Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | August 2024

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Sugar Land Missouri City Edition VOLUME 11, ISSUE 12 AUG. 9SEPT. 10, 2024

2024 Education Edition

Weathering the storm

In the two weeks following Hurricane Beryl, Sugar Land sta and volunteers had already collected more debris than Winter Storm Uri produced in 2021.

COURTESY CITY OF SUGAR LAND

Missouri City, Sugar Land make future disaster preparations after Hurricane Beryl

“I am medically sick, and it was really hard on me due to the heat,” she said. “It is hard to believe that CenterPoint Energy is new to hurricanes and [doesn’t] have the capability to be better prepared.” Residents and local ocials are now urging energy providers to prepare for future storms.

she relies on electricity to ensure she is receiving nutrients, which caused issues when she lost power with 2.2 million other Houston-area CenterPoint Energy customers. Her portable battery pack eventually drained of power after losing electricity for six days, so she had to borrow a generator from a church friend.

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Missouri City resident Lisa Tracy said her medical condition led to additional challenges after Hurricane Beryl passed through the Greater Houston area on July 8. Being on an enteral feeding pump, Tracy said

CONTINUED ON 18

Also in this issue

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Education: Fort Bend ISD culls bond funding shortfall, investigates natatorium project (Page 12)

Development: Construction continues on Sienna Crossing shopping center (Page 17)

Leading Orthopedic Care to KEEP YOU MOVING

Our sports medicine specialists can help keep your body in motion. At Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we know every movement matters. Our board-certified sports medicine specialists in Sugar Land offer: • The latest imaging and technology • Advanced nonsurgical treatments • Minimally invasive procedures • State-of-the-art physical and occupational therapy Whether you’re suffering from simple aches and pains or dealing with a complex injury, we can get you back on your feet — and keep you moving.

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Houston Methodist Orthopedic Injury Clinic — offering same-day care

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY THE NUMBERS

TOP 5 COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES FBISD Graduates Attend

Texas A&M University

Houston Community College

Wharton County Junior College

University of Texas

University of Houston

73 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

Located Southwest of Houston, Covering 170 SQUARE MILES

MORE THAN 80,000 STUDENTS

One of the most diverse school districts in the nation. Our families speak more than 90 languages and dialects

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FINE ARTS and ATHLETICS PROGRAMS

CAMPUSES 12 High Schools 15 Middle Schools 51 Elementary Schools 6 Specialized Schools

2023-2024 STATE CHAMPIONS

LARGEST EMPLOYER IN FORT BEND COUNTY WITH MORE THAN 12,000 EMPLOYEES

DULLES HIGH SCHOOL DECATHLON TEAM wins eighth (8th) state title and advances to nationals where they place third (3rd) in the nation. MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TRACK earns seventh (7th) state track championship title.

COMMONWEALTH ELEMENTARY NAMED #1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN TEXAS

7 ACADEMIES

Digital Media Academy Engineering Academy Global Studies Academy International Business & Marketing Academy

Math & Science Academy Medical Science Academy Middle School GT Academy

11,971 2023-2024

15,210 2023-2024 Dual Credit Hours

87 2023-2024 Associates Degrees Earned

AP exams received a score of 3 or higher

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

AMENITIES GALORE in MERIDIANA! From the mid $300s

FIND YOUR HOME

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. About Community Impact

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Jovanna Aguilar Asia Armour Angela Bonilla Melissa Enaje Wesley Gardner Cassandra Jenkins Rachel Leland Emily Lincke Nichaela Shaheen Jessica Shorten Haley Velasco Aubrey Vogel Carson Weaver Graphic Designers Richard Galvan Ellen Jackson Matt Mills

Amy Martinez General Manager amymartinez@ communityimpact.com

Martha Risinger Jesus Verastegui Taylor White Ronald Winters Managing Copy Editor Beth Marshall Account Executive Christina Goodwin Senior Managing Editor Matt Stephens Senior Art Production Manager Kaitlin Schmidt

Kelly Schafler Senior Editor kschafler@ communityimpact.com

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Emmy-nominated choir open for auditions! Auditioning boys for our FALL 2024 semester starting in August

Now Enrolling for 2024-2025 Now Enrolling for 2023-2024

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Rehearsals held in Missouri City | fbbctx.org | 281-240-3800

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Impacts

2 Sugar Land County Clerk Annex It offers real estate and personal property records; business certificate filings; marriage license certificates; and payments for court costs, fines and fees. • Opened June 24 • 151 Stadium Drive, Ste. 168, Sugar Land • www.fbctx.gov/countyclerk 3 Sienna School of Music The family-owned business teaches those age 4 and older to play instruments and offers vocal lessons. • Opened July 22

99 TOLL

W . B E L

STADIUM DR.

