Judge Blocks Plans For Take Over Of School District

PROGRESO, Texas (AP) — A judge has blocked plans for a state-appointed board of managers to take over a South Texas school district following a public corruption scandal.

A temporary restraining order granted Tuesday stopped the Texas Education Agency from closer oversight of the Progreso Independent School District.

TEA then delayed Thursday's scheduled installation of the new managers pending a Jan. 19 court hearing in Austin on the injunction order.

Three relatives with ties to Progreso schools were sentenced in 2014 to federal prison in a bribery and kickbacks scandal. Voters have since replaced most of the school board members.

Current Progreso ISD trustees rejected state-ordered changes announced last September. TEA in December then announced a five-member appointed board of managers would take over district operations.