Keller - Roanoke - Northeast Fort Worth | August 2025

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Keller Roanoke Northeast Fort Worth Edition VOLUME 7, ISSUE 4 AUG. 29SEPT. 29, 2025

2025 Education Edition

NISD adds new center to meet growth

BY PATRICIA ORTIZ

Northwest ISD ocials broke ground on the district’s rst early childhood education center July 7 in Fort Worth with plans for it to open in August 2026. The new Dr. David Hicks Early Childhood Center will be located o Blue Mound Road between Hillshire Drive and East Bonds Ranch Road and serve up to 450 pre-kindergarten students living in NISD. District voters approved a nearly $2 billion bond package that included four new early childhood centers during the 2023 May election to address the district’s growing population.

INSIDE

The early childhood center will have common areas themed to the seasons for family-style dining and naps.

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Impacts BE THE FIRST TO KNOW! Scan to get business openings to your inbox.

Northeast Fort Worth

35W

377

• Opened July 18 • 15853 North Freeway, Ste. 1185, Fort Worth • www.mizzenandmain.com 4 Embraer The light jet manufacturer opened a new facility at Perot Field for maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. • Opened June 24 • 13901 Aviator Way, Ste. 270, Fort Worth • www.embraer.com 5 Eyecare by Design The optometry location specializes in a range of services, from advanced care for eye diseases to fittings for prescription glasses. • Opened June 2 • 3400 SH 114, Ste. 140, Fort Worth • www.eyecarebydesigntx.com 6 Tater Tot Boutique The children’s consignment shop and boutique offers new and preowned clothing, shoes and accessories for kids of all ages. • Soft opening July 19 • 121 Rufe Snow Drive, Ste. 119, Keller • www.shoptatertot.com 7 Gideon Math and Reading Keller/Fort Worth The tutor center uses basic principles to help students of all ages and grade levels master the foundations of math and reading. • Opened Aug. 1 • 5801 Golden Triangle Blvd., Ste. 121, Fort Worth • gideonmathandreading.com/keller 8 Be Well Primary Care The primary care center offers wellness exams, physicals, hormone replacement therapy, IV therapy and Medicare for patients 16 and older. • Opened July 14

114

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Roanoke

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377

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BONDS RANCH RD.

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TARRANT PKWY.

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Keller

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MID CITIES BLVD. 2 Te’jun Texas Cajun The Cajun restaurant has daily seafood specials, such as fried shrimp platters, and Cajun-inspired appetizers. • Soft opening Aug. 14 • 541 Keller Parkway, Keller • www.tejunthetexascajun.com 3 Mizzen+Main The high-end men’s clothing store opened in the Fort Worth Tanger Outlets shopping mall.

Now open

WESTERN CENTER BLVD.

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1 Bricks and Minifigs The business will offer a large selection of Legos and an assortment of new, used and retired Lego sets at lower costs. Bricks and Minifigs will also sell, buy and trade Lego products. • Opened Aug. 23 • 5860 N. Tarrant Parkway, Ste. 100, Fort Worth • www.bricksandminifigs.com/keller-tx/

• 601 S. Main St., Ste. 200, Keller • www.bewellprimarycare.com

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12 Kimiya Japanese Cuisine The restaurant will offer a variety of Japanese food options. Construction is expected to begin Sept. 1 at the former On the Border location. • 890 SH 114, Roanoke • 214-592-8727

Relocations

In the news

9 Blue Morpho Salon The hair salon operated along Keller Parkway for seven years before relocating to Keller Town Center. • Reopened June 16 • 101 Town Center Lane, Ste. 115, Keller • www.bluemorphosalon.com 10 STAND Performing Arts Ministry STAND, which specializes in theater and performing arts for kids under 18, moved from Kroger Drive in Fort Worth to Keller. • Relocated early June