BURNEY RD.

• 7746 Hwy. 6, Ste. D, Missouri City • www.siennaschoolofmusic.com

99 TOLL

4 The Throne Barber Parlor and Speakeasy Lounge The barber shop doubles as a speakeasy lounge offering drinks, an outdoor patio and live DJs. • Opened June 27

Missouri City

N BLVD.

1092

COTESWORTH AVE.

• 8027 Hwy. 6, Ste. 800, Missouri City • http://thethronemctx.booksy.com

5 Yogurtland The sweets shop offers a variety of frozen yogurt flavors, such as cheesecake and pistachio. • Opened July 22 • 13590 University Blvd., Ste. 430, Sugar Land • www.yogurtland.com 6 Bonsai Hibachi and Sushi The restaurant offers hibachi and sushi options as well as a selection of dishes featuring halal meats. • Opened May 26 • 4849 Sweetwater Blvd., Ste. A, Sugar Land • www.bonsaihibachi.com 7 Zoom Room Sugar Land The indoor dog training gym focuses on science-based positive reinforcement to strengthen canine skills and foster stronger relationships. • Opened June 8 • 16322A Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land • www.zoomroom.com/location/sugar-land

Sugar Land

COMMONWEALTH BLVD.

13B

K W Y .

KITTY HOLLOW PARK

2759

13A

MAP NOT TO SCALE

SIENNA PKWY.

games and toys, and household items. • Opened April 18 • 13833 Hwy. 59, Sugar Land • www.dollartree.com

Now open

1 Dollar Tree The discount store offers a variety of merchandise, including health and beauty supplies, arts and crafts,

Services: Physical Therapy, Aquatic Therapy, Sports Performance

First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center - Rosenberg 5765 Reading Rd Rosenberg, TX 77471 (346) 375-7202 www.fortbendpt.com

First Colony Aquatic and Rehabilitation Center - Sugar Land 20403 University Blvd STE 100 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (346) 375-5633 www.sugarlandpt.com

Sports Therapy Center 2225 Williams Trace Blvd #104 Sugar Land, TX 77478 (281) 344-2704 www.sportstherapycenter.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

8 Nautical Bowls Sienna The shop offers customized or curated superfood bowls and smoothies with vitamins and nutrients. • Opened June 1 • 8840 Hwy. 6, Ste. 110, Missouri City • www.nauticalbowls.com 9 Rahat Bakery The Pakistan-based business, set to open after press time, sells south Asian foods such as biscuits, sandwiches, pizza, tarts and a plethora of other pastries. • Opened Aug. 6 • 11920 S. Hwy. 6, Ste. 1280, Sugar Land • www.rahatsince1950.us

• Opening early fall • A 5822 Sienna Parkway, Missouri City • B 1021 Lake Olympia Parkway, Missouri City • www.pjscoffee.com 14 Pet Wants The nationwide pet health and wellness franchise sells dog and cat food made with natural ingredients. • Opening in August • 6146 Hwy. 6 S., Ste. A, Missouri City • www.petwants.com 15 16 Handles The New York-based self-serve frozen yogurt shop offers multiple rotating flavors as well as a variety of toppings at each location’s toppings bar. • Opening in October • 3340 FM 1092, Ste. 310, Missouri City • www.16handles.com 16 Uniqlo The Japanese fast-casual clothing retailer will open in Sugar Land’s First Colony Mall. • Opening in fall or winter 2024 • 16535 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 25, Sugar Land • www.uniqlo.com

Coming soon

19 Kelsey-Seybold Clinic The 54,000-square-foot facility will be built in the Aliana master-planned community in Richmond, according to a July 17 news release. Once built, the three-story clinic will hold space for 27 providers and offer comprehensive primary and specialty care for adults and children, the release stated. • Opening third quarter of 2025 • 11225 W. Grand Parkway S., Richmond • www.kelsey-seybold.com

Coming soon

10 Rally House The sports apparel and merchandise retailer will carry products from teams in the Houston area, such as the Rockets, Dynamo, Texans, Cougars and Astros. • Opening in late August • 5748 Hwy. 6, Missouri City • www.rallyhouse.com 11 Buffalo Wild Wings The national sports bar chain will offer wings, burgers, sandwiches, salads, beer and live sports. • Opening in late October • 20330 Fort Bend Parkway, Ste. 100, Missouri City • www.buffalowildwings.com 12 Shipley Do-nuts The Houston-based business offers more than 60 kinds of freshly made doughnuts, breakfast kolaches, pastry rolls, and hot and cold brew coffee. • Opening in December • 2822 Sienna Parkway, Ste. 110, Missouri City • www.shipleydonuts.com 13 PJ’s Coffee The New Orleans-based coffee chain will serve hot and cold drinks as well as pastries, including beignets, muffins, scones and bagels.

