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BAY AREA EDITION
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1 AUG. 29 SEPT. 26, 2023
EDUCATION EDITION 2023
CCISD asks voters for $17.4M
University of Houston- Clear Lake mural unveiled
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Issues linger along El Dorado Boulevard
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EDUCATION EDITION 2023 SPONSORED BY • YMCA of Greater Houston
District data
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Schools uncertain how STAAR redesign will a ect them
If the voter-approval tax rate election fails, Clear Creek ISD may have to cut more than $31 million from the 2024 25 school year budget, which would a ect student programs and potentially increase class sizes, district o cials said.
Education
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COURTESY CLEAR CREEK ISD
Pull the newest teaser from CC Libraries
BY JAMES T. NORMAN
approved its rst-ever voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, for Nov. 7. The results could be the di erence between the district’s budget break- ing even or being in a shortfall. With a $17.4 million shortfall in its scal year 2023-24 budget, which could grow larger in the fol- lowing years, CCISD is one of many school districts across Texas facing
budgetary issues tied to in ation and lack of funding from the state. As a result, some districts are call- ing VATREs while they wait to see if the state will pass legislation that funds public education. “We waited all spring for the state,” CCISD Superintendent Karen Engle said. “But we realized … we need to CONTINUED ON 24
Clear Creek ISD could add an addi- tional $17.4 million in tax dollars to its revenue, but it will be up to the voters within the district to decide in November if they want to pay for it. Following months of discussions, workshops and town hall-style meetings, CCISD’s board of trustees at its Aug. 21 meeting unanimously
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BAY AREA EDITION
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THIS ISSUE
ABOUT US Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today. We have expanded to include hundreds of team members and have created our own software platform and printing facility. CI delivers 35+ localized editions across Texas to more than 2.5 million residential mailboxes. MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Papar Faircloth SENIOR EDITOR Jake Magee REPORTERS Rachel Leland, James T. Norman GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jesus Verastegui METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Jason Culpepper MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Schafler COPY EDITOR Adrian Gandara SENIOR ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Kaitlin Schmidt CONTACT US 16300 Northwest Freeway Jersey Village, TX 77040 • 281-469-6181 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES baynews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING bayads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter SUPPORT US Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH
FROM PAPAR: I’ve found that almost everyone had a favorite teacher growing up. Perhaps that teacher instilled a love of a subject that laid the foundation for your future career, or perhaps they were just present when you needed them most. Mrs. Turner, my second grade teacher, will forever be the teacher who taught me I can do hard things and later encouraged me to join the student council, starting a decadeslong love in me for serving my peers. This month, we bring you our annual Education Edition as we know a good education is something our readers place a high value on in our communities. Papar Faircloth, GENERAL MANAGER
FROM JAKE: The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, has changed. Starting during the 2022-23 school year, how the test was distributed and the weight it carries when it comes to evaluating a student’s learning, among other factors, differed. Read our story on Page 19 to learn more about this topic, and be sure to check for more education-related stories, including the growing prevalence of vaping on local school campuses. Jake Magee, SENIOR EDITOR
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding
end of the year. The business sells coffee drinks such as mochas, Americanos, lattes and cappuccinos and other drinks such as hot chocolate, teas and Italian sodas. Black Rock Coffee Bar has a Webster lo- cation and others in the Greater Houston area. www.br.coffee 7 Construction delays and permitting changes have caused The Bridge for Kids , at 685 W. Fairmount Parkway, Pasadena, to delay its opening by a couple months, CEO Olivia Rivers said. Challenges in obtaining copper and adjustments to permits are pushing back the completion date for the nonprof- it’s center to possibly some time in September, Rivers said. The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which The Bridge for Kids is a part of, offers support and safety to prevent domestic and sexual violence, according to their website. 