Cypress Edition | August 2024

The e-edition is an exact replica of the newspaper with interactive and searchable articles from all your favorite sections.

Cypress Edition VOLUME 15, ISSUE 12 AUG. 10 SEPT. 9, 2024

2024 Education Edition

DANICA LLOYDCOMMUNITY IMPACT Cy-Fair ISD board, parents grapple with curriculum changes Community members opposed several actions the Cy-Fair ISD board took June 17—including upholding a decision to omit chapters from science textbooks for the 202425 school year.

But Covey spoke out June 17 when six trustees doubled down on a previous decision to omit cli- mate change and vaccine content from textbooks. “There wasn’t a single speaker up there that was in support of them cutting those chapters,” he said.

Two years later, three additional like-minded candidates won their respective seats. Public school boards are nonpartisan, according to the Texas Association of School Boards, and Covey, a 50-year Republican, said he never thought politics had a place in public schools.

BY DANICA LLOYD

Bob Covey served on the Cy-Fair ISD school board for 16 years until he and two other longtime incumbents were unseated in 2021 by candidates who ran on conservative values with endorsements and nancial contributions from partisan groups.

CONTINUED ON 18

Also in this issue Impacts: Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital announces plans for $277.5M expansion to be completed in 2027 (Page 6)

Premium sponsor

INSIDE

Environment: CenterPoint Energy being investigated after Hurricane Beryl causes power outages (Page 23)

3 ONSITE SCHOOLS!

Going back to school means getting to the front of the class for students at Towne Lake! Our community is proud to be zoned to the acclaimed Cy-Fair ISD. Tour models and move-in ready homes and be ready for the rst bell!

AWARD-WINNING CY-FAIR SCHOOLS | 300-ACRE RECREATIONAL LAKE | WATERPARK AND SPLASHPAD OLYMPIC AND RESORT-STYLE POOLS | HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS | THE BOARDWALK RESTAURANTS & RETAIL

townelaketexas.com | 10855 Towne Lake Parkway Cypress, TX 77433 New homes from the $350s | Custom Home Options | 10855 Towne Lake Parkway Cypress, TX 77433

New Homes from $350s townelaketexas.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

in Cypress LEADING CANCER CARE At Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center, our dedicated oncologists are working to stop cancer using the latest innovations in research, treatments and technology. From genetic screenings and clinical trials to advanced imaging and robotic surgery, our cutting-edge cancer care is available in Cypress.

The Woodlands odlands

Cypress

Willowbrook

Katy-West Houston

That’s the difference between practicing medicine and leading it.

Baytown

Texas Medical Center

Clear Lake

Sugar Land

NOW OPEN IN CYPRESS

houstonmethodist.org/cancer-cypress 346.618.3420

CYPRESS EDITION

Reach out today and we’ll create a care team for you that includes nurses, clinicians, and your primary care doctor — all in one place. Our team will get to understand all the factors that affect your health so they can give you the very best care for your conditions. You get their time, you get their attention, you get the help you need.

Looking for a doctor? Ours are ready to see you now.

• Walk-ins welcome • Same-day appointments • Virtual visits • Extended hours offered at some locations • Medicare accepted at all Village Medical locations

Call 713.589.3999 or scan the code to schedule an appointment today. VillageMedical.com

Three convenient locations to serve you: Two convenient locations to serve you:

Village Medical at Walgreens 14317 Cypress Rosehill Cypress, TX 77429 M-F: 7:30am - 7pm Sat & Sun: 9:30am - 5pm

Village Medical at Riata Ranch 10720 Barker Cypress Cypress, TX 77433 M-F: 8am - 5pm

VM0452-0524

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

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.

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

Danica Lloyd Senior Editor dlloyd@ communityimpact.com

Martha Risinger Jesus Verastegui Taylor White Ronald Winters Managing Copy Editor Beth Marshall Account Executive Karen Nickerson Senior Managing Editor Matt Stephens Senior Art Production Manager Kaitlin Schmidt Correction: Volume 15, Issue 11 On Page 7, Blaze Pizza's address is 7714 Fry Road, Cypress. The Jill Smith Team's address is 12239 Queenston Blvd., Ste. E, Houston.

Jason Culpepper Publisher jculpepper@ communityimpact.com

16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 2814696181 CI careers

We've teamed up to bring you more of the stories you care about.

Join CI Patron for exclusive newsletters and swag.

communityimpact.com/careers linkedin.com/company/communityimpact cypnews@communityimpact.com cypads@communityimpact.com communityimpact.com/advertising

Proudly printed by

Press releases

Advertising

Email newsletters

communityimpact.com/newsletter

BRAND BUSINESS your WITH STICKIES • Exclusive front cover placement • Targeted mailbox delivery • Competitive pricing

Join us for a Trunk Show August 15 2-6 pm

with a chance to win FREE frames!

