SCHOOL & COUNTY
News from Harris County & Spring & Klein ISDs
Harris County Commissioners Court will meet at 10 a.m. April 4 at 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. 713-274-7000. www.harriscountytx.gov Klein ISD board of trustees will meet at 6 p.m. April 11 at 7200 Spring Cypress Road, Spring. 832-249-4000. www.kleinisd.net Spring ISD board of trustees will meet at 6 p.m. April 6 and 7 p.m. March 21 and April 11 at 16717 Ella Blvd., Spring. 281-891-6000. www.springisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER NUMBER TO KNOW At a Feb. 21 meeting, Harris County commissioners discussed conditions for inmates at the county jail, approving $1.6 million in contracts and reports aimed at assessing facilities and improving inmates’ quality of life. Among the contracts approved by commissioners were a $1.4 million contract with AECOM Technical Services Inc. to develop a plan for assessing the county’s detention facilities and a $250,000 contract granting each county jail inmate two additional free phone calls as well as video visitation services. $1.6M
Harris County Public Library System eliminates late fees
Local drainage projects on hold due to funding gap
Klein ISD student enrollment surpasses prepandemic levels
school districts statewide, KISD’s student enrollment saw a decline during the coronavirus pandemic despite being considered a fast-growth school district. As of Feb. 24, however, KISD’s student enrollment for the 2022-23 school year was 54,013—surpassing the district’s prepandemic enrollment numbers for the £rst time. “We are so thankful in Klein ISD to be able to return to prepandemic enrollment levels,” said Dayna Hernandez, chief of communications and planning for KISD, in a statement.
PROJECTS IN PROGRESS Harris County commissioners paused 33 projects totaling $303 million under the Harris County Flood Control District’s Bridge Subdivision Drainage program due to a funding shortfall.
HARRIS COUNTY The Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a proposal by the Harris County Public Library to BY JOVANNA AGUILAR
BY HANNAH BROL
BY EMILY LINCKE
KLEIN ISD District ocials announced Klein ISD has ocially reached—and surpassed—its prepandemic student enrollment, in a Feb. 24 news release. According to the release, KISD’s student enrollment in the 2018-19 school year was 53,463. However, like many
Funding obtained: $556M Funding needed: $277M Harris County Bridge Subdivision Drainage program
HARRIS COUNTY Commissioners voted Feb. 21 to pause dozens of road and bridge drain- age projects due to a $277 million funding gap for the Bridge Subdivision Drainage program. Projects under the Bridge Subdivision Drainage program target reducing ood risk for more than 45,000 homes across Harris County. The 33 proj- ects commissioners opted to pause on Feb. 21 can be resumed once funding is obtained, according to county ocials. These projects are estimated to cost a total of about $303 million to complete. “Pausing the projects is not doing away with the projects,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said. When the HCFCD’s $2.5 billion ood bond was approved in 2018, the 96 projects comprising the Bridge Subdivision Drainage program were expected to cost about $460 million. Now, with cost increases due to ination and supply chain issues, the same projects are expected to cost about $832 million; the county has about $556 million in funding ready. Under the Bridge Subdivision Drainage program, 13 projects are almost completed, 13 are under
Total cost: $832M
N
Project status Total number of projects: 96
end library late fee £nes on books and DVDs on Feb 21. “The elimination of late fees makes HCPL the open, free public resource it was always meant to be,” HCPL Execu- tive Director Edward Melton said. The HCPL has waived late fees since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all its branch locations in March 2020, and the policy is now permanent, according to an HCPL news release. In accordance with the new policy, patrons will continue to be charged for lost or damaged items, but returning items after their due dates will not result in a fee. Outstanding overdue £nes will be waived, though it might take some time before these changes are reected on library accounts, according to the HCPL. Barbara Bush Branch Library 6817 Cypresswood Drive, Spring
Spring ISD expands teacher incentive package
RETAINING TALENT Spring ISD trustees approved additional funds for the district’s 2022 teacher retention incentive package Feb. 14. $238,500 was added to SISD’s 2022 teacher incentive package Feb. 14. 50 additional teachers will receive the bonus. 366 teachers received the initial eectiveness bonus for a cost of $1.5 million. $7.8 million total was paid to teachers in the 2022-23 school year for the incentive package. SOURCE: SPRING ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT
33: Paused 23: In design process or status yet to be determined 14: Construction to begin in 90 days 13: Near completion 13: Under construction
BY EMILY LINCKE
The bonus will be paid to teachers who now qualify in March, Winn said. “We believe this strategy directly supports our commitment to recruit, retain and reward top talent and exem- plary eorts in our district,” Winn said. Prior to Feb. 14, the district’s teacher eectiveness incentive bonuses were paid to 366 teachers and totaled $1.5 million. The amendment will award bonuses to science and social studies teachers as well as other teach- ers who teach various STAAR exams— regardless of class size—who meet the student performance requirements.
SPRING ISD On Feb. 14, Spring ISD trustees unanimously voted to amend the 2022 teacher incentive package by an estimated $238,500, so more teachers will receive the bonus before the 2022-23 school year is over. This bonus is anticipated to impact 50 SISD teachers, said Christian Winn, who serves as SISD’s executive director of performance management, on Feb. 9. These teachers were initially excluded from SISD’s 2022 teacher eectiveness incentive bonuses, which were approved in May.
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT COMMUNITY IMPACT
construction, and 14 are set to begin construction within 90 days. The remaining projects are in the early design process. Commissioners unanimously voted Feb. 21 to fund the 26 projects that are under construction or nearly completed. Precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are home to four, seven, 20 and two paused projects, respectively.
SPRING STUEBNER 6603 Spring Stuebner Rd (281) 288-0239
NORTH LOUETTA 1614 Louetta (281) 350-1198 KUYKENDAHL 13313 Kuykendahl (281) 873-5220
LOUETTA 7314 Louetta (281) 370-1986
WILLOWBROOK 6927 FM 1960 W (281) 580-1734
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