Anniversaries

13 TuffGurlFitness The all-female strength training gym teaches how to safely strength train, lose weight and gain muscle. • Celebrated one-year anniversary Aug. 2 • 5751 Kroger Drive, Ste. 115, Keller • www.tuffgurlfitness.com

• 805 Keller Parkway, Keller • www.standministries.org

15 Ms. Saigon Pho and Grill The Vietnamese restaurant opened under new ownership and now serves Thai and Lao dishes. Popular items on the menu include pho noodles, banh mi, curries, Thai fried rice, pad thai and

Closings

What’s next

14 Baja Cantina The Mexican restaurant closed after 14 years in Keller. It specialized in classic Mexican dishes, such as tacos and burritos. • Closed June 20 • 721 Keller Parkway, Ste. 100, Keller • www.eatbajacantina.com

drunken noodles • Opened July 2 • 242 Rufe Snow Drive, Ste. 180, Keller • 682-593-7453

11 HTeaO HTeaO, which serves specialty teas, will be where Schlotzsky’s was located. Renovations are expected to begin in Oct. 1. • 1320 N. US 377, Roanoke • www.hteao.com

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KELLER - ROANOKE - NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION

Government

BY CODY THORN

Fort Worth plans tax cuts, fee hikes in proposed $4.4B budget

City tax rates and budget

The proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget for Fort Worth will focus on preparing for the city’s growth while lowering tax rates for residents. The overview The operating budget is $3.09 billion , an increase of 10.93% compared to the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, City Manager Jay Chapa said. The total budget, including capital improvement projections worth $1.39 billion , brings the total to $4.48 billion , according to the presentation. The details Christianne Simmons, chief transformation officer for the Fort Worth Lab, an initiative to help the city with its organizational processes, provided a deep dive into the budget. The recommended tax rate for FY 2025-26 is $0.67, a reduction of $0.25 cents from the current tax rate of $0.6725. Out of the $0.67, $0.5225 is

allocated to the operations and maintenance fund and $0.1475 is allocated to debt. At the recommended tax rate of $0.67, the city’s property tax revenue would increase by over $39 million to $817 million. Chapa said a typical household would pay $20 less per year in city property taxes from the proposed tax rate. A typical household would pay $4.74 more per month in fees for solid waste, envi- ronmental, stormwater and wastewater services. The proposed fee structures are based on market studies, cost recovery, service additions, long-term planning and sustainability, according to the presentation. What’s next Public hearings on the tax rate and recom- mended budget will take place during a Sept. 16 council meeting.

$0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

Fiscal year

$31.9M $16.9M

Capital improvements General fund Enterprise Special revenue Debt service Internal services Fiduciary Special revenue projects Gas lease

$4M

$282M

$373M

$1.3B

$463M

$872M

$1.1B

SOURCE: CITY OF FORT WORTH/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Government

BY HEATHER MCCULLOUGH, PATRICIA ORTIZ & CODY THORN

Fort Worth discusses potential $840M bond Fort Worth staff is looking at a projected bond for the May 2026 ballot, said Christianne Simmons, chief transformation officer for the Fort Worth Lab, during an Aug. 5 work session. She said the pro- posed list of projects for the bond is being finalized, after which city staff will present it for resident feedback. The breakdown Of the projected $840 million bond, more than 65% will be earmarked for streets and mobility infrastructure improvements, Simmons said. Notable road work projects in north Fort Worth include Heritage Trace Parkway, Bonds Ranch Road and East Bailey Boswell Road. City documents show District 4 would get $5.6 million in funding while District 10 would receive $10.8 million .

Keller council tables EV charging stations A proposal to bring five electric vehicle charging stations for 10 vehicles to Keller Town Center was tabled for a third time at Keller City Council’s Aug. 19 meeting. The details The proposal was moved to the Sept. 16 agenda to allow Regency Centers LP more time to consider a new charging location at the center. Mayor Pro Tem Ross McMullin said the extra time will help with govern- ment efficiency so no one has to start a new proposal process. The original plans show the stations going on the southwestern side of the town center property along Rufe Snow Drive. Business owners expressed concerns about how the stations could affect parking availability, according to previous reporting.

