Heights - River Oaks - Montrose Edition | August 2022

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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION

VOLUME XX, ISSUE XX XXXXXXXXXX, 2022 2022

ONLINE AT

EDUCATION EDITION

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5 AUG. 431, 2022

HISD ups teacher pay, confronts budget decit

PATCHING HOLES Houston ISD provided a boost in employee pay in its scal year 2022-23 budget, but more than one-third of the funds came through one-time federal funds from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program.

More bike lanes proposed in Montrose IMPACTS 6 TRANSPORTATION 8 EDUCATION EDITION 2022

FY 202223 general fund budget

Employee compensation package: $132.95M in spending will provide raises of 11% on average for district teachers.

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ

Expenditures: $2.266B

A transformation is underway in Houston ISD at a time when the dis- trict is expecting budget decits in the coming years, including a $31 million decit projected for scal year 2022- 23, which started in July. The rst part of a strategic plan meant to transform HISD came to fruition June 9 when district trustees unanimously adopted the FY 2022- 23 budget. It included roughly a 11% bump in pay on average for all district teachers. The starting pay for a new teacher increased by more than 8%, from $56,869 to $61,500. “This will be the largest increase that HISD has gotten in [its] history,” said Jackie Anderson, president of the CONTINUED ON 16

Revenue: $2.133B

There is a budget shortfall of $133M.

$50M: indirect costs $52M: employee salaries

$102M

$102M in one-time federal coronavirus relief funds will help plug holes.

Quotes of note

These [ESSER] resources have allowed us to make major investments in our students and teachers, but these funds are

This will be the largest increase [in pay] that HISD has gotten in history. JACKIE ANDERSON, PRESIDENT, HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

not permanent. MILLARD HOUSE II, HOUSTON ISD SUPERINTENDENT

DISTRICT SNAPSHOT

CAMPUS DATA SCHOOL SAFETY

15 13

SOURCE: HOUSTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

Houston council redistricting reveals shifts in local area

BUSINESS FEATURE

BY SOFIA GONZALEZ

The city of Houston unveiled the new proposed boundar- ies for its City Council single-member districts July 7. With the proposed plan, Freedmen’s Town could soon nd itself in District H, a move that some residents said will hurt the success they have seen in the historic district in recent years. The redistricting process takes place every 10 years with the release of the decennial U.S. Census Bureau data. Hous- ton has 11 single-member districts and ve at-large positions. CONTINUED ON 21

W. DALLAS ST. N PKWY

Freedmen’s Town would change council districts under proposed maps.

610

GRAY ST.

SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

DINING FEATURE

SOFIA GONZALEZCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

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THIS ISSUE

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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and Pugerville, Texas. Now in 2022, CI is still locally owned. We have expanded to include hundreds of employees, our own software platform and printing facility, and over 30 hyperlocal editions across the state with a circulation to more than 2.4 million residential mailboxes.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH

FROM JAY: The lead story of our Education Edition looks at Houston ISD and the current transformation underway. The budget unanimously adopted by district trustees in June included an approximate 11% increase in teacher salaries overall and is part of a ve-year strategic plan to guide how HISD will invest in schools. Jay McMahon, GENERAL MANAGER

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FROM SHAWN: Our Education Edition brings the latest in district data and local school testing results from the 2021-22 school year. In this edition, we also take a look at proposed council district maps released by the city of Houston as part of its redistricting process. Shawn Arrajj, SENIOR EDITOR

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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened, are coming soon or undergoing renovations

W. 34TH ST.

610

19A

290

W. 25TH ST.

20TH ST.