SCHEDULE TODAY! 281-550-4141 TEXT/CALL/SCAN

DR. JAMES OEVERMANN

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM/ADVERTISE (866) 989-6808

16700 House Hahl Rd, Bldg 7, Cypress, TX 77433 CYPRESSFAMILYEYECARE.COM

CYPRESS EDITION

Impacts

banh mi sandwiches and other Vietnamese dishes. • Opened June 15 • 12105 Jones Road, Houston • www.biffspholife.com 5 Chi’Lantro BBQ The eatery serves Korean barbecue Tex-Mex fusion. • Opened July 1 • 10850 Louetta Road, Ste. 700, Houston • www.chilantrobbq.com 6 Craftique Studio The business oers yarns and craft supplies as well as classes and workshops, owner Grace Talavera said. • Opened June 22 • 16726 Huffmeister Road, Ste. C200, Cypress • www.craftiquestudio.shop 7 Salad and Go The drive-thru serves salads, wraps and breakfast items. • Opened in July 8 Daiso The franchise oers Japanese-inspired home decor, stationery and food. • Opened June 22 • 12246 FM 1960 W., Houston • www.daisous.com 9 Birchway Perry Road The complex has 462 one- and two-bedroom apartment units with monthly rent from $1,265-$1,595. • Opened in July • 13611 Perry Road, Houston • www.birchwayperryroad.com • 9604 Fry Road, Cypress • www.saladandgo.com

SHAW RD.

BLUEGRASS PARK LN.

G R A N T

249

CHAMPION FOREST DR.

S C HIEL RD.

3 6

O U E T T A

I S

24A

VINTAGE PARK BLVD.

N. BRIDGELAND LAKE PKWY.

HOUSE & HAHL RD.

WILLOWBROOK MALL

99 TOLL

MIL

290

CYPRESS N. HOUSTON RD.

BRIDGELAND CREEK PKWY.

1960

SUMMIT POINT CROSSING

A L

FRY RD.

24B

GREENHOUSE RD.

PHILIPPINE ST.

L O

EQUADOR ST.

529

MAP NOT TO SCALE

• Opened in early July • 12904 Fry Road, Ste. 100, Cypress • www.carmelitastx.com

Now open

1 Cheaters Creamery The ice cream store oers scoops, milkshakes, sundaes, oats and doughnut ice cream sandwiches. • Opened June 28 • 8828 Barker Cypress Road, Ste. 90, Cypress • www.cheaterscreamery.com 2 Carmelita’s Kitchen & Tequila The restaurant is known for its modern Mexican cuisine and hand-crafted margaritas.

3 Cronos Cafe & Collectables The business features a coee shop and games. It sells comics, vinyl records, trading cards and bobbleheads. • Opened June 21 • 16726 Huffmeister Road, Ste. D-500, Cypress • www.cronoscafencollectables.com 4 Bi ’s Banh Mi & Pho Owner Nykhol Phan said the eatery oers spring rolls,

10 Harbor Freight Tools The business oers various types of tools and equipment in the Willowbrook area. • Opened June 8

• 17713 Hwy. 249, Houston • www.harborfreight.com

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

NOW OFFERING SATURDAY APPOINTMENTS FOR COSMETIC IMPLANT OR WISDOM TEETH SURGERY. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

We Offer Free Second Opinions!

Accepts all PPO Insurance • Dental Savers for Uninsured Patients Financing Available through Proceed Finance

Veteran Owned & Operated

281-550-9054 • 15757 FM 529 Suite A • Houston, TX • www.KevinNailDDS.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

11 Sichuan Pepper Express The fast-food restaurant oers Chinese cuisine with dine-in, takeout and delivery services. • Opened in July • 10843 FM 1960 W., Houston • www.sichuanpepperexpresstx.com 12 7 Day Tire & Wheel The tire shop oers new and used tires, repairs, installations and more. • Opened July 31 • 12026 Jones Road, Houston 13 Planet Fitness Planet Fitness is a chain of tness centers with over 2,500 locations, according to the website. • Opened Aug. 2

17 Home Sense The franchise oers discount furniture, lighting, rugs, art and o¦ce supplies. • Opening in 2024 • 25839 Hwy. 290, Cypress • www.homesense.com 18 Tint World The tinting company oers automobile, marine, residential and commercial tinted window services. • Opening in August • 20330 Tuckerton Road, Ste. 700, Cypress • www.tintworld.com

In the news

Expansions

23 Village Green at Bridgeland Central Several new businesses are set to open in Village Green at Bridgeland Central, the initial phase of the future 925-acre urban district. Howard Hughes Holdings conrmed Jonathan’s The Rub restaurant, Sweet Paris Creperie & Café, Crust Pizza Co., Venetian Nail Spa, Teal Poppy boutique and Gelato & Co. will open next year. • Opening by mid-2025 • Bridgeland Creek Parkway and Summit Point Crossing, Cypress • www.bridgeland.com

19 Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital A $277.5 million campus expansion project will add 58 hospital beds and a new six-story tower. • Opening in 2027

• 21155 Hwy. 249, Houston • www.planet¥itness.com

14 HTown Barbell Coaches oer support at the powerlifting gym. • Opened June 14 • 8301 Jones Road, Ste. 110, Jersey Village • www.htownbarbell.com

• 27800 Hwy. 290, Cypress • www.memorialhermann.org

In the news

20 Bad Ass Co ee of Hawaii The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows the coee shop will replace the former PJ’s Coee. An opening date has not been announced. • 11930 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress • www.badasscoffee.com 21 Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille The restaurant celebrated its 45th anniversary in July. • 9730 Cypresswood Drive, Houston • www.perryssteakhouse.com 22 Salt & Sugar Gastro Bar Owner Martin Garcia said the European restaurant celebrated its rst anniversary July 27.