Proposed Fort Worth 2026 bond expenditures Streets and mobility infrastructure

improvements $556.5 million Parks and open space

improvements $185.1 million Public safety improvements $63.9 million

Animal care and shelter facility improvements $59.9 million Public library improvements $14.6 million

SOURCE: CITY OF FORT WORTH/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What’s happening Simmons informed council in June that the bond would likely be $800 million. During the work session, she said the certified values the Tarrant Appraisal District gave the city in July exceeded projects, increasing the bond to $840 million.

Roanoke discusses $22M bond for parking garage

Future parking garage

$465,000 toward debt related to this project in its fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The garage is currently in the design phase and will not start construction until full funding is secured, according to a news release from the city. A bond election is not required because the parking garage is for public use, Roanoke Public Engagement Manager Sandra Pettigrew said.

Roanoke officials discussed voting on a bond worth $22 million for the construction of a parking garage on US 377 and Main Street during an Aug. 5 budget workshop. The overview The parking garage will add 420 parking spaces to Roanoke’s downtown area, Director of Finance Kyle Lester said. City officials are dedicating

377

KELLER - ROANOKE - NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION

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Education

BY HEATHER MCCULLOUGH

Education Edition

2025

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public schools in the community, ranging from education Q&As to informational graphics to how students are preparing for their next step after high school. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses that support our mission to provide free, useful news to benet the community—show them your gratitude by supporting them. In this year’s education guide, we take a deep look at how schools and local businesses are utilizing Career and Technical Education programs to prepare students for the next step after high school graduation. In an exclusive interview, we asked Keller ISD board member Randy Campbell his topline plans as a newly elected trustee and how he wants to work with Keller ISD students, teachers and residents. On behalf of your local Community Impact team, we wish all our students, teachers and professional sta a wonderful year ahead!

What's inside

Check out how NISD, KISD students are working with local businesses (Page 12)

Arlin Gold General Manager agold@ communityimpact.com

See the local districts’ AF accountability ratings for the last two school years (Page 13)

Get to know Randy Campbell, one of Keller ISD’s new board of trustees members (Page 14)

For relevant news and daily updates, subscribe to our free email newsletter!

KISD launches new partnership with Tarleton State University

Keller ISD’s dual enrollment program will be with Tarleton State University for the 2025-26 school year and will renew automatically for the next four years, according to district documents. The details Previously, Keller ISD partnered with Tarrant County College for college level courses, according to district documents. KISD switched from Tarrant County College to save parents and the district money, said Bryce Nieman, KISD’s chief communi- cations ocer. “KISD would have saved about $55,000 for the 2024-25 school year if a partnership with Tarleton State had been in place,” Nieman said. KISD will still work with Tarrant County College for resources associated with the Keller Collegiate Academy, an early college model campus for high schoolers to earn an associates degree, until 2027, according to previous reporting.

What you need to know KISD’s partnership with Tarleton Today, which is the name of the dual enrollment program, oers a greater variety of math and science courses than Tarrant County College did, Nieman said. Tarleton’s dual enrollment program will include college-level courses in history, English, math, sci- ence and Career and Technical Education courses, said Sven Alskog, Tarleton’s director of university communications. “High school students experience the rigor and have the opportunity to earn college credit while earning credit for their high school diploma,” Alskog said. “Students have the added benet of having the support of both their high school teacher as well as college faculty members.” Dual enrollment classes will be taught by KISD teachers, per previous reporting. Courses will be taught in KISD classrooms, said Shayla Homan, Director of Tarleton Today.

