Katie Serrano
Katie Serrano is the DFW Political Correspondent for COURIER Texas. She has lived in Texas for 20 years and received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the University of Arkansas in Editorial Journalism and News Narrative Writing.
She is passionate about making local journalism accessible and engaging young audiences. Since joining COURIER Texas, she has covered education in North Texas, housing affordability, women’s issues, local politics, and more. She previously worked in editing, content management, newsletter production, social media marketing and data reporting.
Denton repeals weed decriminalization mandate after legal battle with Ken Paxton
| May 27, 2025
cannabis | DALLAS | denton | DFW | DFW Lead Story | ken paxton | marijuana | North Texas | paxton | weed
The Denton city council voted 4-3 on May 20 to repeal Proposition B, which prevents arrests and citations for up to four ounces of weed possession.
Texas Graded Its Public Schools. How Did Yours Fare?
| May 20, 2025
Texas public school ratings — which grade how well districts and campuses educate their students and prepare them for the future — were made public for the first time in two years.
Results across the state have dropped after the Texas Education Agency implemented stricter scoring standards, and one North Texas school district is at risk of being taken over by the state after five consecutive years of receiving an F ranking.
Voter turnout in Dallas’ May elections stinks. Here’s what lawmakers want to do about it
| May 8, 2025
Several state senators and representatives, including three from Dallas, have filed bills that move local elections to November — a time when more people head to the ballot box to vote in state and federal races.
Texas graded its public schools. Critics call the results a ‘politically motivated attack’
| May 6, 2025
When the TEA released the scores on April 24, some school districts and a coalition of state lawmakers called the methodology "deceptive, harmful, and a blatant attempt to discredit neighborhood public schools to justify school privatization schemes.”
VIDEO: Texas graded its public schools. How did yours fare?
| May 1, 2025
Texas public school ratings — which grade how well districts and campuses educate their students and prepare them for the future — were made public for the first time in two years. Results across the state have dropped after the Texas Education Agency implemented stricter scoring standards, and one North Texas school district is at […]
Trump’s first 100 days brought chaos, cuts to Texas but inspired resistance
| April 28, 2025
From slashing funding for public health initiatives to closing a US Education Department office in Dallas, the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term have left Texans in a state of wreckage.