713-427-0753. www.tbotw.org EXPANSIONS 8 OneLife Church , which is located at 381 Green Wing St., Webster, is planning a $5.1 million expansion of its campus. The expansion will include a new build- ing; more parking; and more space in its auditorium, kid’s ministry and office space, according to the church’s website. The project will be split across three phases but does not include a timeline on when all will be completed. The campaign to raise funds for the project will run for 18 months. 281-957-5549. 9 After opening its second location in April in Alvin, Bada Bing Pizza at 2925 S. Gulf Freeway, League City, is rebranding itself to become The Bing Pizzeria , owner Tracey Nowlin said. The rebranding took place in early July and includes a new menu, shirts and eventually a new website. The location in Alvin is already named The Bing. Nowlin and her husband, Chris Nowlin, took over the pizzeria in September 2021, she said. Before rebranding, they also remodeled the shop. 281-337-0819. www.badabingleaguecity.com www.onelifehouston.com NAME CHANGES
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NOW OPEN 1 After working as a mobile groom- er in the area for eight years, With Love Pet Grooming opened a new storefront salon in early June at 391 Columbia Memorial Parkway, Ste. D, Kemah, according to the business. With Love Pet Grooming is accepting new cat and dog clients, up to 150 pounds, and new dog clients, up to 50 pounds, for its mobile service. Those involved in the business have more than 20 years of combined experience. 281-987-5634. www.facebook.com/ withlovepetgrooming 2 Miru Seafood opened in early July at 2490 Gulf Freeway S., League City. Originally expected to open in December 2022, Miru Seafood serves salmon, tuna, trout, sea bass along with
salads, appetizers, rice and noodles. 832-905-7888. http://miruseafood.com 3 Crust Pizza , a Texas-based pizza franchise that offers a variety of different pizza, opened its new location on June 1 at 1921 W. League City Parkway, Ste. 150, League City, officials with the business said. It held a couple of events in August to commemorate the opening, including a grand opening and end-of-summer party on Aug. 26. Along with Chicago-style thin- crust, the business offers customizable calzones, subs and different kinds of pasta. 832-554-4044. www.crustpizzaco.com 4 Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse opened July 24 at 144 El Dorado Blvd., Ste. 240, Webster, near the Baybrook Mall. The restaurant serves New York-style pizza, wings, calzones, sandwiches, wraps, salads and pastas in addition
to 72 craft beers on draft. The restau- rant has a large patio. 713-324-2722. www.parryspizza.com 5 After awaiting permits, Summer Moon Coffee opened a new location around Aug. 5 at 1846 E. NASA Parkway, Ste. B, Nassau Bay, Andrea Lauren Trabanino with the company said. The company makes its coffee over a Texas oak fire in hand-crafted roasters, according to its website. This is the first location in the Bay Area and neighbors the location in Friendswood. The business has locations throughout the Houston and Austin areas. 281-549-6251. www.summermooncoffee.com COMING SOON 6 Black Rock Coffee Ba r is coming to 2494 S. Gulf Freeway, League City, by the
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COMPILED BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
RENOVATIONS 10 Chuck E. Cheese officials announced July 17 the company has invested $6.8 million to upgrade its 14 Houston-area locations, including at 1541 Bay Area Blvd., Webster. The remodeling project includes technology upgrades, new menu items and enhanced live shows featuring dance-along concerts and an interactive dance floor. 281-332-9780. www.chuckecheese.com ANNIVERSARIES 11 Black Rock Coffee Bar , which has locations at A 11930 Broadway St., Ste. 110, Pearland, and B 702 Bay Area Blvd., Webster, is celebrating its 15-year anni- versary throughout August. The coffee shop started as a small business in Ore- gon in 2008 and now has 115 locations and about 1,700 employees. The owners are offering specials throughout the month to celebrate, including chances to win free coffee, coffee discounts and a sticker giveaway. www.br.coffee IN THE NEWS 12 In early July, League City officials unveiled a new mural that were painted along the back of new concrete bleachers that have been added to the pavilion at Lynn Gripon Park , 100 Alderwood St., League City. Local artist Elizabeth Uma- nzor painted the mural, which features plants, birds, butterflies, a possum, a turtle, an armadillo and an alligator. Each of the things Umanzor painted are native to the park. 281-554-1000. www.leaguecitytx.gov 13 HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland , a campus of HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake, received a Level III trauma designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services, as announced in a news release July 7. The hospital at 6801 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Texas City, has transitioned from a Level IV facility to a Level III in the efforts to expand its services for the commu- nity and offer the best care possible, said Jim Russell, CEO of HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland. 409-938-5000. www.hcahoustonhealthcare.com
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Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse
COURTESY PARRY’S PIZZERIA & TAPHOUSE
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The hallway of the Art School in the Arbor Building at UHCL now features a mural.