Tarleton State University’s dual credit program features:

$50 at fee per course credit

Scholarship opportunities

Automatic admittance upon completion of associates degree

Automatic admittance for top 50% of KISD graduating classes

More math and science courses

Student aid programs

SOURCE: KELLER ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

KELLER ROANOKE NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION

Education

BY CODY THORN

NISD, KISD use local partnerships to boost CTE certications

“I feel like I’m like so prepared for college and I feel as if I’m at a higher advantage than everyone else that is going into the same eld for college,” Espinosa said in a promotional NISD video. “I think the internship program extremely prepares you for your workforce.” She attended the University of Texas at Arling- ton and currently works for 13thirty Designs, an interior design studio based in Southlake. Sean Eschberger is a Keller ISD graduate from Timber Creek High School who was part of the aerospace engineering program through the school and earned an internship at Lockheed Martin. “I worked with a lot of engineers on the math side and on the communication side,” he said in a promotional KISD video. “Seeing the F-35 [combat aircrafts] being built across a one-mile long facility is crazy, because on the other side of a wall I may be working on a spreadsheet that has a direct impact on the manufacturing the F-35.” Eschberger went to the University of Texas at Austin and is now a full-time employee of Lock- heed Martin. What else? According to KISD and NISD’s websites, CTE programs integrate academic knowledge with practical, hands-on skills and gaining valuable industry-specic experience. Opportunities through CTE programs include: • Certications and credentials • Career exploration • College credit opportunities • Professional networks • Internships and work-based learning

Northwest ISD and Keller ISD high school stu- dents can capitalize on partnerships between the school districts and area businesses and compa- nies that provide internship opportunities. A closer look For the past three school years, KISD and NISD have been above the state average when it comes to students taking courses in Career and Technical Education, or CTE. According to NISD’s website, the CTE programs focus on classroom instruction, workplace instruction and credentialing certications that help prepare students for future career paths. NISD has 50 programs of study and oers CTE courses as early as sixth grade, according to its website. Course work continues throughout high school before internships are needed to provide the capstone course for students, which allows them to apply the knowledge learned throughout their studies. These courses are funneled into a student’s spe- cic career pathway through three components: classroom instruction, workplace instruction and credentialing certications. KISD also oers a wide variety of paths for internship opportunities and partners with 30 dierent programs of study, such as engineering, business, health care and construction trades. Diving deeper NISD and KISD’s programs have had success stories where internships have led to jobs. Isabel Espinosa attended Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club and was part of the interior design program. She earned an internship at Lambert Homes in Southlake.

Career Technical Education student enrollment

Keller ISD Northwest ISD State average

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Keller ISD, Northwest ISD partnerships with CTE programs

*List is not comprehensive

KISD

Baylor Scott and White-Grapevine

i9 Sports Lockheed Martin

Christian Brothers Automotive

NISD

BNSF Railway

Creekside Pet Care Center

Trophy Club Animal Hospital

Roanoke Fire Department

Both

Medical City Alliance

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital-Alliance

SOURCES: KELLER ISD, NORTHWEST ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Education

BY GABBY BAILEY & PATRICIA ORTIZ

Northwest ISD and Keller ISD schools secured an overall ‘B’ rating from the Texas Education Agency’s A-F rating system for the 2023-24 school year and a B rating for the 2024-25 school year, based on data released Aug. 15. KISD received 83 out of 100 points for the 2023-24 school year and 85 out of 100 points for the 2024-25 school year, according to the TEA’s website. For both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, Northwest ISD secured an overall 81 out of 100 points. The ratings are designed to measure student learning and growth in each grade at each school and whether students are ready to move on to the next grade. Districts earn ‘B’ rating from TEA

Looking ahead

KISD TEA ratings by campus for 2023-24, 2024-25

2023-24 school year 2024-25 school year

The TEA ratings are based on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness testing. Both districts told Community Impact in statements that STAAR testing shouldn’t be the only basis for a district’s progress. “While we believe measurement and accountability are critical to growth and achieving positive outcomes, Keller ISD evaluates progress by more than a single test administered on a single day,” spokesperson Bryce Nieman said via a district statement. “Northwest ISD does not believe a single-day, high-stakes test is the best measure of student achievement and progress. Our district continues to advocate for lawmakers to abolish the STAAR test and focus on personalized learning and continuous improvement of every child,” spokesperson Anthony Tosie said on the district’s behalf.