Coming soon

24 Chuy’s Darden Restaurants will acquire the Tex-Mex eatery for $605 million, per a July 17 news release.

15 Mirella Caldwell Communities is building the company’s rst single-family build-to-rent community with 204 units. • Opening by the end of 2024 • 18131 Bluegrass Park Lane, Cypress • www.mirellaliving.com 16 Tim Hortons The Canada-based shop oers cold and hot coee and tea beverages, hot breakfast items and baked goods. • Opening TBD • 11430 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress • www.timhortons.com

• A 20322 Hwy. 249, Houston • B 19827 Hwy. 290, Houston • www.chuys.com

25 Clark Henry Pool A bond for a $10.1 million upgrade to Jersey Village’s city pool could be on the ballot in November. City

Council has until Aug. 19 to decide. • 7804 Equador St., Jersey Village • www.jerseyvillagetx.com

• 16010 West Road, Houston • www.saltandsugarhtx.com

ARE YOU SWEATING YOUR INSURANCE BILL THIS MONTH? Let Us Do The Shopping For You. We shop dozens of insurance companies so you don't have to.

August 15 - 18 from 11am - 5pm POP UP SHOWCASE! Visit us at Victoria's Natural Market 20158 Bauer Hockley Road Tomball, Texas 77377

RECEIVE 5% OFF MENTION THIS AD AND YOUR TOTAL PURCHASE!

Crochet Classes, Yarn Up Meetups, Bundle Savings 832-526-0481

14007 Telge Rd, Cypress, Texas 77429 • (281) 256-8310

CYPRESS EDITION

NDENSED WIDE - WHITE

THE PATH TO

NOW OPEN!

AFFORDABLE TUITION 30+ ONLINE PROGRAMS 200+ DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

TRANSFERABLE CREDITS

Every parent wants a better future for their child, and a quality education can help make that happen. From our youngest learners in our robust Pre-K program to dual-credit upperclassmen getting a head start on their college courses, we recognize the strengths and abilities of every student and help them prepare for long-term success. ENROLL YOUR CHILD TODAY at CFISD.NET

CONDENSED WIDE - WHITE

LONESTAR.EDU/START Register Today at

THE PATH TO

03.21.24.02

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY HANNAH NORTON

Texas’ rst statewide ood plan says 5 million people at risk

Over 5 million Texans live or work in areas vulnerable to ooding, according to a draft of the state’s rst ood plan. State lawmakers tasked the Texas Water Devel- opment Board with creating the plan in 2019, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The 267-page draft, published in early May, recommends over $54.5 billion in funding from various sources to reduce ood risks. The board discussed the plan during a May 30 public hearing in Austin. Board members are expected to adopt a nal ood plan in August and submit it to the Legislature by Sept. 1. The details The plan includes ndings from 15 regional ood planning groups, which have been working since October 2020, and makes several recom- mendations for state and local ood policies. “Although ooding has certain benets, like recharging groundwater and providing vital

nutrients to ecosystems and agricultural lands, it remains a signicant threat to the health and safety of Texans,” the plan reads. “Each of the state’s 254 counties has experienced at least one federally declared ood disaster, proof that oods can aect all areas of Texas.” The plan noted roughly 70% of ood-related deaths occur on roadways, particularly during the night and at low-water crossings. The planning groups identied nearly 64,000 miles of roads in areas susceptible to ooding. The board asked the Texas Legislature to expand early warning systems for oods, create minimum building and infrastructure standards to reduce fatalities and property damage, improve low-water crossing safety, and enhance dam and levee safety programs. “We want to put out a state ood plan that does what it is tasked to do, and that is to save lives and save property,” board Chair Brooke Paup said.

Flood risks Around 1 in 6 Texans live or work in ood- prone areas, the Texas Water Development Board found. Over one-fourth of Texas’ land area is vulnerable to ooding.

5.22M people

1.66M buildings

63,900 miles of roads

1.29M homes

12.65M acres of agricultural land

6,258 hospitals, EMS departments, re stations, police stations and schools

SOURCE: TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD COMMUNITY IMPACT

FINE EUROPEAN GREENHOUSES, PAVILIONS COMPOSTERS - GERMAN RAIN BARRELS - MORE National Distributor, Locally Owned

Dr. Elbaz has returned to Cypress and is proud to announce the opening of Elbaz Orthobiologics.

This practice specializes in the use of regenerative cells combined with orthopedic surgery to improve pain & function. With over 20 years of experience using PRP, bone marrow cells, and adipose stem cells, Dr. Elbaz is a leader in the field of Orthobiologics.

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! 16001 Impact Way, Pflugerville 512-407-8500 • www.exaco.com Regular Hours: Monday-Friday, 10am - 5pm Call for weekend appointments

10726 Huffmeister RD, Suite 120, Houston, TX 77065 www.alainelbazmd.com | (713) 378-1390

CYPRESS EDITION

ENROLLING NOW FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY!

EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION DEVOTED TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP

INFANTS

PRESCHOOL

ELEMENTARY

JOIN OUR SCHOOL FAMILY AND EXPERIENCE Affordable private education Small class sizes Devoted and loving teachers Excellence in instruction Family engagement Education grounded in Biblical truth Rigorous curriculum Arts and music program NILD Pathways Learning Center

13000 Jones Road Houston Ph: 281-890-4879

themetchristianac a demy.org

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY DANICA LLOYD

Education Edition

2024

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates about local K-12 public schools in your community. Our cover story explores recent Cy-Fair ISD school board elections, actions the newest trustees have taken since being elected and how the community is responding. Flip to Page 18 to learn more. 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.

Premium sponsor:

Danica Lloyd Senior Editor dlloyd@ communityimpact.com

The Met Christian Academy Themetchristianacademy.org (281) 8904879 Education With Purpose

What's inside

Time study breaks down Cy-Fair ISD teacher workloads (Page 14)

Standardized test performance declines locally (Page 15)

Student vaping a top concern in Cy-Fair ISD (Page 16)

Cy-Fair ISD reduces 2024 25 bus service

The plan In 2024-25, Cy-Fair ISD’s transportation department will: • Not serve elementary students within 1 mile of their campuses, or middle or high school students within 2 miles of their campuses unless they live on routes with hazardous trafic conditions • Eliminate late bus runs • Eliminate service to alternative learning centers Hazardous trac conditions , as dened by the board, vary between elementary, middle and high school levels but may include: • Crossing a tollway, state highway or FM road • Crossing a moderately or heavily traveled roadway with protected crossing, such as a trafic light or stop sign • Crossing a railroad track • Walking along a moderately or heavily traveled roadway without a safe walking path

Cy-Fair ISD’s board approved a transportation services reduction plan June 17 to save about $4.78 million in the scal year 2024-25 budget. The district anticipates a $77.5 million budget shortfall despite this decision as well as the elimi- nation of more than 600 positions districtwide. “Transportation for general education students is not a required service for public education. This service has been oered in CFISD for years as a benet to the students and community. However, due to budgetary constraints, the district must make dicult decisions, including reducing transportation services,” ocials said in an online FAQ posted June 26. Parents can nd out if their children are eligible for bus service at www.csd.net/transportation. The details Parents and guardians are now responsible for getting their children to and from school if they do not meet eligibility criteria. To determine eligibil- ity, district ocials measured the shortest route from students’ campuses to their homes, meaning some neighborhoods may have both eligible and ineligible students. According to the district’s website, the transpor- tation department regularly buses 75,000 students

and completes more than 4,000 runs between campuses each school day. In their own words Parents at the June 17 meeting expressed concerns about increased trac, potentially dangerous walking and biking conditions, limited access to after-school activities, and a lack of communication of these changes to parents. CFISD ocials said they were working with homeowners associations, municipal utility districts and county leadership to address safety concerns. CFISD parent and teacher Brandy Lee Dawson- Marsh said she believes infrastructure issues should be addressed to maintain safety under this new plan, including sidewalks connecting schools to neighborhoods and bike rack installations on campuses. She said she believes students are at risk of being hit by cars or kidnapped—especially in the fall when it gets dark early. “And nally, with regards to ... Spillane [Middle School] and Cy[press] Woods [High School], these schools both start at the same time. Without added infrastructures and with the increased trac ow, how are parents supposed to drop o students at one school and then navigate the trac to drop o a student at the other?” she said.

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Remember this? This is not the rst time CFISD reduced bus service due to funding limitations. According to district documents, CFISD imple- mented a similar plan in 2009-10 until the 2014-15 school year following the passage of a bond referendum that included additional buses and a new transportation center.

CYPRESS EDITION

TOP DOCTORS • HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS • BEST TECHNOLOGY

• Hammertoe/Curved Toe Correction • Acoustic Wave Ultrasound/Shockwave • Stem Cell/Amniotic Injections • Fungal Toenail Treatment and Laser • Endoscopic Neuroma Surgery • Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy • Tarsal Tunnel Decompression • Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment • Peripheral Nerve Decompression/Surgery

• #1 Wound Specialist • Heel Pain Treatment / Plantar Fasciitis • Wart Radiation using Swift Technology • Ingrown Toenail Permanent Correction • Bunion 3D Correction Lapiplasty • Fracture Correction and Repair • Tendon Repair and Achilles OUR MAIN SERVICES ARE FOR CHILDREN & ADULTS.

• Physical Therapy in Office •Orthotics Custom Molded

Check out our blog with everything about foot health! www.doctorsinc.net/blog 5.0 REVIEWS

Hablamos Español 24/7 Assistance

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ONLINE STORE RECEIVE $30 OFF FOR INTRODUCTORY OFFER COUPON: JAUGUST 2024

WOUND TREATMENT + FREE CONSULTATION PRIORITY FOR MEDICARE PATIENTS

The Woodlands 111Vision Park Blvd. Ste. 240,

PROMOTIONAL COUPONS YOU MUST BRING PHYSICAL COPY TO REDEEM COUPON (CERTAIN CONDITIONS APPLY)

The Woodlands, TX 77384 www.Doctorsinc.net 936-273-6000 Monday - Friday 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM PROMOTIONAL CODE FOR FREE APPOINTMENT JAUGUST 2024

COME IN THIS MONTH AND GET A 3D SCAN AND $150 OFF ON CUSTOM ORTHOTICS AND $200 OFF ON THE SECOND PAIR. ADULTS AND KIDS CODE: JAUGUST 2024 PROMOTIONAL COUPONS YOU MUST BRING PHYSICAL COPY TO REDEEM COUPON