W. 19TH ST.

W. 18TH ST.

T. C. JESTER BLVD.

Davanti Ristorante

COURTESY DAVANTI RISTORANTE

W. 11TH ST.

4 12

items include lasagna bolognese, sauteed chicken marengo, eggplant Parmigiana, tagliatelle with lamb sauce and a variety of Romana-style pizzas. 281-888-220. www.davantiristorante.com 4 The team behind Hando and Kanpai Club hosted a soft opening for their newest concept, Dinette —a Vietnam- ese-inspired kitchen and bar—on July 26 at 1018 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston. The menu highlights small to medium plates, such as tamarind wings and thit kho on crispy rice, and larger family-style dishes, including brisket with pu pho noodles. Upon entering, guests are greeted with a “modern industrial 50-seat dining room” with accented Asian touches that oers a mix of traditional dining tables, bar- height communal tables and seating at a full-service bar. 723-393-7134. www.dinettehtx.com 5 River Oaks Drip Spa , an intravenous vitamin infusion spa and cryotherapy cen- ter, opened July 15 at 5161 San Felipe St., Ste. 120, Houston. According to the spa’s website, services include IV hydration and vitamin infusion, cryotherapy for muscle recovery, inammation and joint pain, red-light therapy, normatec compression therapy, and intramuscular injections for vitamins and medication. River Oaks Drip Spa oers a variety of memberships for its customers that range from $125 to $299 6 Sushi by the Heights opened July 21 at 1111 Studewood St., Houston. Ocials with Sushi by the Heights said the venue is their rst establishment. It oers Japa- nese salads, soups, handrolled sushi and robatayaki items—foods cooked over hot per month. 832-834-4405. www.riveroaksdripspa.com

WHITE OAK PARK

WHITE OAK DR.

WASHINGTON AVE.

MEMORIAL PARK

STUDEMONT ST.

19B

BUFFALO BAYOU PARK

P K

610

UPTOWN PARK BLVD.

W. GRAY ST.

CALIFORNIA ST.

527

W. ALABAMA ST.

RICHMOND AVE.

288

MAP NOT TO SCALE

NOW OPEN 1 Westlake Dermatology opened June 27 at 3636 Westheimer Road, Houston. The center oers a variety of dermatology and cosmetic surgery services. Headed by plastic surgeon Dr. Cameron Erickson and dermatologist Dr. Neil Farnsworth, the center oers services such as skin checks, chemical peels, Botox, liposuction, rhinoplasty and breast aug-

mentation. The new River Oaks location is Westlake’s second location in Houston and

the U.S., and the Houston location is the second in Texas for the chain. 346-250-1423. www.zimmermann.com/us 3 Davanti Ristorante , an Italian restau- rant, opened July 6 at 2900 Weslayan St., Ste. A, Houston. Chef Roberto Crescini and partner Francisco “Paco” Calza are the masterminds behind the new concept. The counter-service restaurant oers traditional Italian breakfast, lunch and dinner along with takeout options. Menu

18th in Texas. 832-924-3300. www.westlakedermatology.com

2 Australian fashion label Zimmermann opened its rst Houston location June 28 in the River Oaks District at 4444 Westheimer Road, Space B-110, Houston. Founded in 1991, Zimmermann specializes in women’s swimwear and ready-to-wear clothing. Zimmermann has 15 locations in

W 11th St

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COURTESY DINETTE

COURTESY HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

charcoal, similar to barbecue. According to a menu posted online, other entrees include Chilean sea bass, Japanese wagyu beef and lobster ravioli with beef. The eatery also hosts a happy hour from 3-7 p.m. on weekdays. 713-993-6404. www.sushibytheheights.com 7 Babylon , an ancient Persia-themed nightclub, opened July 1 at 612 Hadley St., in a space formerly occupied by the Howl at the Moon piano bar in Houston’s Midtown area. The nightclub is designed to resemble the city it is named after with themed furniture set up throughout the establishment. Babylon is owned by the Denver-based Jet Hotel and Club. www.babylontx.com 8 Ocials with the Houston Communi- ty College system opened a new Security Operations Center , a simulated training lab, at the system’s West Loop campus June 24 at 5601 West Loop 610 South, Houston. The building is designed to prepare students for high-skilled jobs in cybersecurity and was funded through a $650,000 state grant. It features a training ground where students can play out scenarios and defend against cyber- attacks in a controlled environment. Over 500 students are enrolled in cybersecuri- ty at the campus. 713-718-2000. www.hccs.edu 9 Morningstar Storage ’s new location opened May 13 at 4495 Katy Freeway, Houston. Units range from small, medium and large sizes. According to company ocials, services provided include a free truck for move-in; 24/7 access; 12-month price guarantees; 24-hour security; climate-controlled storage units; and for August’s monthly promotion, two months free. The business also carries a variety of packing items such as cardboard boxes, tape and bubble wrap. 281-532-8649. www.morningstarstorage.com 10 Ocials with the Montrose Collective development welcomed Houston’s rst location of sustainable fashion brand Ref- ormation on July 15 at 1001 California St., Ste. 103, Houston. Patrons can shop from a collection of dresses, tops, skirts, shorts, mini dresses, sleeveless tops, denim styles and Ref sneakers—the brand’s latest ad- dition to their Ref shoes lineup. Tech-in- spired gadgets at the store include touch screens that will send clothes directly to customers in the dressing room; touch screens to order new sizes and styles; “magic wardrobes” with two-way doors for product fulllment; and customizable lighting in dressing rooms. 254-203-7349. www.thereformation.com