A B C D F

NISD TEA ratings by campus for 2023-24, 2024-25

2023-24 school year 2024-25 school year

12 11

2 1

A B C D F

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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KELLER ROANOKE NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION

Education

BY PATRICIA ORTIZ

Q&A: Get to know Keller ISD board Place 1 Trustee Randy Campbell Randy Campbell was sworn in as the Keller ISD board Place 1 Trustee in May, according to previous Community Impact reporting, replacing Trustee Micah Young. Campbell received 53% of votes from KISD resi- dents during the May 2025 general election. During his campaign, he placed an emphasis on uniting the school district “for the benefit of all the kids.” The retired American Airlines pilot and Air Force veteran recently spoke with Community Impact to share his goals for the 2025-26 school year. Answers have been edited for length, style and clarity. Why did you decide to run for a position with the Keller ISD Board of Trustees? I was watching the board meetings and I could

understand the need, that they have input on it and that they have confidence we’re making the right decisions. After the 89th Texas State Legislative Session ended, many school district officials said the updated allocated education funding isn’t enough. What’s your take on this situation? The funding [the state] did give us was much more restrictive in every category. We got raises for teachers, but that money is pretty much passed through. We have very little discretion. We have very little new money that we can spend and make decisions on for spending. It’s not only inadequate, but it doesn’t help in the long run for public schools to succeed. What are the biggest challenges facing KISD? How do you plan to address these challenges? School funding, rebuilding trust with the public after the failed detachment, the lack of adequate state funding, the lack of support for the schools, and the shuttering of the National Department of Education are some of the biggest challenges. I’m only one trustee out of seven. What Randy

Campbell can do all by himself is pretty limited. What I can do is say that if something doesn’t look right, I’m not going to turn a blind eye to it. That’s happened too much in the past. I’m going to insist on transparency. If people have questions, I’m going to give them the answer. I’m not going to say, ‘Well, you don’t need to know that.’ We need to get away from [the secrecy.] When you reflect on your childhood education, what are your favorite memories? Do you feel KISD provides similar experiences? It was very unusual for me to leave Seguin and see areas [that] were segregated. Either racially, culturally or economically. I thought, ‘Is that really a good thing?’ The detachment was going to have obvious socio-economic lines and that troubles me. If you walk around the neighborhoods around the western side of Fossil Ridge, some of these families, these kids, really benefit from being in a good school district. If we don’t educate our kids to operate in that world, we’re clearly giving them a disservice.

I think my previous experience in the Air Force is also very integrated, very diverse. Nobody really cared in the Air Force where you came from or what your background was. It’s like, ‘Can you learn the material? Can you do the job?’ If you can do that, then we’re good. I’m very objective about it in that way. I focus on the task at hand and let the other issues fall aside. What are the top-three things on your to-do list as a board member for the upcoming school year? My first priority is keeping Keller ISD public, united and strong. No more talk of detachment, no more move toward privatization. We’re going to be a TASB [Texas Association of School Boards] school district, not a TEE [Texans for Excellence] school district. That’s my desire. Number two is to regain the trust and confidence of the public in the leadership of the board of trust- ees and the administration. That we’re spending their dollars wisely and that we’re making good decisions on their behalf. Number three would be a bond [to keep up with the schools’ maintenance.] Making sure people

see things were kind of going off the rails. The board was ignoring public input. We were losing good teachers who felt disrespected. Virtually the entire administration of Keller ISD has been replaced since about 2021-22: the superintendent, the assistant superintendents, our CFO, our COO. That kind of turnover is just not healthy. [Another] big motivation for me was public education. I grew up in Seguin [near San Antonio,] a small town where there was one high school. I believe in diversity; I grew up that way. I don’t know anything different. I believe in public education. I believe it’s the backbone of a democracy. I feel strongly that I need to advocate for public education; we were sliding toward privatization and I didn’t want to see that. How will your background and experience assist you in this position? I was never in public education before. I was an academic instructor in the Air Force. I understand the basics of learning theory and how you can teach a lesson plan, but that’s my only education background.