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY HANNAH NORTON

Bob Popinski discusses Texas public school funding challenges Amid high operating costs and stagnant state funding, public school districts across Texas have adopted budget shortfalls for scal 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 nonprot

experiencing enrollment decline. Think of it this way: if every student draws down about $10,000 to pay for teachers, and you lose 10 kids, that is $100,000 that the school district doesn’t have to pay for a teacher salary. But you still have to have a teacher in the classroom, and you still have to have a bus driver, and you still have to be able to turn the lights and the air conditioning on. So those are big, kind of xed costs that a school district doesn’t necessarily control. What kind of stang 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. School districts are struggling to nd certied teachers. In the 2022-23 school year, approximately 15,300 teachers were hired in Texas without certication. That’s a drastic increase, about a 650% increase, from 2010. And it’s especially acute in rural and small towns, where nearly 75% of teachers were uncertied. The Texas State Board of Education will soon approve new textbooks that districts can begin using during the 202526 school year. What does this mean for districts and students? It’s a big decision for school districts, whether to opt in to the statewide curriculum program. The idea behind the law is that the state [can identify] high-quality instructional materials and make them available statewide. If a school district opts in, they can get an additional $40 per student and another $20 to print the materials. [The State Board of Education’s] job is to deter- mine the criteria and quality of those materials. There’s a lot of back and forth with the publishers and with stakeholders [regarding] what needs to be in that program. Once that is fully formed, it really is up to the local school boards and school administrators to see if that is the right t for their district. And if it is, you can draw down additional funding in a time when budgets are tight. But if you have di¢erent community needs and di¢erent community wants, and you’ve spent decades developing your own curriculum and you think it’s high quality, it may not be the right t for [your district]. What should Texans be aware of before the 89th Legislature convenes in January? School funding is going to be one of the priorities of the Legislature. The Texas Comptroller [said July 17] that there’s over $21.2 billion available in

Raise Your Hand Texas, to learn more. How are Texas public schools funded?

Right now, Texas is in the bottom 10 [states] for per-student funding. We’re about $4,800 below the national average, according to a new National Education Association report. [Texas uses] what is known as an equalized sys- tem. It means that the Legislature sets the amount of per-student funding and a district is guaranteed that amount. [District] revenue comes from local school district property taxes, and it comes from general revenue from the state. On average, when you look at per-student fund- ing across the state, the funding that actually gets down into the classrooms—that pays for day-to-day operations like teachers and cafeteria workers and bus drivers and school principals—is roughly $10,000 per student, on average, across the state. Why are so many districts facing high budget shortfalls? Since 2019, the last time we saw any increase to our school funding formulas, ination has gone up 22%. School districts are operating at roughly a $1,400 decit from where they were in 2019. When you look at the basic allotment—[which is] kind of the building block for our school funding formula— 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. There’s still a lot of programs that are in place to help students with their academic progress that school districts would like to continue, but because that federal stimulus funding is going away, it may not be available to them. In addition to those two major driving fac- tors, there are some school districts out there

COURTESY RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS

additional state revenue right now. That includes $4.5 billion that wasn’t spent on school district funding formulas, because nothing passed last legislative session. We’re $8,800 below the national average in teacher salaries, so that’s going to be important. Special education is going to be an important issue. Are we still identifying the kids we need to identify; are we funding our special education for- mulas the right way? Last time I looked, there was a $1.8 billion shortfall in special education funding. That’s putting pressure on kids. As we’ve seen over the last election cycle and last legislative session, there is going to be a huge push to get school vouchers across the nish line next legislative session. And what [Raise Your Hand Texas] hopes is that Texas is learning from other states on why this is still bad policy for our state. If you look at Arizona, they’re facing over a $1 bil- lion budget shortfall. Most of the kids that are using those universal vouchers already attended private schools the previous year—anywhere between 70% and 80%—depending on which state you look at. So there’s a lot of things and a lot of guardrails that I hope our legislators look at when they’re consider- ing a voucher program.

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

CYPRESS EDITION

Education

BY DANICA LLOYD

Study identies how Cy-Fair ISD teachers spend their time

Outside of teaching, Cy-Fair ISD teachers primarily spend time on documentation—such as to comply with special education requirements and to report student behavior incidents— according to a 2023-24 study from market research rm Hanover Research. “That write-up process ... can take about an hour if you factor in writing the write-up, contacting parents, talking to the [assistant principal], sometimes [a] parent conference,” one high school teacher included in the report said regarding discipline reports. Teachers quoted in the report were anonymous. Instructional planning and support, including planning and preparing for lessons and grading, is another time-consuming task, according to the report. Additionally, 73% of secondary teachers reported spending ve or more hours per week tutoring, and 73% of elementary teachers reported spending ve or more hours per week

Time teachers spend per week on tasks in Cy-Fair ISD

1 hour or less

3-4 hours

5-6 hours

1-2 hours

7 or more hours

6% 28% 4% 29%

35%

17%

14%

Lesson preparation Lesson planning Colleague collaboration Grading Professional development

36%

18% 13%

10%

40%

28%

13% 10%

34%

13% 10%

43%

38%

10% 3% 6%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

SOURCE: HANOVER RESEARCHCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Hanover’s recommendations included streamlining processes to reduce teachers’ administrative workloads and increasing the amount of time they have to complete tasks through planning periods and teacher workdays.

serving in task-oriented groups. Teachers also discussed the pressure to attend students’ athletic events, performances and community fundraisers, noting supervisors ask about such activities in performance reviews.