11 The oce of Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen celebrated the opening of a new Community Resource O ce on July 16 at 942 Heights Blvd., Houston. The oce will serve as a way to get the community involved with stopping crime, ocials said. Residents can ll out police reports, read safety tips, take self-defense classes from the oce and get child ngerprint kits, Rosen said at the grand opening. 713-755-5200. www.pct1constable.net 12 A new location of Pudgy’s Fine Cook- ies opened July 31 in the Heights at 1010 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston. The shop is run by Van Teamer, owner and cre- ator of Pudgy’s, which previously operated as a pop-up shop at local markets in Hous- ton, including the MKT Sunset Market. The shop’s original Pudgy cookie oers a crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside chocolate chip cookie made with Callebaut chocolate. New avors include Bonanza Brulee, a caramelized banana cookie with a creme brulee center. 713-538-1503. www.pudgysnecookies.com COMING SOON 13 Honest Eats is slated to open in Au- gust or September at the M-K-T Heights Development at 600 N. Shepherd Drive, Ste. 122, Houston. The storefront will oer a meal plan pickup service, a grab- and-go option, a hot bone broth bar, a gluten-free and ketogenic dessert case, premade bone broth soups, elderberry syrups, oils and other holistic remedies. The storefront will also have a “shared learning space” for cooking and nutrition classes. The meals oered will be free of articial preservatives, peanuts, corn, soy, articial colors, chemical additives and gluten. www.honesteatshtx.com 14 Marc Jacobs is slated to open its rst full-line location in Texas at the Houston Galleria later this summer at 5805 Westheimer Road, Houston, on Level 1 near the Financial Center. The 3,094-square-foot Galleria store will feature a wide collection of men’s and women’s shoes, handbags, fragrances, accessories and ready-to-wear clothing. www.marcjacobs.com 15 Goode Co. announced its newest location of Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina at 1801 Yale St., Houston. According to a July 19 news release, the restaurant will serve “classic and modern” Tex-Mex meals that will showcase the foods and customs the Goode family grew up with. An opening date has not yet been an- nounced. www.goodecompany.com

A 450-pound, 8-foot quartz crystal chandelier is suspended over the dance oor.

COURTESY MICHAEL ANTHONY

FEATURED IMPACT NOW OPEN South Beach , a Montrose LGBTQ dance club and nightclub, ocially reopened July 15 at 810 Pacic St., Houston, after being shut down for more than four years. South Beach originally opened in 2001 but shut down in 2018 for renovations. When the nightclub was prepared to open again, the pandemic changed its plans. “We remained closed as we waited for the majority of the population to become vaccinated for protection against COVID,” South Beach owner Charles Armstrong said in a statement. RELOCATIONS 16 A new location of Georgia James , a concept from Underbelly Hospitali- ty, opened July 1 in the Regent Square development at 3503 W. Dallas St., Houston. The restaurant was previously operating at 1658 Westheimer Road, Houston, where it closed earlier in June. Menu items range from signature cast iron seared steaks to cold seafood and seasonal sides. The beverage program includes a list of 500 wines from around the world. A second-oor lounge area debuted later in July, featuring barrio lighting, re pits, soft seating and skyline views. 832-241-5088. www.georgiajamessteak.com EXPANSIONS 17 Local nonprot Houston Pets Alive! began oering low-cost veterinary services from pet owners in the general public Aug. 2. Located at 2800 Antoine Drive, Ste. 2854, Houston, the nonprot now oers physical exams, vaccinations, preventive services and microchipping, among other services. Previously, Hous- ton Pets Alive! oered services to pets in the nonprot’s programs, including pets taken from shelters and put in foster care. Under the expansion, the services will be made available to all cat and dog owners in the Greater Houston area. 832-786-9310. www.houstonpetsalive.org