Relocations

17 years, offers all-day breakfast, burritos and fajitas. • Expanding TBD • 4888 Hwy. 90A, Ste. 200, Sugar Land • www.carmelosmexicangrill.com

17 Floor and Decor The specialty retailer of hard surface flooring and other accessories will relocate from 3665 Hwy. 6 to a new location in Sugar Land at 7120 Cotesworth Ave. • Relocating in October • 7120 Cotesworth Ave., Sugar Land • www.flooranddecor.com

In the news

20 Sugar Land Branch Library The library will celebrate its 25th anniversary this August. The Sugar Land library opened its doors in August 1999 following the 1989 bond election. • 550 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land • www.fortbend.lib.tx.us

Expansions

18 Carmelo’s Mexican Grill Restaurant officials plan to expand its dining space and add a bar in the future, owner Leticia Sandoval said, although there’s no current timeframe. The family-owned restaurant, which has been open for

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Government

Median annual cost of ood insurance Flood insurance for Houston-area residents is expected to continue rising at 18% annually until each home reaches its new cost the Federal Emergency Management Agency calculated under Risk Rating 2.0. SOURCE: FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

Number of ood insurance policies in Texas Harris County: 248,613

Current cost*

Calculated cost under Risk Rating 2.0

$1,500

Fort Bend County: 50,884 Other Texas counties: 229,835 Brazoria County: 31,688 Montgomery County: 25,660

$1,200

$900

$600

60.2% of Texas’ ood insurance policyholders live in the Houston area.

Total 586,680

$300

COMMUNITY IMPACT *AS OF AUGUST 2023 FEMA ocials say ood insurance should be top of mind $0 Brazoria County Fort Bend County Harris County Montgomery County

political subdivisions created in ood-prone areas. LIDs tax residents within the boundaries to main- tain drainage systems and levees—or embankments that prevent overow, Khokhar said. Although $89 million has been spent on ood improvement projects in the LID since Hurricane Harvey, residents within the area are still exposed to high premiums due to the ood-prone area, Khokhar said. What else? Although oods sometime result in federal disaster assistance, oods often don’t result in a declaration, Gutierrez said. “Disaster assistance from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration is designed to kick- start recovery, but is not enough to restore your home to its predisaster condition or to replace your treasured household items,” Gutierrez said.

With hurricane season underway in the Atlan- tic and recovery eorts from Hurricane Beryl continuing, ood insurance should be a priority for residents, Federal Emergency Management Agency ocials said. In October 2021, FEMA released Risk Rating 2.0, a new rating system for the National Flood Insurance Program that provides federally backed home insurance for oods. The new risk rating was designed to more equitably insure homeowners for oods based on the home’s risk of ooding, Fabian Gutierrez, FEMA Region 6 public aairs specialist, said in an email. Under Risk Rating 2.0, ood insurance rates account for: • Flood frequency • Flood types such as river overow and heavy rainfall • Distance to a water source

• Property characteristics Before the new risk rating went into eect, rates were based on property elevation within zones on a ood insurance rate map, Gutierrez said. Additionally, the previous ratings didn’t account for the cost of rebuilding a home. “FEMA is now able to equitably distribute premiums across all policyholders based on home value and a property’s ood risk, and set rates that are adequate, fairer and more equitable,”

Gutierrez said. The other side

Although, not everyone agrees the Risk Rating 2.0 policy is a benet. The policy fails to take into account homes in levee districts, said Rashid Khokhar, board president of the Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 2. Levee improvement districts, which are common along the Brazos River in Fort Bend County, are

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY AUBREY VOGEL

Sheriff’s office seeks staffing solutions

Sugar Land to work on strategic plan At a July 16 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved a $130,000 contract with Future iQ, Inc. for strategic planning consulting services. Future iQ, Inc. will partner with Sugar Land staff to create the city’s 2025-27 strategic plan, which aims to guide decision-making for operations and resource allocation from Jan. 1, 2025-Dec. 31, 2027, according to agenda documents. Zooming in Phases of the project include initial planning and research this summer, stake- holder engagement this fall and a final plan presentation in November or December. The city’s 2025-27 strategic plan is set to be finalized and approved by City Council by mid-December, officials said in an email.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office staffing Of the 397 approved positions at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, 55 are vacant.

Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office officials urged county officials at a July 10 commissioners meet- ing to act fast regarding staffing shortages, citing poor working conditions and noncompetitive pay as reasons why the department is struggling to hire and retain detention employees. To allow the FBCSO to reduce the stress of over- time on short-staffed employees, FBCSO officials recommended either: • Increasing detention staff pay and benefits by 11% to 15% • Entering into an inmate housing agreement with a private correctional facility for a three-year period at a cost of $10.57 million per year Breaking it down The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the state’s regulatory agency, requires a staffing ratio

Number of filled positions

Vacant positions

6 70

Administrative staff

143

Detention officers

129 31

Detention deputies

SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

of one staff member to 48 inmates. The county’s staffing rate supports 578 inmates, requiring detention staff to work additional shifts, FBCSO Assistant Chief Deputy Manuel Zamora said. What happens next? Fort Bend County Judge KP George requested FBSCO officials meet with county staff and bring a solution to the July 23 meeting, but the item was not on the agenda.

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Meteorologist Jeff Lindner from the Harris County Flood Control District will explain why 2024 is expected to be a more active year for hurricanes and tropical storms.

The Precinct 3 Hurricane & Emergency Preparedness Seminar hosted by Commissioner Andy Meyers is a great opportunity to make sure your family is prepared for a hurricane, tropical storm, and flooding.

Make plans to attend the 2024 Precinct 3 Hurricane and Preparedness Seminar hosted by Commissioner Andy Meyers. RSVP: andymeyersevent@gmail.com

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Education Edition

2024

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community, ranging from new campuses to budget details to bond elections. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting them. In this guide you’ll nd coverage about ongoings in Fort Bend ISD and on the statewide stage. In FBISD, district sta are making headway on the May 2023 bond overrun and will soon make decisions on how to cull the remaining shortfall. Read about that on Page 12. Meanwhile, FBISD is facing teacher shortages, much like much of the nation’s public school districts. To combat the shortages, the board of trustees approved a waiver to allow more uncertied educators to teach in the district in certain subjects. Read more about this move on Page 15.

What's inside

Fort Bend ISD sta reduces 2023 bond shortfall to $56.8M (Page 12)

Kelly Schaer Senior Editor kschaer@ communityimpact.com

FAFSA changes, delays lead to decrease in application numbers (Page 13)

Bob Popinski discusses Texas public school funding challenges (Page 14)

The Texas Education Agency launched a second investigation into Fort Bend ISD, responding to complaints of the district’s conduct leading up to the November 2023 election, according to a June 27 news release from the district. The complaints allege FBISD “unlawfully incentivized students and sta to vote” in the voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, as well as engaged in electioneering, per the release. The backstory In a tweet last October, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, RHouston, publicly criticized the district admin- istration’s eorts to encourage employees to vote in the election through nonmonetary incentives, Community Impact reported. He stated districts “must be careful not to violate state law or the spirit of the law” by incen- tivizing employees with a “wear blue jeans” day if they voted, according to the tweet. Although FBISD ocials said in a statement at the time that they disagreed the incentives violated state law, they “pivoted away” from the e orts, Community Impact reported. It’s unclear as of press time who led the District faces 2 TEA investigations

electioneering complaint with the TEA, as o- cials with Bettencourt’s oce denied ling the complaint. Sherry Williams, director of strategic communications for FBISD, said FBISD is not aware when the complaint was led, who led it or when the the investigation will conclude. The TEA notied FBISD ocials of the elec- tioneering allegation April 19, and the district responded to the inquiry May 3. Williams said dis- trict ocials are compiling documents requested by the TEA to meet the requested response deadline of July 29. What else This comes amid the agency’s other ongoing investigation into FBISD regarding a complaint that some trustees violated the Texas Open Meetings Act during the dismissal of former Superintendent Christie Whitbeck last year. Former FBISD trustee Kristen Davison Malone led the complaint with the TEA in December following Whitbeck releasing her letter of intent to retire in early December, Malone conrmed in an April 22 statement to Community Impact . In her complaint, Malone alleged former board President Judy Dae began discussing a possible leadership change with her starting in August. FBISD board ocers and Dae publicly refuted Malone’s TOMA violation complaint in an April 5 emailed statement, with Dae saying she only said she believed the board’s majority would support

Breaking down the investigations Investigation 1 Texas Education Agency investigates FBISD for claims it violated the Texas Open Meetings Act during former Superintendent Christie Whitbeck’s removal. Investigation 2 TEA investigates FBISD for claims it unlawfully incentivized students and sta to vote for the voter-approval tax rate election in November 2023. “The district will fully cooperate with TEA’s investigation. We are dedicated to being

transparent and will provide all requested information.” MARC SMITH, FBISD SUPERINTENDENT

SOURCE: FORT BEND ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

a decision to change superintendents, not that she had the votes to support it, Community Impact reported. Dae did not seek re-election in May, and Malone was ousted in the May election by former trustee Kristin Tassin, who was appointed board president by trustees.

SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Education

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Fort Bend ISD staff reduces 2023 bond shortfall to $56.8M

Remaining shortfall on May 2023 bond projects

The big picture One avenue for closing the gap on the cost increase is using some or all of the roughly $17 million in bond contingency funds from the district’s 2014, 2018 and 2023 packages, Guinn said. However, state law only allows the district to use 2023 contingency funds for projects within the approved proposition—a limitation FBISD didn’t have for previous bond issues. What else Meanwhile, trustees called for Rogers, Morris and Grove, a firm contracted by the board, to investigate issues relevant to the scope of the proposed natatorium—Proposition C in the bond. In a phone interview, board President Kristin Tassin said the firm will investigate FBISD admin- istration’s intent for the bond project compared to what was communicated publicly. Trustee Angie Hanan has said she believes

As Fort Bend ISD staff continue to chip away at the overage on its May 2023 bond program, trust- ees called for an investigation into Proposition C of the bond, which promised a swim facility for families in the southeast area of the district. As of the July 22 board meeting, staff have reduced the $163.2 million estimated cost increase on FBISD’s $1.26 billion worth of bond projects to $56.8 million. This was done by projects coming in under budget, delaying air handling replacements and modifying construction materials. Chief Financial Officer Bryan Guinn proposed a budget workshop in August to share staff recommendations and get board feedback on the remaining shortfall. “[Those] efforts will require some difficult deci- sions, but we believe we’ll get to a point where we’re meeting the needs of the district within the $1.26 billion that was authorized by voters [in May 2023],” he said.

$200M

-$106.4M

$150M

$100M

$50M

$56.8M

Feb. March April May June July

SOURCE: FORT BEND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

calling the project a natatorium on the ballot was misleading for voters, because the facility’s design is more similar to FBISD’s existing aquatic practice facility. Building the project as a natatorium, which is over budget by $4.5 million, would cost about $2.6 million more to construct.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR

FAFSA changes, delays lead to decrease in application numbers

Also of note

The delayed rollout of the form in 2023 is likely to impact students from low-income families because affordability comes into question, said Carla Fletcher, a research consultant at Trellis Strategies. “I think we are going to see some impacts on who is completing the FAFSA and then who is moving on to make decisions about their education because their financial aid packages have been delayed,” Fletcher said. “And so that can really impact their decision making. They might not know which school they can truly afford because they don’t know what kind of aid they’re getting.” Students whose parents do not have a Social Security number have also been “adversely impacted” by the recent FAFSA changes, Ashton said. Texans who do not qualify for FAFSA may be eligible to apply for the Texas Application for State Financial Aid. In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1528, which allowed students who are not U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents or eligible noncitizens, who are not eligible for federal aid, to apply for state aid at participating higher education institutions. Learn more about TASFA eligibility at www.highered.texas.gov. While this year’s financial aid application forms were delayed, the U.S. Department of Education has said next year’s FAFSA form is set to open on time on Oct. 1.

Fewer high schoolers have applied for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid this year than in 2023, according to data from the National College Attainment Network. The form, which usually becomes available Oct. 1, was delayed by almost three months due to changes made to the application. It was not available for students until Dec. 31. In 2022, U.S. Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act. The revamped application came with fewer questions, a new way of calculating how much aid students qualify for, and a direct exchange of data between the Internal Revenue Service and FAFSA, according to the U.S. Department of Education. However, the delayed application process likely caused a decrease in the number of FAFSA applications, and this will have lasting

FAFSA completion rates in Texas

65%

65% 60% 0% 50% 55%

54.5%

54%

SOURCE: TRELLIS STRATEGIES/COMMUNITY IMPACT *THE FAFSA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT WENT INTO EFFECT IN TEXAS.

effects on graduating seniors, said Bryan Ashton, managing director at Trellis Strategies, a research and consulting firm focused on postsecondary education.

Zooming in

FAFSA completion for Fort Bend ISD seniors

Class of 2023

As of the end of June, 54.5% of Texas’ class of 2024 had completed a FAFSA form, down from about 61% at the same time last year. Despite the decrease in total applications completed nationwide and statewide, Texas is ranked sixth in overall applications completed, according to the National College Attainment Network. Ashton said he believes this is in part due to a state law passed in 2019 requiring all graduating seniors to either complete a financial aid application or formally opt out.

4,126

-8.43

Class of 2024

3,778

SOURCE: NATIONAL COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORK/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The law went into effect for high school seniors graduating during the 2021-22 school year. After the law went into effect, about 65% of the class of 2022 in Texas filled out the FAFSA.

