for volunteers, sponsors, and both food and non-food vendors for the 4th on Broadway event. More information can also be found at LBKJuly4th.org.

Hodges Elementary School shut its doors for good this weekend, one of three Lubbock ISD schools being consolidated. Our Bishop Van Buren attended Hodges' farewell event on Saturday and reports on the school's legacy. The Texas Senate unanimously passed legislation offering free cancer screenings to firefighters. It now goes to the governor's desk for final approval.

ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found nearly three dozen school districts were missing required campaign finance reports online. Now lawmakers are pushing to impose steep penalties on local governments that fail to abide by the law.

The City of Lubbock recognized graduates of its annual citizen education program, Lubbock 101, at Tuesday's council meeting. Schools are also taking this time to celebrate their students' accomplishments. Our Bishop Van Buren reports on Lubbock Monterey's graduating basketball star Aaliyah Chavez receiving her 2025 Naismith High School Girls Player of the Year trophy yesterday.

Texas school districts' best chance of seeing a significant increase in per student funding next year now appears unlikely. The school finance package now uses that money directly for teacher pay.

Lubbock Democrats hosted a workers’ town hall Monday night, inviting District 19 U.S. Congressman Jodey Arrington to take questions from West Texans. Several veterans came to the town hall, hoping to speak with Arrington, including one who announced his own intention to run for the District 19 congressional seat this week. Meanwhile, our Bishop Van Buren reports that Lubbock ISD has posted an opening for the position of Monterey High School's head football coach.

During his full-throttle push to pass private school vouchers this legislative session, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott repeatedly claimed that funding for public schools "is at an all-time high." A TPR fact-check found that to be misleading, based on an analysis of state data and expert interviews.

The Texas House has just over two weeks left to give Senate bills their critical second reading. Following action in the House over the weekend, Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider has a roundup of some of the bills poised to make that critical deadline, including property taxes and voter registration. One bill — which passed earlier this session and was signed into law by Governor Abbott — will allow families to use public funds to pay for private school tuition. The program is expected to start in Fall 2026, but the Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey says critics are still fighting to stop it.