KELLER 101 Keller Smithfield Rd S (817) 482-8295

WESTLAKE 2341 Highway 377 (817) 490-9072

CITADEL 9564 Citadel Way Dr (817) 200-3080

NISD adds new center to meet growth From the cover

The growth

What’s happening?

Northwest ISD pre-K enrollment over last 5 years

NISD Superintendent Mark Foust said the centers will go in the north, south, east and west segments of the district. The Hicks Early Childhood Center is considered the southern center. Rachel Lawson, NISD’s early literacy and childhood coordinator, said half of the 16 classrooms at the Hicks Early Childhood Center will be laid out like a museum for a more interactive learning experience. She added while this is the first exclusively pre-K building in the district, it will follow the same curriculum taught at other NISD schools. All 13 district elementary schools will continue to have their pre-K programs. Corrie Hood is an architect with Huckabee, the development company working on the centers. She said there will be themed rooms, like an ocean room and a construction room, to engage students. “The library is like a campground. We have a [fake] fire and seating all the way around that looks like logs,” she said.

217.11% enrollment growth

339

2020-21

449

2021-22

565

2022-23

903

2023-24

1,075

2024-25

Northwest ISD enrollment over the last 5 years

26.16% enrollment growth

25,383

2020-21

27,583

2021-22

29,248

2022-23

30,801

2023-24

32,022

2024-25

SOURCE: ZONDA EDUCATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT

communities keep coming and the buildings keep coming.” NISD had the second-highest number of new home closings in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the first quarter of 2025 with more than 2,900 closings, according to Zonda Education. NISD board Vice President Lillian Rauch said the early childhood centers will provide the district with an educational foundation as it grows. “My husband and I have lived in the district for nearly 30 years and we have seen lots of changes through the growth,” she said. “People want to move to this area for many reasons, and a large part of it is because we have such great schools.”

NISD has more than tripled its pre-kindergarten enrollment in the last five years, according to data from Zonda Education, the district’s demographer. NISD had 339 pre-K students during the 2020-21 school year and 1,075 pre-K students during the 2024-25 school year. Anthony Tosie, NISD’s executive director of communications, said the district expects more growth in the next 10 years because of active housing developments within the district. “[The developments] are popping up all around here because we’re only about a third built out,” he said. “We won’t have a problem attracting people to live here because jobs keep coming, the

“We wanted to create experiential learning opportunities, but lead with play-based learning so that students are

totally hands-on.” RACHEL LAWSON, NISD EARLY LITERACY AND CHILDHOOD COORDINATOR

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BY PATRICIA ORTIZ

Looking ahead

Funding the project

About 60% of voters approved more than $1.6 billion of the 2023 NISD bond package to go toward educational facilities and capital improve- ments, according to district documents. The bond will cover construction costs for the new facilities. While the final cost of construction won’t be known until the facilities are completed, the district board last approved a guaranteed maxi- mum price of $36.9 million in November 2024 for building and site work and off-site work with the city of Fort Worth. Foust said maintenance and operations costs will come from the district’s general budget, which would be approved along with the maintenance and operations of all NISD schools during future budget discussions. The early childhood centers will also have tuition fees to help with the maintenance and operations budget, which helps pay teachers and staff. Tuition fees will cost the same as other pre-K programs in the district. Tuition-based pre-K costs

Construction for the Hicks Early Childhood Center should be finished by June 2026. The west campus will likely be built near Rhome, northwest of Fort Worth off SH 114 and US 287. Locations for the north and east centers have not been determined, NISD officials said. KISD’s Chief of Facilities Sarah Steward said applications for the center would likely open April 2026.