COURTESY JACOB MESSA
FEATURED IMPACT IN THE NEWS The University of Houston-Clear Lake Art School for Children and Young Adults collaborated with a local Houston artist to paint the Arbor Building hallway at 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, in an e ort to re ect the creative elements and symbolism of the college. Art School Director David Moya and local artist Jacob Messa said they gained insight in creativity and collaboration when bringing “Transcended Dream,” unveiled in June, to life. “The project aims to incorporate the artistic vision and perspectives of the artist while capturing the diverse facets of the university community, including its focus on art education, nature and being a Hispanic-serving institute,” Moya said. Messa explained his approach to the project, mentioning his use of style scapes, which are like mood boards that capture the essence of di erent artistic styles. Three style scapes were presented to Moya, and the chosen one, named “Transcend,” became the foundation for the mural’s design and color palette. The team aimed to create a dreamlike experience that inspires and sparks imagination, allowing viewers to transcend their immediate surroundings and explore artistic possibilities.
The mural’s elements, such as blocks and nature-inspired motifs, were carefully incorporated to represent the creative process and the in uence of UHCL’s natural surroundings. “We really wanted to incorporate the creative element that we have here at the art school but also some of the symbolism,” Moya said. “We have a lot of nature [at UHCL] so I think that’s important to capture.” Messa emphasized the mural was meant to be a playful and imaginative space where students could draw inspiration for their artistic pursuits and careers. Moya said the project has transformed the university’s hallway into a captivating space where creativity, imagination and nature intertwine. Re ecting on this project, Moya said he aims to embark on more projects like these. 281-283-7600. www.uhcl.com
Black Rock Co ee Bar
COURTESY BLACK ROCK COFFEE BAR
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Lynn Gripon Park
COURTESY CITY OF LEAGUE CITY
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SPACE CENTER BLVD.
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HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland
COURTESY HCA HOUSTON HEALTHCARE
HLS - the premier hybrid classical, Christian school in the Bay Area Wishing all Highlanders the most amazing year!
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Issues linger along widened El Dorado Boulevard
COMPILED BY JAKE MAGEE
UPCOMING PROJECTS
On Oct. 6, contractors o cially n- ished widening El Dorado Boulevard between Clear Lake City Boulevard and Horsepen Bayou from two to four 12-foot-wide lanes with a median. However, several months later, issues still linger. After the widening, Harris County and city of Houston o cials dis- covered a section of a large under- ground water drainage pipe failed to meet requirements, meaning it needs to be reworked. The cost is going to be covered by the contrac- tor, Indi, who is coordinating the work with the county and the Clear Lake City Water Authority, Harris County Precinct 2 o cials said. However, according to county o cials, Indi has not committed to doing the work. “This is a contract issue that may become a legal issue that’ll take time as Harris County demands the contrac- tor meet quality requirements for [the] pipe,” according to county documents about the project. In the meantime, a temporary gravel path has been installed above where the work on the pipe is to occur. This path was installed May 15 at residents’ request to provide continuity along the sidewalk, which was torn up pending the pipe work, o cials said. “I sympathize with residents who are frustrated and share their dissat- isfaction,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said in an email to Community Impact . Once the pipe is repaired, a permanent sidewalk will be installed to replace the gravel path. If a pro- longed dispute about the pipe causes
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Turner Street and Butler Road reconstruction, Phase 1
This project, split into two phases, will improve the roadways of Turner Street as well as Butler Road. Phase 1 includes improvements to the in- tersection of Turner and Hobbs Road, improvements to all of Turner, and im- provements to the Butler roundabout and Butler Road from the roundabout
south to Cross Springs Lane. Timeline: construction begins spring 2024
Along El Dorado Boulevard, a gravel path remains where the sidewalk should be until the nearby underground pipe is addressed.