Armstrong is known as the “mayor of Montrose” and is also responsible for LGBTQ club JR’s Bar & Grill. Upon walking into the eclectic space, guests are greeted with materials chosen by Armstrong and his designer, John Robinson, such as a 450-pound, 8-foot quartz crystal chandelier. 713-529-7623. www.sobehouston.com

FAIRVIEW ST.

RENOVATIONS 18 Sesh Coworking , a female-focused LGBTQ co-working space located in Midtown at 2808 Caroline St., Houston, wrapped up renovations and reopened its rst oor July 6. The rst oor of the facility—dubbed The Parlor—includes ad- ditional desks, common areas, a wellness room, innovative tech-enabled spaces and a retail pop-up space. As a whole, Sesh Coworking oers free parking, 30 oces, three conference rooms, four phone booths, an amphitheater, a library, a studio kitchen, locker rooms with showers and interactive art installations. 713-483-8390. www.seshcoworking.com 19 Nine Memorial Hermann urgent care facilities underwent renovations in late June before reopening July 1 as Memorial Hermann-GoHealth Urgent Care centers , including locations in the Greater Heights and on Washington Avenue. The renova- tions updated designs and technology to “optimize workows and improve the patient experience,” ocials said. Clini- cians provide both in-person and virtual care at the centers, which are equipped to treat non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. The Heights location can be found at A 300 N. Loop 610, Ste. 100, Houston. The Washington location can be found at B 4500 Washington Ave., Ste. 300, Houston. 713-730-7418 (Heights location), 713-730-7416 (Washington location). www.gohealthuc.com

HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Bike, pedestrian improvements proposed in Montrose area

COMPILED BY SOFIA GONZALEZ

UPCOMING PROJECTS

Construction for proposed bike and pedestrian improvements along Mandell Street and West Dallas Street could come to fruition as early as summer 2023 in the Montrose area. Officials discussed the scope of the project at a June 27 public engagement meeting hosted by the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvest- ment Zone. The project covers Mandell Street from I-69 to Fairview Street and West Dallas from Waugh Drive to Montrose Boulevard. Funding comes from the TIRZ, Harris County Precinct 1, and the city of Houston’s District C office and public works department. The project will mill and overlay deteriorated asphalt, restripe road- ways, implement wider sidewalks, and make improvements at intersec- tions, such as curb extensions and raised crosswalks. Improvements along Mandell will align sidewalks with the city’s 6-foot standard, resurface pavement, implement speed cushions and create

Mandell Street improvements

Dallas Street improvements

MEMORIAL PARK

610

FAIRVIEW ST.

WESTHEIMER RD.

WOODWAY DR.

W. DALLAS ST.

W. ALABAMA ST.

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JULY 12. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT HRMNEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. million for a Memorial Drive panel replacement project through Memo- rial Park. The Uptown Development Authority, also known as the Uptown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, will manage the project. The project will replace panels on Memorial and Woodway drives from Loop 610 to Westcott Street. It also involves re- placing subgrade, curb and pavement, striping and signage. Timeline: TBD Cost: $5.33 million Funding source: city of Houston Memorial Drive panel replacement Houston City Council passed an ordinance May 25 appropriating $5.33

RICHMOND AVE.

high-comfort bike lanes through the use of both dedicated bike lanes and shared street segments. TIRZ officials said the north side of West Dallas Street has good condi- tions, attributing this to the new housing developments in the area. However, they said the south side of the road is in poor condition and does not comply with city standards. On West Dallas from Waugh Drive to Montrose Boulevard, officials have proposed protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and a three-lane cross section with a two-way center turn lane. The West Dallas design also proposes elevated bike lanes to

ensure bicyclists yield to pedestrians who enter and exit the bus. The design phase started in July and will run through March 2023. Bidding could begin in April 2023 and be followed by construction that summer. Another public meeting will provide additional opportunities for residents and civic associations to comment, officials said. However, the date for this meeting have not yet been announced by the TIRZ.

