McKinney ISD received an overall B rating from the Texas Education Agency for the 2025-26 school year.

TEA released its accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year Aug. 14 marking the fifth consecutive year the district has received a B rating, per TEA’s website.

The big picture: Overall, the district received a B rating, totaling 87 out of 100 points for the 2025-26 school year. It also earned a B rating for the following areas:

• Student achievement, which measures student performance across all subjects on the STAAR test, graduation rates and student readiness for post-high school success.

• School progress, which measures the number of students who grew academically and district performance compared to other districts with similar economically disadvantaged student populations.

• Closing the gaps, which uses data to find differentials between ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds and other factors.

The McKinney Recall campaign has submitted petition signatures for the potential recall of four McKinney City Council members.

McKinney Recall campaign members collected signatures throughout August and September to recall, or remove from office, the following public officials: Mayor Bill Cox and McKinney City Council members Justin Beller, Geré Feltus and Ernest Lynch.

What’s next: The City Secretary’s office received the petition on Sept. 25, said Aschelle Morgan, senior executive communications and public affairs manager for McKinney. The recall petition contains approximately 540 pages and about 7,400 signatures, she said.

“Over the coming weeks, the City Secretary’s office will examine the petition, verify the number of signatures that satisfy the requirements of the [McKinney] City Charter and state law, and report the findings to the City Council,” Morgan said in an email. “We are looking to complete that review accurately within a reasonable timeframe.”

KFC’s “next-generation” Open House restaurant concept is now open in McKinney.

With the 3,400-square-foot modernized restaurant, KFC officials are looking to bring “the Kentucky Fried Comeback to life in one place,” a company news release states.

On the menu: The new concept serves the chain’s classic fried chicken offerings but the menu also includes dipped and drizzled fried chicken options, pairing chicken dishes with a variety of sauces. The menu also offers new drinks, new breakfast items as well as new side dishes such as fried green beans and spicy pickles, per the release.

Diving in deeper: At the McKinney restaurant, patrons can opt for table service, an addition meant to bring “a more personal, hospitality-first experience” to the restaurant, the release states.

• 8751 Eldorado Parkway, McKinney

Check out updates on five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Silverado Trail lane expansion

Project: Silverado Trail’s westbound lanes will be constructed between Kenley Drive and Burnett Drive in McKinney, including a bridge over Rowlett Creek. The project includes relocation of an existing North Texas Municipal Water District sanitary sewer line.

Update: Design is 90% complete. The project is expected to bid in early 2027.

2. Greenville Avenue reconstruction

Project: Work will feature a full concrete reconstruction of Greenville Avenue in Richardson from Centennial Boulevard to Huffhines Street. Also included will be sewer and water main improvements.

Update: Design for the project is around 60% complete, according to the city’s capital project tracker.

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.