JAKE MAGEE COMMUNITY IMPACT EL DORADO WIDENING El Dorado is four lanes from Clear Lake City Boulevard to Horsepen Bayou.
a delay of several months or more, county contractors could decide in the future to install sidewalk until the issue is resolved. At that point, it would be torn up to rework the pipe and then repaved, Precinct 2 Press Secretary Scott Spiegel said. Other progress O cials have begun planting trees along the corridor to replace those lost during the widening. According to county documents, about 250 trees have been planted so far to replace the 100 lost, resulting in a net gain of 150 trees. Additionally, the city of Houston is coordinating with CenterPoint to install new streetlights in the new southbound direction. Finally, the city is evaluating the possibility of connecting the sidewalk south of the El Dorado bridge to the Bay Forest subdivision as a future project. The El Dorado widening project cost $8.7 million and began in May 2020.
Cost: $6.3 million (including Phase 2) Funding source: city of League City
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF AUG. 7. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT BAYNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Cost: $6.3 million (including Phase 1) Funding source: city of League City Turner and Butler reconstruction, Phase 2 The second phase of this project includes improvements to Butler Road from Cross Springs Lane south to Ervin Street. Additionally, 1,800 linear feet of an 8-inch waterline will be installed from Tempe Street to Sedona Drive. Timeline: construction begins after October 2024
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SOURCES: CITY OF HOUSTON, HARRIS COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT It was originally expected to nish in April 2022. “Dealing with construction delays that create tra c concerns for longer than promised is agoniz- ing,” Garcia said. “However, I will always advocate for getting the job done correctly.”
Kimberly Harding, Broker/Owner 281-554-7653 Kimberly@KimberlyHarding.com 2490 Calder Dr, League City, TX 77573 www.TheKimberlyHardingGroup.com
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
GOVERNMENT
O cials optimistic about gulf protection district funding account
The Texas Gulf Coast Protection District covers about 5,220 square miles of land across ve counties, including Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Je erson and Orange counties. MAPPING IT OUT
ORANGE COUNTY
BY JAMES T. NORMAN
contains two projects with the potential to add a third, Paul said. “I look forward to working with the author on enacting language that will achieve its intended purpose,” Abbott said in the proclamation. The outlook Paul said he thinks there is support for the bill, and making the needed changes should be “an easy x.” He added he expects a fol- low-up bill to come up at some point during upcoming special sessions with di erent wording. “Area leaders have said they want to get this done,” Paul said. “From the chamber groups to business groups. I’m hopeful that maybe we will.” However, it will likely come after the state nishes dealing with a few other priorities, Paul said. At this point, he thinks the opportunity to get it on a special session agenda—of which Abbott has total control— might not come until October. “What we need is for the com- munity to support the trust fund and ask the governor to stick it on a special session so we can get something done,” Paul said. Nicole Sunstrum, executive direc- tor of the Texas Gulf Coast Protec- tion District, agreed with Paul that it would be “very easy” to amend the bill to x the wording. “It was to prevent any unintended consequences,” Sunstrum said. “Gov. Abbott and the state of Texas have shown consistent and strong
HARRIS COUNTY
CHAMBERS COUNTY
Despite receiving almost unan- imous support from the Texas Legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would have created a funding account to help pay for Gulf Coast protection projects due to concerns over how it was worded. House Bill 2416, sponsored by state Rep. Dennis Paul, R Houston, aimed to create a trust fund to allow extra federal funds to be deposited for future and current Gulf Coast protection projects. One such project is the coastal spine, a series of gates between Galveston Island and Boli- var Peninsula to protect Galveston Bay from ooding during hurricanes. With a few separate projects in the works, the goal was to begin depos- iting money that could be invested by the state’s comptroller, which would help fund those projects further, Paul said. “We didn’t fund anything [with the bill],” Paul said. “But it’s a start to get something going on it and showing the seriousness of the state.” However, due to some technical wording within the bill, Abbott vetoed the bill in June. In a proclamation issued fol- lowing the veto, Abbott reiterated Texas’ “rock-solid commitment” to protecting its coastline. But he took issue with the bill’s text requiring “any” money to go toward just projects within the Texas Gulf Coast Protection District, which includes several coastal counties, including Galveston County, and currently
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX (XXXXX XXXXX)
JEFFERSON COUNTY
GALVESTON COUNTY
GULF OF MEXICO
SOURCES: GULF COAST PROTECTION DISTRICT, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS COMMUNITY IMPACT
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“WHAT WE NEED IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE TRUST FUND AND ASK THE GOVERNOR TO STICK IT ON A SPECIAL SESSION SO WE CAN GET SOMETHING DONE.” STATE REP. DENNIS PAUL, R HOUSTON
commitment to these projects.” The bill could also get picked up in a later session too with little consequence, Sunstrum said. The would-be account isn’t funded, so not creating it yet wouldn’t interfere with the district’s funding. As of press time, an updated bill had yet to be placed on a special session agenda. Created in 2021, the Texas Gulf Coast Protection District contains
more than 5,000 square miles of land across Harris, Galveston, Chambers, Je erson and Orange counties, according to its website. A bill passed earlier this year also makes Brazoria County eligible to join, Paul said. HB 2416 did not provide any funding to the district, but another bill, House Bill 1, did provide about $550 million, according to a June 20 news release from the district.