Full-day Pre-K Needs Full-Day Funding

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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Education

BY HANNAH NORTON

Amid high operating costs and stagnant state funding, public school districts across Texas have adopted budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2024-25. Last year, public education advocates urged lawmakers to increase the basic allotment— which is the base amount of money schools receive per student and not changed since 2019, when it was raised to $6,160. Community Impact interviewed Bob Popinski, the senior policy director for education policy nonprofit Bob Popinski discusses Texas public school funding challenges

$1,400 deficit from where they were in 2019. When you look at the basic allotment—[which is] kind of the building block for our school funding for- mula—it’s at $6,160, and that hasn’t been updated since 2019. Federal stimulus funding is ending. And school districts knew that ... but it doesn’t mean that the post-pandemic student achievement loss has gone away. What kind of staffing issues are schools facing, and what can the state do to help? The state needs to implement a lot of the recom- mendations that came from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force report that was issued prior to the last legislative session. There were about 24 recommen- dations in there. A lot of them focused on salary; a lot focused on training and retention of teachers.

Raise Your Hand Texas, to learn more. Why are so many districts facing high budget shortfalls?

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

Since 2019, the last time we saw any increase to our school funding formulas, inflation has gone up 22%. School districts are operating at roughly a

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY KELLY SCHAFLER

Fort Bend ISD will allow uncertified educators to teach a wider range of subjects beginning in the 2024-25 school year to alleviate its teacher shortage and expand the employment pipeline. FBISD already allowed uncertified educators to teach core subjects, career and technical education courses, and world languages; however, trustees voted July 22 to revise FBISD’s District of Innovation status to allow educators in more subjects. “[We] have to be very flexible and pursue all options to be able to get teachers in our classrooms,” Superintendent Marc Smith said during the meeting. FBISD to allow more uncertified teachers

Digging deeper

FBISD is among other school districts nation- wide that are challenged by an ongoing teacher shortage, with the district ending the 2023-24 school year with 85 teacher vacancies, trustee David Hamilton said. Texas’ teacher attrition rate, which is the rate teachers are leaving the profession, reached 13.72% in the 2022-23 school year—its highest since at least the 2011-12 school year, according to Texas Education Agency data. Additionally, the 2023 Texas Teacher Poll from the nonprofit Charles Butt Foundation showed 75% of teachers were seriously considering leaving their jobs. The 1,029 teachers surveyed cited pay and growing workloads paired with shrinking resources as stressors. To fill the need, districts are hiring more uncer- tified educators. Almost 34% of teachers hired for the 2023-24 school year in Texas were uncerti- fied—a rise from 18.98% in 2021-22, per TEA data.

Certification status of Texas’ new teacher hires in 2023-24

No Texas certification or permit: 33.75%

Intern certified: 9.98% Standard certified: 12.7% Re-entered industry: 31.14%

Out-of-state certified: 5.95% Previously part-timers: 3.37% Issued emergency permits: 3.09%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Expanding the waiver

Fort Bend ISD’s revision will expand the teacher pipeline by allowing uncertified educators in: • Noncore content area, such as alternative physical education through the district’s Kickstart Kids program • Out-of-grade band • Out-of-state certification

What else

Johnson said. Additionally, district staff have brought in 486 new teachers through the apprenticeship program for the 2024-25 school year. “We are committed to providing the support and training so that those teachers get the pedagogy and support that they need so they can be successful and then creating a pathway for them to actually earn their certification,” Smith said.

To strengthen the local pipeline, FBISD plans to continue its instructional apprenticeship program that launched last year, said Glenda Johnson, FBISD’s chief human resources officer. The program lets those with college degrees work in FBISD while completing their teacher certifications. Of the 273 apprentices who worked in FBISD last year, 54% are returning for the upcoming school year in some capacity,

Special education, pre-K and bilingual/English as a second language teachers must be certified.

SOURCE: FORT BEND ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Morning Impact to your inbox. COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM�NEWSLETTER

2200 FM 1092 Rd. Missouri City, TX 77459

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

Transportation

Development

BY KELLY SCHAFLER & AUBREY VOGEL

BY CARSON WEAVER

8 businesses coming to Sienna Crossing in Missouri City

City Council OKs Lake Olympia Parkway signals Missouri City City Council approved a nearly $1.33 million contract with Traf-Tex Inc. for Lake Olympia Parkway trac signals at a July 1 meeting. The project, which is funded through the city’s $85.85 million bond from November 2021, will include adding trac signals at three intersections along Lake Olympia Parkway, including Crow Valley Drive, Swan Isle Boulevard and Misty

MISTY HOLLOW DR.

