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 uncerti ed 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 Scha er Senior Editor kscha er@ 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, R Houston, publicly criticized the district admin- istration’s e orts 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 o cials 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 o ce 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 noti ed FBISD o cials of the elec- tioneering allegation April 19, and the district responded to the inquiry May 3. Williams said dis- trict o cials 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 con rmed 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 o cers 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 ISD COMMUNITY 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.
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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