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6640 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 League City, TX 77573 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
CITY & COUNTY
IN THE BAY AREA Better LIFE IS
Proposed city budget includes property tax rate decrease
BY JAKE MAGEE
League City’s fiscal year 2023-24 budget has grown slightly compared to FY 2022-23’s original budget. BUDGET GROWTH
LEAGUE CITY The tax rate for League City residents is set to decrease again as League City City Council members consider a $331.2 million budget. The big picture: On Aug. 8, League City hosted the first public hearing on the fiscal year 2023-24 budget, which begins Oct. 1. According to budget documents, the budget includes $177.86 million in operating expenses—a $4.92 million increase from the original FY 2022-23 operating budget of $170.38 million. Contributing to the increased budget are: • 2.5% merit and 2.5% cost-of-living raises for civilian employees, • 12 new full-time positions The city’s expected operating revenue for FY 2023-24 is $169.56 mil- lion—$7.3 million more than expected to be collected in FY 2022-23. Assistant City Manager Angie Steelman said the actual budget will shift slightly due to requests council members gave during recent budget workshops. Those changes will be reflected in the first of two readings to approve the budget, scheduled for among other raises • Five new vehicles Council tightens restrictions on solicitors
Operating expenses Capital expenses
$153.34M
$148.25M
$170.38M $177.86M
2022-23
2023-24
Fiscal year
SOURCE: CITY OF LEAGUE CITY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
Aug. 22, after press time.
A closer look: The capital budget for FY 2023-24 is $153.34 million for 70 projects. In FY 2022-23, the capital budget was originally $148.25 million. The breakdown: Officials are proposing a tax rate of $0.39043 per $100 valuation to fund the budget. This is a $0.025096 decrease from the FY 2022-23 tax rate and lower than the no-new-revenue rate. What happens next? The budget and tax rate are scheduled for final approval on Sept. 12. • The city’s communications depart- ment will administer online training to interested solicitors, who must pass the training to be granted a permit to solicit in the city. • Permit fees will be $50 for solic- itors whose primary residence is within League City and $100 for those whose primary residence is outside the city. • Interested solicitors must undergo and pass a criminal history check. What they’re saying: Council Mem- ber Sean Saunders said something had to be done to restrict solicitors, some of whom are aggressive. Council members said the updated ordinance won’t be effective unless residents call the police when a solicitor vio- lates the ordinance.
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BY JAKE MAGEE
LEAGUE CITY Solicitors and peddlers in League City will now operate under tighter restrictions, including having to pass an online training course before being granted a permit to solicit. The big picture: On Aug. 8, League City City Council updated the city’s ordinance related to soliciting. The following changes to the ordinance were approved: • Solicitors cannot solicit after sunset or 7 p.m.—whichever is earlier.