CROW VALLEY DR.

Eight new stores and restaurants will open in the Sienna Crossing shopping center in Missouri City, said Khaled Salem, CEO at Williamsburg Enterprises, the property’s developer. The overview Salem described the development, located at the southeast corner of Hwy. 6 and Sienna Parkway, as an “upscale community lifestyle center.” The stores and restaurants opening in Sienna Crossing shopping center are: • Torchy’s Tacos • First Watch

The backstory The eight businesses will join the shopping cen- ter’s 11 other existing stores, including Chick-l-A, Spec’s Liquor, LA Fitness and Pet Supplies Plus. The details Torchy’s Tacos, First Watch and Fat Boy’s Pizza are being built on a lot closest to Sienna Parkway, west of the existing businesses. The ve other businesses are being built on a separate lot closest to Hwy. 6, east of Academy, according to a site plan. Construction for the businesses, which are being built on opposite ends of the shopping center, will be completed by mid-August, Salem said. The businesses will open in September. There are four more open retail spaces available to be leased in the shopping center, Salem said.

90A

GATEWAY BLVD.

CUNNINGHAM CREEK BLVD.

Hwy. 90A bridge work to continue into 2025 The Texas Department of Transportation began work on the $46.69 million recon- struction of Hwy. 90A from Cunningham Creek Boulevard to Gateway Boulevard in September, TxDOT ocials said. What else? Project details include building a bridge over the intersection to bypass the trac signal. Construction is set to wrap in late 2025, ocials said.

SWAN ISLE BLVD.

Construction continues on the Sienna Crossing shopping center.

What else? The project was previously paused to explore a roundabout option; however, between the increased cost and proximity to homes, city sta determined this wasn’t a good option, Snell said. Looking ahead Trac pole procurement could take six months, and the project is expected to be completed by April or May, Snell said.

Hollow Drive. Why it matters

With more trac along Lake Olympia Parkway, city ocials hope to improve safety, trac ow and trac management, City Engineer Marcus Snell said. “As we manage the trac via the signals and appropriate timing, it does help move things in a more orderly manner, which brings speeds back in line with the posted speed limit,” he said.

TRAMMEL FRESNO RD.

• Fat Boy’s Pizza • Ace Hardware • Dollar Tree • My Salon Suite • Sushi Haya • Chicken Salad Chick

Sienna Crossing shopping center Site 1 Site 2 • Torchy’s Tacos • First Watch • Fat Boy’s Pizza • Ace Hardware • Dollar Tree • My Salon Suite • Sushi Haya • Chicken Salad Chick

SOURCE: WILLIAMSBURG ENTERPRISESCOMMUNITY IMPACT

SUGAR LAND 3335 Hwy 6 S (281) 313-4446 MISSOURI CITY 5418 Hwy 6 (281) 403-0400

SUGAR CREEK 13827 Southwest Fwy (281) 491-8628 SIENNA PLANTATION 9034 Sienna Crossing Dr (281) 778-9959

NEW TERRITORY 5720 New Territory Blvd (281) 491-0811

Weathering the storm From the cover

Two-minute impact

Peak outages

Customers outages per ZIP code in Sugar Land, Missouri City, July 8

The Category 1 hurricane brought winds as high as 50 mph and roughly 9 inches of rainfall to the Sugar Land and Missouri City areas, according to data from The Citizen Weather Observer Program and Harris County Flood Warning System. Meanwhile, in the ve ZIP codes that make up Community Impact’s Sugar Land and Missouri City coverage area, 87,229 customers were without power at its peak, per CenterPoint Energy data. “I take personal accountability for the areas where we fell short of customers’ expectations. ... I and my entire leadership team will not make excuses,” CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells said. In addition, at least 18 people have died in the Greater Houston area as a result of Beryl as of July 24, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Local cities and Fort Bend County have also issued disaster declarations to receive state and federal aid for storm-related costs.

< 10,000

10,001-20,000

> 20,001

77478

77489

COURTESY CITY OF SUGAR LAND Beryl’s high winds aected many of Houston’s trees.

77498

99 TOLL

Customer outages Total CenterPoint outages after Hurricane Beryl

77479

2.27M

CenterPoint Energy restored power to 2M customers over 10 days.

77459

21K

Outages per ZIP code 77459: 27,948 77478: 6,675

77479: 29,598 77489: 10,098 77498: 12,910

July 8-18, 2024

SOURCE: CENTERPOINT ENERGYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The impact

18 people in Texas have died as of July 24 10 power transmission lines were downed in the greater Houston area

Beryl and other recent severe weather events.” Looking long term, the city of Sugar Land is working on a $146 million Rapid-Start Power Plant project, which will provide at least 100 megawatts of power generation and enhance the grid’s resilience, according to the city’s website. The project is being facilitated by the Sugar Land Oce of Economic Development and Tourism with anticipated build-out in late 2027 or early 2028.