Why it matters

Teacher turnover rates

Cy-Fair ISD

Texas

21.4%

“I love working with the kids, but it was everything else—it was the testing, and there’s no time during the school day. You couldn’t even go to the restroom, you know? I [was] bringing hours’ worth of work home,” she said of her time as a teacher. Teacher turnover in CFISD reached 18.3% in 2022-23, mirroring the statewide trend. Data was not yet available for 2023-24.

The Charles Butt Foundation found 75% of teachers considered leaving the profession in 2023, citing excessive workloads and insucient pay as signicant factors. CFISD cut over half of campus librarians for 2024-25, including Kimberly Rains, who taught in the district for years before becoming a librarian. She said teachers are leaving the profession “in droves.”

25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

16.4%

18.3%

13.1%

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISD¡COMMUNITY IMPACT

9212 Fry Rd., Suite 100 Cypress, TX 77433 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org

Promotion not sponsored by the Houston Astros. Insured by NCUA.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR

STAAR performance dips in Cy-Fair ISD the state standardized test, including an emphasis on writing skills, the TEA’s website states. The STAAR has primarily been administered online since 2022-23.

Passage rate changes, 202324 The data shows the change in percentage points of students who passed the STAAR between the spring 2023 and spring 2024 administrations. Cy-Fair ISD Statewide -10 -5 0 +5 +10

Year-over-year standardized test passage rates declined across most subjects in grades 3-8 in Cy-Fair ISD, according to the State of Texas Assess- ments of Academic Readiness results released June 14. The state and district saw little improvement in the rates of students approaching grade level— which is considered passing—in reading and math between the spring 2023 and spring 2024 adminis- trations of the STAAR test. Statewide, students are still struggling with their math scores. The decrease in math prociency can be attributed to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a June 14 news release from the Texas Education Agency. In case you missed it The STAAR was redesigned in 2023, and there were changes implemented in how tests were graded in 2024, according to the TEA’s website. In 2019, House Bill 3906 mandated a redesign of

The 2024 tests were graded almost exclusively by computers, which had human oversight, in an eort by the state to save money and make grading more ecient, according to the TEA’s website. The breakdown CFISD saw the biggest increase in passage rates in fourth-grade reading with 84% approaching grade level this year compared to 79% in 2023. The largest decrease in year-over-year perfor- mance in CFISD was on the fth-grade math test and on the eighth-grade science test. CFISD high school students showed no change in end-of-course exam passage rates in Algebra I and U.S. History. However, the district showed slight improvement in English II and Biology with a slight dip in English I passage rates.

3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade 6th grade 7th grade 8th grade

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Cy-Fair Educational Foundation

Back to School Up to 40% off 2 subjects -$149

Hyatt Regency Houston West • October 19, 2024

HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress Missing Man Underwriter Howard Hughes 1st Lt. Jeremy Ray Fallen Soldier Sponsor

832.821.0000 832.982.0000

16700 House & Hahl Rd Bldg 6A, Cypress, TX 77433 18021 Longenbaugh Road, Suite 3B Cypress, TX 77433

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Veteran Tickets - $75 • Individual Tickets - $125

St. John Early Childhood Center Offering preschool programs for ages

Guest Speaker Chad Robichaux – USMC Force Recon Veteran In 2021, Chad notably led the e ort to rescue Americans, our allies, and vulnerable individuals stranded during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. What began as a personal quest to rescue a long-time friend and Afghan interpreter evolved into a full-edged humanitarian operation. Under Chad’s leadership, he and his team have successfully evacuated over 17,000 people from the hands of the Taliban. Since Afghanistan Chad has continued to organize and lead humanitarian e orts around the world.

18 months - Bridge 2 Day Programs 3 Day Programs 5 Day Programs

Call Today To Schedule A Tour! 281-304-5546

15237 Huffmeister Rd. | Cypress, TX 77429

Contact Marie Holmes at 281.370.0144 • eCFEF.org

CYPRESS EDITION

Education

BY DANICA LLOYD

Vaping a top concern in Cy-Fair ISD

Current situation

House Bill 114 went into eect Sept. 1, requiring public schools to place students in a disciplinary alternative education program if they possess, use, sell or share e-cigarettes on campus. First-time oenders in CFISD are placed for at least 10 days. Steven Kelder, a professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health who developed the CATCH My Breath vaping prevention program, said while discipline is the easier route to take, students also need support to help them quit. “Some [schools] are catching so many kids that there’s a waitlist to get into the alternative school,” he said. “And the only reason is because they’re addicted.” Kelder attributes the recent decline in vape usage to multimillion-dollar lawsuits against vape companies and to the COVID-19 pandemic. “[Kids are] often using these substances under the radar of parents and teachers. But they’re doing it together,” he said. “[During] COVID, ... there wasn’t the opportunity to initiate use.”