NEW HOMES FROM THE $410s
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
News from League City & Harris County
INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 3.75% *
LEAGUE CITY Seniors may see some savings on their tax bills to League City this year, and council members are trying to ensure younger families feel some relief, too. What you need to know: On July 25, League City City Council voted in favor of increasing the homestead exemption for those age 65 and older from $45,000 to $75,000. The original proposal was to increase it to $60,000, but council members agreed to raise it higher. A homestead exemption withholds value from a resident’s primary residence when calculating property tax bills. Zooming in: Council Member John Bowen said he supports increasing the exemption but also wants a matching cut from the proposed fiscal year 2023-24 budget so the burden isn’t shifted to younger residents. If the city were to increase the exemption for seniors but not reduce the budget by the amount League City increases homestead exemption for seniors BY JAKE MAGEE
SAVING SENIORS CENTS The homestead exemption for League City seniors has increased from $45,000 to $75,000. This amount will be withheld from property values when calculating city tax bills.
Old homestead exemption
$45,000
Proposed homestead exemption
$60,000
Approved homestead exemption
$75,000
SOURCE: CITY OF LEAGUE CITY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
the exemption will reduce the city’s revenue, that revenue would have to come from someone else, such as other residents. What they’re saying: Council Mem- ber Chad Tressler supported reducing the homestead exemption but said it was “largely pandering.” Seniors already have their property tax bills frozen so the homestead reduction for seniors would help those new to the city and those who move around, not those who are established and have roots in the city, Tressler said. Mayor Nick Long disagreed. The $400,000-$500,000 the relatively small population of seniors would save is not insignificant, he said.
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512-232-5000 EdServices@austin.utexas.edu highschool.utexas.edu
Harris County considering affordable housing tax exemption policy
BY MELISSA ENAJE
to working families and seniors who are really in need,” she said. How we got here: In April, com- missioners directed several county departments, including the Commu- nity Services Department, to establish a policy related to the approval of tax exemptions for certain low-income housing projects. The department presented its preliminary policy to commissioners in July, and the finalized exemption policy is projected for completion by the end of August. The bigger picture: The policy could make it more feasible for organizations to build affordable housing. A 2021 study found nearly 500,000 county
HARRIS COUNTY A policy that will consider property tax exemptions for affordable housing owners is moving forward after a unanimous Commissioners Court vote July 18. Why it matters: An existing Texas tax code already provides exemp- tions to certain organizations that meet low-income housing require- ments, but each local governing jurisdiction has to approve the tax exemption and specify the allowed threshold amount, said Mary Lawler, the CEO of Avenue, a Houston-based nonprofit affordable housing builder. “We are struggling right now with rising costs for our apartments and our ability to keep our rents affordable
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households are paying more for housing than they can afford.
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BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
2023 EDUCATION EDITION COMMUNITY IMPACT IS PROUD TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS.
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DISTRICT DATA
Data and information from local school districts
COMPILED BY JAMES T. NORMAN
English learners Economically disadvantaged students STUDENT STATISTICS, 2022 23
SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, CLEAR CREEK ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
CLEAR CREEK ISD
Special education students
Clear Creek ISD is projecting a dip in enrollment for the second year in a row going into the 2023-24 school year. Its revenue is also expected to shrink. Despite this, teachers and pay both went up in 2022-23.
13.1%
14.1%
37.1%
Statewide
62%
23.02% 12.74%
STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Percent change from 2020-21 0.70%
Total number of teachers* -1.59% TOTAL TEACHERS AND SALARIES
2,925
2,900
2,875
2,850
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
*PROJECTED
2,825
*PROJECTED REVENUE SOURCES, 2020 2024
0
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
*TOTAL IS THE FULLTIME EQUIVALENT AND MAY INCLUDE PARTTIME POSITIONS.
2020 21
2021 22
2022 23
2023 24*
Starting teacher salary
+7.62%
$65,000
$360.26M TOTAL REVENUE:
$371.03M TOTAL REVENUE:
$365M TOTAL REVENUE:
$381.5M TOTAL REVENUE:
$62,000
$251.33M LOCAL $109.96M STATE $9.74M FEDERAL
$261.21M LOCAL $81.69M STATE $10.13M FEDERAL $11.97M OTHER
$240.41M LOCAL $112.89M STATE $6.96M FEDERAL
$215.87M LOCAL $155.68M STATE $9.22M FEDERAL
$59,000
$56,000
$53,000
$750K OTHER
0
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
STUDENT RACE & ETHNICITY, 2022 23
STAFF SALARIES AND SUBSTITUTE PAY
Statewide
Statewide
Average salary by position, 2022-23
Substitute daily pay*
Superintendent
Support sta
Administrative sta
$80- $155
*RANGES VARY BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND OTHER FACTORS.