CenterPoint is responsible for maintaining trees around power lines, as downed trees on power lines contributed to regional outages, city ocials said. However, city ocials said they are invested in infrastructure improvements to ensure area structures can handle weather events. “Following Hurricane Harvey, voters approved millions of dollars in drainage improvements,” Sugar Land Communications Director Doug Adolph said. “Not one home ooded during Hurricane

2.2M CenterPoint Energy customers lost power $28B-$32B early estimate of damage and loss across U.S.

SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, CENTERPOINT ENERGY, ACCUWEATHERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Saturday, Nov 9 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

SHOP our Crafts Marketplace and support small businesses . Bring your friends! BID on a unique assortment of Silent Auction items.

PLAY ALL DA Y FOR FREE on our Carnival Midway. Kids can win awesome prizes.

GOBBLE great food from Carnival Midway food trucks, and take home treats from Aunt Hattie's Bake Shop. 3900 Lexington Blvd. Missouri City, TX 77459

Public Welcome,

Free Admission & Parking

Sunday Worship 9:00 & 11:05 am 281-499-3502 | www.fumcmc.org

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY AUBREY VOGEL CONTRIBUTIONS BY JOVANNA AGUILAR, MELISSA ENAJE, WESLEY GARDNER, VANESSA HOLT, EMILY LINCKE, HANNAH NORTON, JESSICA SHORTEN & HALEY VELASCO

Looking ahead

Zooming out

What they’re saying

Both state and federal ocials have played a part in response to Beryl for the Greater Houston area with disaster declarations and ongoing investigations to why the area was not prepared for a Category 1 hurricane.

Beryl marks the rst hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting will be above average with: • Eight to 13 hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher • Four to seven major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher Erik Hooks, deputy administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said he believes being prepared for hurricanes is essential and residents should plan now rather than hours before the storm is expected to roll in. “Understand your risk, and put a plan in place so that you’re prepared when disaster strikes. That’s what resilience is all about,” he said.

“I just don’t think that [CenterPoint was]

Sugar Land

prepared for the event that we have right now, and I think they need to kick it up a couple of notches.” JOE ZIMMERMAN, SUGAR LAND MAYOR

Response timeline

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issues disaster declaration for 40 counties President Joe Biden approves federal disaster declaration Public Utility Commission of Texas launches formal investigation into CenterPoint Energy Senate Special Committee on Hurricane and Tropical Storm Preparedness, Recovery and Electricity forms Deadline for CenterPoint Energy to submit storm preparedness plans to Gov. Greg Abbott

July 5

July 8

“We are now focused on recovery and

Missouri City

July 15

rebuilding. Our primary concern remains the safety and well-being of all of our residents.” ROBIN ELACKATT, MISSOURI CITY MAYOR

July 17

July 31

SOURCES: OFFICE OF GOVERNOR, OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS, TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT

SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION

World-class care. One convenient campus. Introducing Kelsey-Seybold Fort Bend Campus! With more physicians and expanded specialty care, including a new Cancer Center, it’s easier than ever to get the care and services you need close to home. Our Fort Bend Campus features comprehensive diagnostic imaging, on-site laboratory, Kelsey Pharmacy, and a new Outpatient Surgery Center opening early 2025.

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Real estate

Fewer homes were sold in Sugar Land- and Missouri City-area ZIP codes in June compared to last June, with 258 homes sold versus 322 last year. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

June 2023

June 2024

-15.52%

-29.03%

-34.55%

+2.94%

77459

77478

77479

77489

77498

77478

77498

77489

99 TOLL

Median home sales price

77479

June

2023

2024

$417,511

$467,500 $488,500 $535,250 $250,000 $337,450

77459

$410,000 $624,450 $233,700 $353,500

77478

77479

Homes sold by price point

77489

June 2024

77498

$850,000+

$650,000-$849,999

Average days on market

$450,000-$649,999

+13.73%

+130.43%

-10%

+21.88%

-5.71%

111

$250,000-$449,999

<$249,999

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY ALINA ROGERS SPARROW REALTY • 281-961-2944 ALINAWROGERS@YAHOO.COM

77459

77478

77479

77489

77498

New Homes from the $270s | Quick Move-In Homes Available! Covered pavilion, pool with water slides, splash pad, soccer field, parks and walking trails, Ft. Bend ISD

281.746-6212 | HoustonSoutheastOSC@drhorton.com

521

CALDWELL RANCH

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION

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