Although e-cigarette use among high schoolers nationwide declined from 27.5% in 2019 to 10% in 2023, vaping is still a signicant issue for this demographic as marketing is often geared toward young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most e-cigarettes contain the addictive chemical compound nicotine, so vaping can disrupt brain development for adolescents, impacting their ability to control attention, learning, mood and impulses, the CDC reports. Cy-Fair ISD trustee Justin Ray at the June 17 board meeting said he believes this is a major health and safety concern. “Talking with one of the principals, ... vaping is our No. 1 issue,” he said. There were 866 reported cases of vaping incidents in CFISD throughout the 2023-24 school year, the rst year vaping incidents

Drug and alcohol incidents in Cy-Fair ISD 2,500

2,188

2,000 1,500 1,000

796

0 500

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

were formally tracked, ocials said. Overall, drug and alcohol incidents across CFISD were up nearly 30% compared to 2022-23. The district’s eorts to prevent vaping include an email to parents, social media posts, marquee messaging and videos, ocials said.

While vaping can lead to serious respiratory issues and potential lifelong addictions, he said longer-term e ects aren’t clear yet. Dr. Lea McMahon is the chief clinical ocer at Symetria Recovery, which has locations in Houston including in Jersey Village. “Many of my younger patients admit that vaping is partially more alluring due to its seemingly ‘less serious’ complications than other substances such as prescription drugs and alcohol,” she said. “Also, many teens

can access e-cigarettes without stringent complications due to online sites and peers who already have access to such items.”

What parents should know

Public health ocials have made “great strides” with the teen smoking rate, Kelder said. Today only about 3%-4% of teenagers smoke traditional cigarettes, he said. “Then here comes along another source of nicotine that tastes like fruit avors and candy. ... That’s a key reason why kids want to use it,” Kelder said.

Resources for parents are available at

www.catch.org/ program/vaping- prevention.

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 aordability 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 nancial 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 aord 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 nancial 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 Simplication 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 STRATEGIESCOMMUNITY IMPACT *THE FAFSA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT WENT INTO EFFECT IN TEXAS.

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

Zooming in

FAFSA completion for Cy-Fair 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 nancial aid application or formally opt out.

5,401

-14.6%

Class of 2024

4,613

SOURCE: NATIONAL COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORKCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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

Full-day Pre-K Needs Full-Day Funding

DID YOU KNOW?

The state requires full-day pre-K but only funds half the day.

Ad paid for by

CYPRESS EDITION

Cy-Fair ISD board, parents grapple with curriculum changes From the cover

Meet the players

In a nutshell

Campaign nance reports show 2021 and 2023 elections featured tens of thousands of donation dollars from political action committees, including both local nonpartisan groups as well as conserva- tive groups such as CyFair4Liberty, Conservative Republicans of Harris County and Texans for Educational Freedom. Community Impact reached out to these groups but received no response. In the 2019 election, three of the four open posi- tions were uncontested. The contested candidates each spent $1,500-$2,900 on their campaigns. According to campaign nance reports, most fund- ing for 2021 and 2023 elections came from PACs. Local nonpartisan PACs have supported Julie Hinaman, among other candidates, in recent years. Friends for CFISD raised about $29,000 in 2019; ALL4CFISD raised about $76,000 in 2023.

Conservative Republicans of Harris County endorsed Blasingame, Henry and Scanlon in 2021 and spent nearly $25,000 on advertising for them. PAC support grew in 2023 with CyFair4Liberty pouring more than $78,000 into the election, supporting candidates including Todd LeCompte, Justin Ray and Christine Kalmbach. The organization is focused on “[taking] back our republic and [preserving] our liberty … [by ghting] to win every election from MUDs and HOAs to school boards, Texas House and U.S. Congressional districts,” according to the website. Most CFISD trustees have prior experience run- ning for oce, including serving on municipal util- ity district and homeowners association boards, at the city level, and as previous candidates for school board or state representative seats.

House Bill 1605, passed in 2023, permits school boards to adopt instructional materials that aren’t approved by the State Board of Education. CFISD’s board voted to remove chapters from textbooks approved by the majority-Republican state board and by CFISD educators. “Education is supposed to be about providing the very best up-to-date and factual information to our students and [making] sure that students are able to make decisions and be critical thinkers,” trustee Natalie Blasingame said June 17. Emily Witt, senior communications and media strategist at public education advocacy group Texas Freedom Network, said many policies passed by local school boards start at the state level. Library book policies and school chaplains, among other issues, have also been discussed in response to 2023 bills. “[If] school boards see it at the [Texas] Legislature, they certainly know that they have allies above them,” Witt said. Since Blasingame, Scott Henry and Lucas Scanlon were elected in 2021, the board has changed the way meetings are run, selected a new superintendent and altered several district policies. Per board operating procedures updated in May, media requests must go through Henry, the board president, who did not respond to an interview request. The board’s in uence Nov. 2021: Natalie Blasingame, Scott Henry and Lucas Scanlon are elected. Aug. 2022: The board adopts CFISD’s new character education program. Jan. 2023: A new policy requires educators to categorize all books by age level. Nov. 2023: Nonpartisan incumbent Julie Hinaman is re-elected alongside new conservative trustees Todd LeCompte, Justin Ray and Christine Kalmbach. Dec. 2023: Trustees create ve subcommittees, allowing them to discuss business outside of public meetings. March 2024: In a 5-2 decision, the board votes against allowing chaplains to be employed by the district. May-June 2024: The board approves budget cuts, science textbook omissions, and policy updates clarifying the board has ultimate authority over library books.