NISD 2023 bond breakdown

Educational Facilities & Capital Improvements: $1.67B

Home Stadiums & Field Renovations: $301.56M Technology Devices: $21.75M

Total $1.99B

The new center was part of the educational facility improvement portion of the bond.

District breaks ground on Hicks EEC Estimated start for admission process Estimated construction completion Estimated opening date for Hicks ECC Estimated opening date for second ECC

SOURCE: NORTHWEST ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

July 2025

$700 a month for the 2025-26 school year, accord- ing to the district. “The state provides some funding for students who meet its criteria for state-funded pre-K, and students who do not meet the state’s criteria can receive admission to our pre-K programs through a tuition system,” Foust said.

April 2026

June 2026

August 2026

August 2027

SOURCE: NORTHWEST ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Education

BY HANNAH NORTON

Teachers now have more disciplinary authority House Bill 6 gives public school teachers more discretion to remove students from the classroom if they are repeatedly disruptive or threaten the safety of others. The change comes after nearly half of Texas public school teachers cited disci- pline issues as a top workplace challenge in 2022, according to the Texas Education Agency. What you need to know The law, which took eect immediately when Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 20, allows schools to suspend students of any age who engage in “repeated or signicant” disruptions, reversing a 2017 state law that generally prohib- ited schools from suspending students in pre-K through second grade. If students in kindergarten through third grade are sent home for behavioral

Districts to level-set high school GPAs Texas school districts will soon be required to use a standard system to calculate high school students’ grade point averages. At a glance Senate Bill 1191, which became law June 20, directs the Texas Education Agency to create a new GPA standard “as soon as practicable.” The system must give equal weight to advanced placement, international baccalaureate and dual enrollment courses. “It most likely won’t impact kids that are currently enrolled in high school, … because it’s going to take a while to make sure every- one is on the same page,” said Bob Popinski, who leads the policy team for public school advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.

“A lot of the problems we see with our kids in high school is because they did not have consequences, none whatsoever, when

they were younger.” BILL AUTHOR REP. JEFF LEACH, RPLANO

issues, schools must provide documentation explaining their decision. HB 6 gives schools the option to place students in an in-school suspension for as long as they see t. State law previously mandated that students could not be suspended for more than three school days, whether they were inside a school building or at home. The three-day time limit on out-of- school suspensions remains unchanged.

New law bans cellphone usage in all K12 schools When Texas public school students return to campus this fall, they will be prohibited from using cellphones, smart watches and other personal communication devices throughout the

School districts could:

the cellphone ban. “We want our kids to focus on academics, such as math, science and reading, and the reality is, these phones are a distraction. ... Schools cite growing incidents of cyberbullying due to these phones,” bill author Rep. Caroline Fairly, RAmarillo, said in March. HB 1481 includes exceptions for students with medical needs or special education accommoda- tions, and does not apply to devices supplied by school districts for academic purposes.

• Purchase pouches to store devices during the school day • Ask students to keep devices in their lockers or backpacks

school day. The details

Texas’ 2026-27 budget includes $20M in grants to help districts implement the law.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law on June 20, giving school districts 90 days to adopt new electronic device policies, including disciplinary measures for students who violate

SOURCES: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

BY HEATHER MCCULLOUGH

Keller Hicks Road construction causes two separate closures Phase 2 of construction is underway for the Keller Hicks Road improvements project in Fort Worth, according to the city’s website. What’s happening? The project includes updating the current road with a three-lane undivided concrete road from Park Vista Boulevard to Lauren Way. Other improvements include new street lights, a 10-foot sidewalk, a traffic signal at Woodland Springs Drive and updated storm water drainage, per the city’s website. Construction officially started July 14 and the road is closed between Park Vista Boulevard and Gloriosa Drive until Oct. 3. The road between Blue Jack Trail to Lauren Way will be closed from Oct. 28-Dec. 26, according to a June 2025 presentation

Keller staff finishes guardrail installation Guardrails were placed as a preventative safety measure along Bear Creek Parkway across from Bear Creek Intermediate School in Keller, according to a July 28 social media post from the city. The details The city-funded work cost $29,000 and did not require council approval, said Rachel Reynolds, Keller’s communication and public engagement manager.

