Pearland - Friendswood - Manvel | March 2026

Education

BY CATHERINE WHITE

Friendswood ISD calls for $81.5M bond election Friendswood ISD’s board of trustees called for a $81.5 million bond election at its Feb. 9 meeting to show up on the May 2 ballot. On the ballot The bond package is separated into four propositions, per the school board: • Proposition A: Critical infrastructure, lifecy- cle replacements and safety and security • Proposition B: Westwood Elementary replacement • Proposition C: Career and agricultural science center • Proposition D: Technology The bond package costs about 51% less than the failed 2025 bond proposal. The failed pack- age was valued at $165 million, split into four propositions, and also geared toward funding upgrades across its campuses and facilities.

PISD to oer student eld experiences Pearland ISD’s board of trustees approved partnerships with 240 Certication and the University of Houston at its Feb. 10 meeting that establish terms for placing student teachers on district campuses. What you need to know Under both agreements, the district will host student teachers and provide supervi- sion by certied district educators. The 240 Certication Program is an approved educator preparation program, or EPP, that fullls the certication require- ments set by the Texas Education Agency. All student teachers must complete background checks, receive district approval prior to campus placements and comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.

Proposition B Proposition A Proposition C Proposition D Friendswood ISD's 2026 bond package

$26M

$40.625M

$12.9M

$2M

SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The cost The $81.5 million bond package will increase the tax rate by up to $0.0349 per $100 valuation of a home. For a home valued at $500,000, this increase will translate to approximately $125.64 annually, or $10.47 monthly, assuming a $140,000 home- stead exemption, district oficials said. By comparison, for the same $500,000 home, the estimated increase of the district’s failed 2025 bond proposal would have been roughly $576 annually, or $48 monthly.

Friendswood ISD to reduce uncertied teachers Friendswood ISD’s board of trustees approved a plan to gradually reduce the number of uncertied teachers employed by the district at its Feb. 9 meeting. The details uncertied teachers in core subjects. As of the 2025-26 school year, the district

6 8 10 12 Number of uncertied teachers FISD year-to-year reduction plan

employs 12 uncertied teachers. The approved plan will reduce this number by approximately 15% annually, with full compliance expected by the 2029-30 school year. FISD will maintain agreements with approved educator preparation programs as well as continue retention eorts focused on certied teachers.

0 2 4

Under House Bill 2, passed in the 89th Texas Legislature, the district is required to phase out the use of District of Innovation waivers to hire

SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

PEARLAND FRIENDSWOOD MANVEL EDITION