Education
Transportation
BY WESLEY GARDENER
BY MELISSA ENAJE & KEVIN VU
Houston ISD budget to rely on state legislation Houston ISD board managers received an over- view March 26 of potential legislation resulting from the state’s 89th legislative session that could affect the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year. A closer look Superintendent Mike Miles pointed to House Bill 2 as one of the biggest question marks. HB2 would increase the basic allotment distributed to public school districts. The item initially passed in the Texas House April 16, increasing the basic allotment by $395 per student. The House must vote on the school finance bill one more time before it can be sent to the Senate. Miles also said he believed there could be an increase to the school safety allotment currently included in Senate Bill 26. If approved as written, the bill would increase the school safety allotment provided by the state from
20% decline seen in HISD student discipline Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said the number of student disciplinary events dropped by more than 20% from 2023-24 to 2024-25. Zooming in Miles presented the findings to board man- agers during the district’s April 16 meeting. • Fighting decreased by 17% • Insubordination decreased by 23% • Drug-related incidents decreased by 19% • Terroristic threats decreased by 20% • Cursing at staff decreased by 16% • Bullying decreased by 10% However, Miles said the district reported 42 students have been found in possession of a firearm in the 2024-25 school year.
Bellaire property owners vie for speed bumps According to an April 7 Bellaire City Council meeting, 80% of property owners along the 5400 block of Braeburn Drive signed a petition to install speed humps to deter speeding and cut-through traffic through the residential neighborhood. What we know According to the resident’s petition, they claim that the Edwards Marijuana Family dispensary, located 100 yards from the entrance to Braeburn, has led to an uptick in speeding cut-through traffic. Although the speed limit is 30 miles per hour, the petition said that Braeburn’s long, wide layout allows vehicles to reach 40 to 50 miles per hour. The petition also states that the scenic appeal of the block makes it a popular shortcut for drivers aiming to bypass lights on Bissonnet Street. Additionally, as the block doesn’t have a side- walk, residents said they are forced to walk on the
Downtown to IAH bus route launches Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County announced the launch of a new nonstop bus route that will take passengers from Downtown Houston directly to George Bush Intercontinental Airport. In a nutshell Beginning April 13, METRO began taking passengers from the George R. Brown Conven- tion Center to IAH Terminal C, according to an April news release. METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock said that the route, 500 IAH Downtown Direct, will cost $4.50 one way. The new route is part of the organi- zation’s METRONow plan. The 500 IAH Downtown Direct route will run every 15-30 minutes on weekdays, according to METRO.
Superintendent Mike Miles pointed to several bills school officials are currently monitoring, including: House Bill 2 Would increase the basic allotment distributed to public school districts Status: Passed by the House, sent to the Senate
Edwards Marijuana Family
BRAEBURN DR.
Senate Bill 26
N
Would increase teacher pay across the state Status: Passed by the Senate and referred to the House Public Education Committee. Has not received a hearing or vote by the House.
road, further leaving them at a risk of oncoming speeding cars. Resident Elaine Frankel, one of the signees, told Community Impact she signed the petition after witnessing a car accident on the block. What’s next? After the complaints, the Bellaire Police Depart- ment installed a radar speed trailer to monitor traffic speed, collect data and provide it to the city. City Council held a public hearing on the issue on May 5, after press time.
Senate Bill 260
Increased school safety allotment by $500 million
Status: Passed and is scheduled to take effect Sept. 1
NOTE: THE STATUS OF THE BILLS WAS AS OF APRIL 29. SOURCES: HOUSTON ISD, 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
$10 to $28 per student and would increase per-cam- pus funding from $15,000 to $30,000. Although he noted the increase would be budget-neutral because the district would immediately distribute those funds to teachers.
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY 9733 Buffalo Speedway (713) 838-7486
HOLCOMBE 2314 W Holcombe Blvd (713) 669-1722
WESLAYAN 3902 Bissonnet (713) 218-8144
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