BLUE JACK TRL.

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from the city. The project is expected to be fully finished by early 2027, the website states. The background The expansion of Keller Hicks Road will cost $13.7 million , according to the June presentation, and will be partially funded by Fort Worth’s 2022 bond program, which was voted on in May 2022. Contributions from the developer; sewage and water fees; and transportation impact fees will also fund the project, the city’s website states.

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Transportation

BY GABBY BAILEY & CODY THORN

Learn the latest on three DFW Airport transportation updates

connection is being constructed. Once construc- tion on the new Terminal B bridge is finished, road construction for Terminal A will begin followed by road construction for Terminal C access.

the terminals along International Parkway. Construction started with Terminal B and includes the demolition of the existing flyover bridge into the terminal while a new bridge

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is transi- tioning road access into terminals A, B and C. Airport officials announced July 23 the construc- tion of new access points and right-hand exits into

1 Terminal B heading north Update: Terminal B traffic from the north will still use the existing left- hand exit; traffic will turn left for a looped path into the terminal. • Timeline: Aug. 6-beginning of November • Funding: part

2 Terminal B heading south Update: Traffic must bypass the northbound exits to the terminal, make a u-turn, then take the southbound exit into terminal. • Timeline: Aug. 6-beginning of November • Funding: part of airport’s $12 billion capital plan

3 Exiting Terminal A

N. EMPLOYEE RD.

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Development

BY GABBY BAILEY, PATRICIA ORTIZ & CODY THORN

Keller City Council denies proposed development Keller City Council unanimously did not pass a zoning-change request for an eight-lot subdivision during its July 15 meeting. What happened City Council considered whether the Heritage Grove development near Clara Lane and Indian Knoll Trail should be permitted to develop eight homes on lots 30,000 square feet and larger. The area is currently zoned for lots 36,000 square feet and larger. City ocials criticized the project due to its lack of green space, the impact the development could have for current residents and its attempt for rezoning to smaller lot sizes. “This is one of our few rural-feeling streets left, so any kind of downzoning when that’s unneces- sary is going to leave a bad taste in my mouth,” council member Greg Will said.

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$687M manufacturing plants coming soon Fort Worth and Denton County agreed to tax abatements to help Wistron InfoComm Corporation build its rst U.S. manufactur- ing plants, a city news release states. The details The computer parts company is investing $687 million to build two sites in District 10. With the abatement, Fort Worth will receive $10.64 million in taxes over 10 years once the project is nished, per city documents.

Keller City Council denied the development of eight homes, similar to this house, during the July 15 meeting.

COURTESY CITY OF KELLER

The backstory Applicant William Solomon of Suma Monde Kapital Partners said the zoning change would provide space to implement infrastructure to help with drainage and an “aesthetic” community. Despite the city’s Planning and Zoning Com- mission’s approval of the zoning change in a 4-3 vote, residents expressed opposition to the project because of the proposed lot sizes and existing storm drainage issues.

Work to start on $81M Roanoke senior living center Permits have been led for a November con- struction start date on Watermere on Oak Street, a Roanoke senior living center, according to a ling with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The breakdown The 10.85-acre development will cost an estimated $80.91 million to build. Construction is expected to start Nov. 1 and nish by the end of May 2028, the ling states. The 55-and-older community will cater to independent living, Integrated Real Estate Group Development Manager Trevor Armstrong told Community Impact . Roanoke City Council approved the construc- tion of the senior living facility during its April 8 meeting, according to previous reporting.

114

L O I S S T .

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