Education
Transportation
BY WESLEY GARDENER
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS & KEVIN VU
Houston ISD moves closer to a balanced budget Houston ISD is getting nearer to producing a bal- anced budget by the 2026-27 school year, officials announced during a Feb. 27 budget workshop. The details Balancing a budget: FY2025-26 Revenue source increases ($87M) $44M: Potential basic allotment
HISD to consider campus closures
Amtrak seeks partner for high-speed rail Amtrak officials are seeking a partner to help lead and manage the Texas high-speed rail project from Dallas to Houston, marking the next step in a project that was first proposed a decade ago, according to a notice released Feb. 25. What we know Amtrak said the company is looking to find the most qualified applicant to be a delivery partner for the project. The delivery partner will be responsible for ensuring the project is completed on schedule, provide advice, leadership and support to allow Amtrak to successfully deliver the project. Amtrak did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and a timeline has not been released for the project.
Montrose Boulevard lanes to close for reconstruction
Reconstruction work on Montrose Boulevard started on March 31. Breaking it down The $17.9 million road project includes fully reconstructing the boulevard from Allen Parkway to West Clay Street into a four-lane concrete roadway with a median, sidewalks, trees, signals and a pedestrian bridge. According to a March 24 update from the Mon- trose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, one lane in each direction between Allen Parkway and West Clay will be closed until 2026 due to construction. Phase 1, between Allen Parkway and West Dallas, will be under construction until October. Construction from West Dallas to West Clay Street will begin in the fall and run through Spring 2026. According to the TIRZ website, here is what residents can expect to experience during the construction phase: • Minimum one lane of traffic in each direction
Houston ISD board managers will likely consider the closure of an undisclosed number of campuses that would go into effect beginning in the 2026-27 school year, officials announced Feb. 27. What we know Superintendent Mike Miles said the closures are being considered due to the dis- trict’s declining student population, which has dropped by more than 30,000 students in the last decade. Miles said he believed the district was effectively subsidizing schools with fewer than 300 students. Miles said the budgetary impact of closing a small school within the district could save between $1.5 million to $2 million annually.
MONTROSE BLVD.
HISD Superintendent Mike Miles said the district is projecting roughly $2.1 billion in expenditures while taking in around $2.07 billion in revenue for the 2025-26 school year. While the projected budget would still contain a roughly $33 million budget shortfall, Miles said the district is making gains toward a balanced budget. A closer look Miles noted officials calculated the current pro- jected expenditures and revenues for the 2025-26 school year budget conservatively. Per budget projections, the district is estimated to bring in roughly $243.5 million in additional revenue while losing $67 million next year due to a projected 8,000 student decline in enrollment. However, he said around $47.2 million would be
$3M: Potential teacher salary $30M: Other financing sources $10M: Security grants
Cost-cutting measures ($103.7M) $57M: Expenditures for recapture costs $30M: Cuts to department budgets $16.7M: One-time expenditures
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SOURCE: MONTROSE TIRZ/COMMUNITY IMPACT
• Driveway access maintained at all times • Traffic delays • Uniformed police officers present as needed Stay tuned Regular updates on the project will be posted to the TIRZ website, according to the update.
SOURCE: HOUSTON ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
saved in funding that would have been spent if those students stayed in the district. What’s next? Board managers will be required to approve the district’s budget before June 30.
HOUSTON SUPERSTORE 2410 Smith Street (713) 526-8787
WESTCOTT AND MEMORIAL 5818 Memorial Dr (713) 861-4161
SHEPHERD 1900 S Shepherd (713) 529-4849
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