15
BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
EDUCATION
2023 EDUCATION EDITION
Student vaping an increasing problem in Clear Creek ISD BY JAMES T. NORMAN and have since exceeded previous years, data shows. More students caught
INCREASING INCIDENCES Despite numbers declining during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of incidents of students caught with vape pens in Clear Creek ISD has risen in recent years. The 2022-23 school year had the highest number of incidents dating back to 2017. SOURCE: CLEAR CREEK ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
A NATIONAL TREND National surveys from 2022 showed more than 2.5 million U.S. middle and high school students were currently using e-cigarettes. Those numbers break down to show how frequently those students are using the devices.
JUST WITHIN REACH Several of Clear Creek ISD’s eight high schools have one, if not multiple, vape shops within 2 miles of them.
Clear Creek ISD student vape incidents 800
Vape shops High schools
600
CLEAR LAKE CITY BLVD.
Breakdown of vaping among students 9.4%
Usage frequency among students who vape 27.6%
How frequently student users vape
SPACE CENTER BLVD.
400
Despite the number of students caught with vape pens rising in recent years, o cials at Clear Creek ISD are combating the problem in the ways they can: security, anonymous tip lines and communication. Now at the end of August, school districts are starting a new year—and trying to gure out how to head o the growing trend of students using vape pens on their campuses. Vaping, which for years was seen as an alternative to smoking tradi- tional cigarettes, has had more teens and young adults pick up the habit in recent years, said Dr. Sandeep Gupta, a pulmonologist in the Greater Houston area. While local school districts in some cases saw the number of students caught with vape pens peak prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, those num- bers plummeted during the pandemic
200 0
42.3%
40.6%
At Clear Creek ISD, the number of students caught vaping more than doubled in the 2018-19 school year compared to 2017-18, data from the district shows. Those numbers dropped during the next two years, which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, but still were higher than 2017-18, according to the data. However, since then, the number of incidents have rebounded—up to 582 in 2021-22—and were the highest they’ve been in this six-year period during the 2022-23 school year, accord- ing to the data. Franklin Moses, assistant super- intendent of secondary education, said to help combat the problem, the district has taken to actions such as
146
17.1%
72.4%
90.6%
45
NASA PKWY.
Currently vaping Not currently vaping
Use daily Do not use daily
Every 1-5 days Every 6-19 days Every 20-30 days
CLEAR LAKE
color-coding hall passes to better make sure students are going where they’re supposed to during class. Other things, like security monitors and anonymous tip lines for students to report vape usage, are some practices they’ve installed too, Moses said. E orts to educate parents and keep them in the loop have been part of that as well. Combating the problem has become harder, though, due to the health challenges in recent years, such as with the pandemic, o cials said. State and federal agencies have stopped prioritizing youth vaping as an issue, and, in some cases, interest
from the community has waned, said Amanda McLauchlin, executive director with Bay Area Alliance for Youth and Families. The Alliance aims at building community and preventing sub- stance use in youth, according to its website. The group works with CCISD but also has a partnership with Friendswood ISD. “It’s almost an impossible ght— unless you can a ord to put bathroom monitors in every bathroom, or take the doors o every bathroom,” McLauchlin said. “Vapes are tiny [and] easy to hide. ... So there’s just very few opportunities.”
SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION COMMUNITY IMPACT
518
3
Legislative e orts In a broader e ort, Elaina Polsen, chief communications o cer for CCISD, said the district was a propo- nent of Senate Bill 21, passed in 2019, that raised the age required to buy tobacco from 18 to 21. “Our ... priority was to make this harder to get in kids’ hands,” she said. Another bill of note recently passed was House Bill 114, which brings with it a litany of new requirements for
schools to deal with the issue. One requirement makes it manda- tory for students caught with vapes to be placed in their respective district’s disciplinary alternative education program, also known as DAEP, rather than being sent to county programs, according to the bill. Texas House Rep. Ed Thompson, R Pearland, who authored the bill, said the idea was to give districts more exibility in how they handle students
96
528
646
N
caught with vape pens. McLauchlin, Polsen and Moses, however, said more must be done. CCISD has tried to aim toward helping students recover by not just
disciplining students but helping them overcome what several o cials described as an addiction. “We can’t punish our way out of this,” McLauchlin said.
