During a joint Denton ISD and Denton City Council meeting April 7, updates were given on the status of school construction projects and upgrades across the district, specifically Borman Elementary School.

What’s happening? Brandon Boyter, DISD’s executive director of construction planning and growth, said the construction is progressing for the new Borman Elementary School, which is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 school year.

Tasks completed in the previous 90 days on the elementary school include: 

• Finished roof deck
• Waterproofing and masonry of exterior walls
• Build-out of inside rooms and basic utility installation
• Started on tiling, erecting ceilings and flooring
• Began interior framing, drywalling and early painting

Red Italian Grill, a restaurant one floor below cocktail bar Ruby Rodeo, is slated to open this summer, co-owner Mike Church said. Ruby Rodeo opened in early April.

What's happening? The restaurant will feature a rotating seasonal menu inspired by Italian comfort food, executive chef Denise Fullmer said.

The summer menu will include scallops, lemon and shrimp pasta and branzino, she said. According to its website, other menu items include bruschetta, fried Brie cheese, Italian onion soup, salads, pastas like chicken piccata, lasagna and steak.

“The beautiful thing about Italian food is that it brings people together and that’s what we want to do,” Fullmer added. "We still want the casual Denton vibe."

• 122 N. Locust St., Ste. 100, Denton

Funding for Texas’ education savings account program is expected to dry up before it reaches all low-income applicants, the state comptroller’s office announced April 2.

The overview: More than a quarter of a million students applied for the first year of Texas Education Freedom Accounts, which will give participating families access to state funds to send their children to private school or homeschool them.

The details: Most eligible students will be placed on a waitlist for the 2026-27 school year, as the $1 billion program is expected to serve between 90,000 and 100,000 students. State officials said all funds are expected to go to students with disabilities, their siblings and children from low-income families.

The state will use a four-tier, randomized lottery system to determine who is accepted. Once funding runs out, the remaining students will be placed on a waitlist.

How it works: Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000 each in ESA funding, depending on their individual needs. Other accepted students will receive $10,474 for private education or $2,000 for homeschooling.