Austin ISD trustees approved a turnaround plan for three struggling middle schools—Burnet, Webb, and Dobie—that have failed to meet state accountability standards since 2019. The district is submitting the plan to the Texas Education Agency by the end of the month after months of parent meetings.
Austin ISD trustees have approved a 2025–26 budget that leaves the district with a $47.3 million deficit, including a $19.7 million shortfall in its general fund. This comes after months of cost-cutting measures, layoffs, and new state funding were not enough to balance the budget.
Board of Trustees meeting in its entirety:
The district is anticipating about $36 million in additional revenue from the state as a result of an $8.5 billion school funding bill the Texas Legislature passed this year. However, most of this funding comes with restrictions – the new law requires most of the funding to be spent in specific ways, such as increasing teacher pay, leaving about $9 million that Austin ISD can use to reduce its deficit.
Texas is launching a new $3.5 million state-funded pilot program to help turn around its five lowest-performing schools. The two-year program will provide grants to support students, teachers, and staff at these campuses. .
The program — called Navigating Excellence through Targeted Supports, or NEXT — would randomly select five campuses from among the 20 lowest performing in the state and give each chosen school up to $350,000 for two years. (Austin American-Statesman)
Williamson County residents will vote differently next election. After filling in a ballot by hand, with a pen, voters will still scan them electronically.
Approved by the Williamson County Commissioners, the switch comes after an executive order from the Trump administration, which mandates the elimination of barcodes on ballots, except for accessibility purposes. The county is adopting a “Ballot on Demand” (BOD) system to comply with this directive. (FOX 7 Austin)
ATCEMS responded a serious car accident overnight on Riverside Drive.
Austin police announced a 38-year-old man was arrested in connection with a hit-and-run that later turned deadly, which happened on North MoPac Expressway.
Authorities in Mustang Ridge recently arrested a motorist for driving the wrong way on a highway, among other charges.
An Iranian man was arrested in Austin on charges related to his failure to deport. (FOX 7 Austin)
The civil trial stemming from the 2021 deadly police shooting of Alex Gonzales, 27, began this week, highlighting concerns about police accountability and alleged failure of culture within the Austin Police Department.
KXAN-TV‘s Brianna Hollis is covering the civil trial, taking notes inside the courtroom as no cameras are allowed.
Austin Sanders of the Austin American-Statesman is also providing in-depth coverage.
Austin reported its first incident with a Tesla robotaxi on June 22, the same day Tesla launched the service. It took place on East Oltorf Street, according to the city’s autonomous vehicle incident dashboard. (Business Insider)
Aeroméxico is doubling its service between Austin and Mexico City this summer.
The service will operate twice daily out of ABIA through August 18th.
The ATX Tower in downtown Austin has experienced multiple incidents of falling glass panels during its construction phase in 2025.
It appears to be happening again.
Roughly 150 homes have been built in a sprawling development in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin since 2018, and hundreds more will rise soon. (Austin Business Journal)
Austin officials are analyzing over 1,000 newly signed bills from the recent Texas Legislative Session to understand their specific impact on local governance, with some already known to benefit the city’s pension system.
California-based software company BuildOps has chosen Raliegh, North Carolina for its new technology hub instead of Austin. (My San Antonio)
A new report from the Office of the City Auditor reveals that the former director of the Economic Development Department, Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, improperly approved four grant awards. These grants from the Live Music Fund went to arts organizations that had already received money from the Cultural Arts Fund, which is a direct violation of city code. (Austin Monitor)
Austin City Council Member Paige Ellis (District 8) is proposing a maintenance fee to help with funding parks projects ahead of city budget talks.
WEATHER
Is there really a rain dome blocking storms over Austin? (KUT 90.5)
A group of Texas families and faith leaders is suing the state and some school districts after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill requiring the posting of donated copies of the Ten Commandments in public schools.
The Supreme Court will issue a long-awaited decision today in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton that will decide if Texans can look at internet porn without age verification. (Chron)
In a bid to curb street homelessness and connect people with shelters, Houston plans to implement a 24/7 outdoor sleeping ban in key neighborhoods, backed by new funding and federal support. (Texas Scorecard)
Current and former top deputies for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are trading explosive allegations in court. These accusations, detailed in new court filings, include claims of sexual harassment, falsifying documents, and even witness tampering during Paxton’s impeachment trial. (Texas Tribune)
U.S. troops at the southern border can now detain people entering the country illegally, thanks to an expansion of a militarized zone by the Department of Defense. Anyone detained could face federal charges for trespassing in a national defense area.
JBSA-Lackland in San Antonio will temporarily house migrants undergoing deportation as part of a new National Defense Area managed by the US Air Force.
Rural Texas and the 2025 Texas Legislative Session
Now that the state legislature has had its say, it’ll be up to Texas voters this November to decide the fate of 17 constitutional amendments that came out of this year’s legislative session.
SPORTS
MLB: It’s a sweep in Philadelphia.
Cam Smith hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. It was Houston’s fourth straight win. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Texas Rangers were idle Thursday.
Speaking of the Rangers…
ON THE SCHEDULE
NBA: The San Antonio Spurs selected Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones with the 38th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday night, but was traded to the Indiana Pacers. (FOX 6 Now)
Dylan Harper speaks about being drafted No. 2 overall by the San Antonio Spurs.
Sports officials in Texas will soon have more power to remove unruly spectators at school sporting events without first issuing a warning, thanks to a new law signed by Governor Greg Abbott. (KXXV-TV)
Today, we’re in Texas Hill Country in Kerr County and its county seat Kerrville. The Guadalupe River flows through town as does the sound of live music.
