The Carroll ISD board of trustees heard the 2026-27 district improvement plan and campus improvement plans at its Sept. 28 meeting.

The plan set a goal to increase small group instructions that will decrease student achievement gaps by meeting more students where they are. Another goal was the expansion of career and technical education programs.

The details: The expansion and streamlining of CTE programs would involve more real-world problem solving and partnerships with local businesses, colleges and community organizations to increase internship and work based learning opportunities, according to the plan.

Related highlights: Gina Peddy, executive director of curriculum and instruction, also gave updates on the district’s initiative to decrease technology use in schools.

CISD’s digital resource list has been decreased from 1,236 to 168, according to the district.

What parents should know: District policies are also updating what restrictions on technology and parent opt-outs look like in practice.

What’s new: California-based Flip Flop Shops has opened its second Texas location in Grapevine Mills mall.

What they offer: The store sells flip flops and sandals from brands like Olukai, Cobian, Crocs, Havaianas and will have Birkenstocks in the store soon.

Flip Flop Shops specializes in casual comfortable and offers several waterproof options.

• 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Ste. 303, Grapevine

Voters will choose among Ambika Sharma, Cary Cheshire, Paul Stockard and Marshall Hobbs for the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors Place 2 seat in the Nov. 3 election.

The winner will replace Callie Rigney, who is not seeking reelection.

The overview: The TAD board is made up of nine directors, with three of them elected by voters. This is the second time voters will be able to elect representatives to the board.

The elected board members serve four-year terms staggered by two years. The terms of the positions established in 2024 will vary in 2024 and 2026 to establish the staggering, according to the state.

Directors elected in 2024 will serve until Dec. 31, 2026. The three directors elected in November will draw lots to determine which one will serve a two-year term, according to the secretary of state’s website.

What else: The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5. Early voting for the election will take place Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

A $430 million data center is planned for north Fort Worth and an Amazon facility will be constructed at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Check out some of the latest North Texas construction projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

1. DSV warehouse in Denton: A transportation and logistics company founded in Denmark is remodeling and expanding an existing warehouse space for its new facility in Denton, per a TDLR filing.

• Location: 1110 N. Western Blvd., Denton

• Estimated timeline: Sept. 28, 2026-March 12, 2027

• Estimated cost: $1.24 billion

2. Colovore Alliance data center in Fort Worth: Construction on a new data center is expected to begin before the end of the year at AllianceTexas, per a TDLR filing.

• Location: 14700 Heritage Parkway, Fort Worth

• Estimated timeline: Dec. 1, 2026-2028

• Estimated cost: $430 million

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.