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EDUCATION Schools uncertain on how STAAR redesign will a ect them
2023 EDUCATION EDITION
WHAT’S THE SCORE? Clear Creek ISD scored an 89 out of 100 in all categories of its accountability ratings. The numbers are based on several di erent factors, including how well the district does on the State of Texas Assessments of Academics Readiness, how students do over time and how di erent student groups perform compared to each other.
2021-22 accountability rating scores breakdown*:
Pearland ISD Houston ISD *THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT SCALED SCORES.
For the rst time in ve years, how the state assesses student readiness has changed and for districts such as Clear Creek ISD, o cials are waiting to see how it could a ect their scores. In 2019, the 86th Texas Legisla- ture passed House Bill 3906, which made changes to the State of Texas Assessments of Academics Read- iness, or STAAR, e ective by the 2022-23 school year. Despite helping guide the changes, many educators are concerned the redesign and new accountability system could create challenges. STAAR exams measure student progress in reading, math, science, social studies and writing—a goal that hasn’t changed with the redesign, according to the Texas Education Agency. However, some district o cials and public school advocates said overall, the STAAR exam is weighted so heavily that other programs are overlooked when measuring student and school performance. “We cannot get rid of the STAAR test. … What we can do is gure out how to weigh the STAAR di erently,” said Bob Popinski, senior director of policy for Raise Your Hand Texas, an education advocacy organization for BY EMILY LINCKE & JAMES T. NORMAN
examples include the test now being online to help get results faster and di erent types of questions that can appear on the test. For Clear Creek ISD, the district adjusts its curriculum annually and has never had a philosophy of teaching to the test, Chief Communications O cer Elaina Polsen said. However, o cials are declining to go in-depth due to not yet having the total accountability results. “Usually this time of year we would be able to talk about this,” Polsen said. A F refresh In addition to changing the test structure, the state has also adjusted how it measures district and school accountability with the A F refresh. The TEA has traditionally handed down an A F accountability score for districts and schools based on three di erent domains. This year, schools will receive a score calcu- lated by a changed method. While scores will come into play for CCISD in how it’s graded by the state, the STAAR is just one of many assessments the district uses to see how it’s performing, Polsen said. Raise Your Hand Texas in an October 2022 report recommended the STAAR should count for less than 50% of a school’s score to counteract what some see as the test having too much weight. “We’re not getting rid of assess- ment,” Popinski said. “But there are other indicators that are just as important.”
Clear Creek ISD
Scores are calculated for three areas 1
Student achievement Re ects students’ scores on STAAR; graduation rates; and college, career and military readiness 89 93 78 School progress Re ects students’ performance over time and how a school’s performance compares to other schools with similar economically disadvantaged student populations 89 92 89 Closing the gaps Re ects how well a school or district is ensuring all student groups are successful 89 96 86
The higher score of either “student achievement” or “school progress” accounts for 70% of the total score, while “closing the gaps” accounts for 30%. Take the higher score 2
30% closing the gaps
70% student
achievement or school progress
School progress score: 89 x 70% + Closing the gaps score: 89 x 30% = 89
Student achievement score: 93 x 70% + Closing the gaps score: 96 x 30% = 93.9
School progress score: 89 x 70% + Closing the gaps score: 86 x 30% = 88.1 A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 70-79 Not Rated = 0-69
Round the total score to a whole number to determine the overall ranking. Round the total 3
Texas public schools. Local district response
93.9 rounds to an overall score of 94 . A
88.1 rounds to an overall score of 88 . B
The overall score is 89 . B
NOTE: SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVING A SCORE LOWER THAN A 70 ARE GIVEN A NOT RATED LABEL.
TEA o cials have said the STAAR test was redesigned to “make the test more tightly aligned to the classroom experience.” A couple
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
19
BAY AREA EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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