Campaign nance breakdown

Donations from individuals

*PAC contributions

Natalie Blasingame Elected: 2021 Previously ran in 2015, 2017 and 2019 Scott Henry Elected: 2021 Has served on MUD and HOA boards

$8,300

53.7% PAC

$7,142.34

Total: $15,442.34

$10,788.38

63% PAC

$6,332.34

Total: $17,120.72

Lucas Scanlon Elected: 2021

$10,338.38

60.1% PAC

$6,858

Total: $17,196.38

Todd LeCompte Elected: 2023 Previously ran in 2021

$25,485.24

85.9% PAC

$4,191.02 Total: $29,676.26

Julie Hinaman Re-elected: 2023 Currently serving second term

$5,750

49.1% PAC

$5,971.16

Total: $11,721.16

Justin Ray Elected: 2023

$26,682.54

88% PAC

$3,625

Former Jersey Village mayor; previous Texas House candidate

Total: $30,307.54

Christine Kalmbach Elected: 2023 Previous Texas House primary candidate

$14,719.94

81.6% PAC

$3,328.32

Total: $18,048.26

SOURCE: PRIOR COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORTINGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

*PAC CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDE BOTH DIRECT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND INKIND DONATIONS LISTED IN CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS.

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY DANICA LLOYD CONTRIBUTIONS BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR

How we got here

What they’re saying

About 55,000 voters cast ballots in 2023 for the highest turnout for a CFISD board election in recent history—16.81%, according to the Harris County Clerk’s Oce. At the same time, 83.19% of registered voters in CFISD did not cast ballots. Witt said she believes despite their importance, many don’t pay attention to local school board elections. Harris County GOP Chair Cindy Siegel said she believes more conservative candidates

being elected is a result of conservative parents feeling their perspective isn’t being considered. The Harris County GOP has endorsed all current CFISD board members except Hinaman. “The concern—[for] a lack of better words, it’s overused—but [the] more woke agenda,” Siegel said. “That their children are being exposed to things that they haven’t wanted them to be exposed to; that ... their viewpoints should be heavily weighted in how their kid is educated.”

“[Parents] felt like their school boards weren’t listening to them. … We would hear concerns about

curriculum and how the dollars were being spent and what was in the library for their kids.” CINDY SIEGEL, HARRIS COUNTY GOP CHAIR

Voter turnout trends Cy-Fair ISD conducts board elections in o-cycle election years when midterm and presidential elections aren't taking place.

Cy-Fair ISD board elections Federal and state elections in Harris County

“[Trustees] say you want transparency. You talk about parent rights, but yet you take actions that show just the opposite

100% 75%

68.14%

61.33%

of what you say.” DEBBIE BLACKSHEAR, FORMER CYFAIR ISD TRUSTEE, AT THE JUNE 17 BOARD MEETING

52.86%

43.54%

25% 50% 0%

16.81%

16.41%

13.46%

11.04%

4.44%

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022 2023

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT

Why it matters

“Today I stand before you as a former teacher of this district that I grew up in and dedicated 21 of my 26 years of teaching to. I left because of you. You let me down, and you let down our students,” she told the board June 17. “Your lack of transparency and obvious lack of content knowledge showed that you had already made up your minds in order to further your own agendas.” Also on June 17, the board approved budget cuts for scal year 2024-25, but CFISD is still expected to have a $77.5 million shortfall. Public schools did not receive an increase in state funding last legislative session as Republican leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, pushed for a voucher bill that would allow taxpayer dollars to cover private school tuition, eectively taking funds away from public schools, o©cials said. “My job is to make sure we get across the nish line a piece of legislation that will return mom and dad to being in charge of their child’s education,” Abbott said during a March 2023 visit to Cypress Christian School.

This spring, Blasingame led the eort to omit “controversial” chapters from science textbooks for the 2024-25 school year. “When we teach our children ideas like uncontrolled human population growth can deplete resources, ... it’s important that we make sure that we look at what do we know and what is the evidence before us,” Blasingame said June 17. The board heard from dozens of parents, educators and students during the meetings in which these eorts were discussed. None vocalized support for this motion, but the board voted 6-1 with Hinaman opposed. Megan Costello, a former Cypress Lakes High School teacher, served on the curriculum writing and instructional material committees that approved the textbooks. She said she felt the board did not value her expertise and resigned from the district just weeks after the board awarded her a “Bringing out the Best” award—a monthly recognition a handful of employees received this year.

Dates to know Nov. 5: Election determines who will represent Cy-Fair at the state level Jan. 14, 2025: 89th Texas Legislature convenes in Austin July 19-Aug. 18, 2025: Candidates can le to run for a seat on the CFISD board Nov. 4, 2025: Three CFISD board seats are on the ballot; winners serve four-year terms

SOURCES: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE, CYFAIR ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT

CFISD Superintendent Doug Killian said he encourages parents to be involved in their children’s education by establishing relationships with their teachers and campus administrators. “It’s really important to understand where the challenges are in the school district so you can get involved and help or be an advocate one way or the other,” he said in an interview with Community Impact .

CYPRESS EDITION

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20-21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40

communityimpact.com