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CITY & COUNTY

News from Houston & Harris County

HIGHLIGHTS HOUSTON A new $20 million grant portal will open Aug. 9 through a partnership between the city of Houston and Wells Fargo. The grants will help more than 500 small businesses and nonprots in the Houston area led by people of color. The application process will close Aug. 23. HARRIS COUNTY In a 3-2 vote Aug. 2, Harris County commissioners moved closer to putting a $1.2 billion bond issue on ballots in November. A special meeting will be held between Aug. 12-22 to give commissioners a chance to make a nal decision on putting the bond on ballots. Houston City Council will meet at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 9 for public comment and 9 a.m. Aug. 10 for regular business at 901 Bagby St., Houston. Meetings are streamed at www.houstontx.gov/htv. Harris County will meet for its regular meeting at 10 a.m. Aug. 23 at the Harris County Courthouse, 1001 Preston St., Ste. 934, Houston. Meetings are streamed live at www.harriscountytx.gov. MEETINGS WE COVER

Houston being investigated over illegal dumping HOUSTON On July 22, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it opened an investigation into the city of Houston for its practices related to illegal dumping. The investigation will involve examining the city’s municipal service response to illegal dumping, which allegedly discriminates against Black and Latino residents. BY SOFIA GONZALEZ Illegal dumping is the illegal discarding of heavy trash, which city law requires to be discarded in specic ways. TRASH PICKUP RIGHT WRONG

Specic departments being investigated include the Houston Police Department, the city’s 311 system, the Solid Waste Management Department and Houston’s Department of Neighborhoods. “Illegal dumpsites not only attract rodents, mosquitos and other vermin that pose health risks, but they can also contaminate surface water and impact proper drainage, making areas more susceptible to ooding,” said Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general of the Justice Depart- ment’s Civil Rights Division, in a statement. The investigation will include an examination of the city’s enforcement and solid waste management policies and practices that could have resulted in discrimination that is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI “prohibits recipients of federal nancial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin,” according to a July 22 news release. Clarke said the investigation was prompted by a complaint to the Justice Department from Lone Star Legal Aid. The complaint alleges illegal dumping of household

SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Leave items on roadsides, empty lots or anywhere that is not an approved site

Place items out for heavy trash pickup during designated junk-waste months Bring items to city of Houston’s neighborhood depositories

furniture, mattresses, tires, medical wastes, trash, dead bodies and vandalized ATMs, she said. In a July 22 statement, Turner said his oce has helped under-resourced and underserved communities, calling the investigation a “slap in the face” to the city. “The city follows up on 311 complaints about illegal dumping and aggressively pursues those responsible for illegally discarding debris on public or private property without the owner’s consent,” Turner said. The city will cooperate with the DOJ and expects that no discrimination will be found once the investigation is complete, Turner said.

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2022 EDUCATION EDITION COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER IS PROUD TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS.

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St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Montrose announces limited openings for the 2022-23 academic year for students from 15 months old through 8th grade. Our students enjoy individualized work plans featuring hands-on, project-based learning founded on Montessori pedagogy and STEM in our makerspace – the da Vinci Lab for Creative Arts & Sciences.

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DISTRICT DATA

Data and information from local school districts

COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ

202122 STUDENT STATISTICS

SOURCES: HOUSTON ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCYCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

HOUSTON ISD Enrollment at Houston ISD during the 2022-23 school year is projected to be slightly lower than it was last year. The percentage of students who are economically disadvantaged and are English learners is higher in HISD compared to the state average.

Economically disadvantaged students 79.2%

English learners

Special education students

35%

8.5%

Statewide

60.61% 21.66%

11.7%

STUDENT ENROLLMENT

REVENUE SOURCES *PROJECTED

Percentage change from 2019-20: 7.6%

2019 20

2020 21

2021 22

2022 23*

$2.7B TOTAL REVENUE:

$2.39B TOTAL REVENUE:

$2.07B TOTAL REVENUE:

$2.16B TOTAL REVENUE:

$2.1B LOCAL

$1.9B LOCAL

$248.3M STATE $352.6M FEDERAL

$169.7M STATE $124.6M FEDERAL

$157.2M STATE $17.2M FEDERAL

$190.7M STATE $71.9M FEDERAL

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23*

*PROJECTED

HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

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SAFETY

2022 EDUCATION EDITION

Education Agency announced in June they would examine safety plans and locks on external doors at school districts across the state prior to the start of the school year. SOURCE: HOUSTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • Install 140-180 closed-circuit security cameras on campuses School safety Houston ISD ocials are exploring safety enhancements, including to doors and locks. Entryways • Option A: visitors go through two rooms to get into school • Option B: visitors check in at window, reinforced by hardened glazing Doors • All walls and doors have hardened glazing • Remove doorknobs from all doors • Only administrators able to open electronically controlled doors Other • Build 8-foot-tall fences around campuses • Install access-control systems in parking garages

Houston ISD looks into new school safety enhancements

Bankhead said he also wants to ren- ovate the exterior doors so they do not have a doorknob on the outside and can only be opened with an access key. This way, intruders will not have anything to pull on if they try to break in, Bankhead said. “A lot of times in my business, we spend hundreds, millions of dollars on special security systems, and they’re defeated by a $2 wedge of wood in the door,” Bankhead said. All doors will be lockable from the inside. Many district schools, includ- ing those constructed after a 2007 bond election, already have doors like this, Bankhead said, but some older schools do not. Bankhead said he also looks to install 140-180 new closed-circuit security cameras on HISD campuses. Finally, Bankhead said he wants to compartmentalize the campuses. It will be easier for administrators to control dierent parts of the building if it is separated into sections, he said. “In the case of emergencies, we can even shut o dierent parts of the building,” Bankhead said. Meanwhile, ocials with the Texas

BY OLIVER CAPITO

to open the electronically controlled doors. However, not all schools will be able to renovate their entrances using this plan because it is not cost-eective, Bankhead said. In those cases, schools can use a second option described as a “teller window,” Bankhead said. Visitors would check in at the window, which is reinforced by hardened glazing, and be able to go into the school without using a second room. In order to discourage unwanted visitors from even getting into the school, Bankhead proposed building 8-foot-tall fences around campuses, using vegetation, signs and other measures to ensure clear boundary lines. Parking garages and lots will have access-control systems so only students and sta will be allowed to enter them.

Ahead of the start of the 2022-23 school year, ocials with Houston ISD received an update on plans to renovate district schools to make them safer against potential intruders. Renovations include two options for campus entrances as well as exterior and interior security measures. Dan Bankhead, general manager of HISD’s Construction Services Depart- ment, rst unveiled plans at a May 25 meeting of the district’s School Safety and Security committee, which took place one day after the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The rst entrance prototype has visitors going through two rooms to get into the school, which Bankhead said will be easier to channel people through an entrance where adminis- trators will be present. All walls and doors would have hardened glazing, and only administrators would be able

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CAMPUS DATA

2022 EDUCATION EDITION

A closer look at campus-level standardized test scores and other data COMPARING CAMPUS SCORES COMPILED BY SHAWN ARRAJJ More than half of the schools in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose areas saw drops in enrollment between the 202021 and 202122 school years. The percentage of students who are approaching grade level on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness was generally higher in the local area when compared to the district overall. Feeder patterns shown here may vary for addresses close to attendance boundary borders. HOUSTON ISD

Understanding the table The following tables reveal test results from the 2021-22 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. Tables also include enrollment data, feeder school campuses and the percent of students considered economically disadvantaged. STAAR RESULTS Results show the percentage of

ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED These students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, come from a family with an income below the poverty line, or are eligible for other specic benets.

students within the district and each campus who are approaching the grade level, which is considered passing.

SOURCES: HOUSTON ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS LEGISLATURECOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

FAQ ON MAGNET SCHOOLS WHAT ARE MAGNET SCHOOLS?

202122 STAAR PASSING RESULTS BY GRADE

ENROLLMENT

3RD

4TH

5TH

Magnet schools are part of Houston ISD’s school choice system that oer specialized education programs related to a given theme. Themes in HISD include dual language, ne arts and college preparatory schools, among others. HOW DO HOUSTON ISD STUDENTS ENROLL IN MAGNET SCHOOLS? Students looking to enroll in one of HISD’s magnet schools must submit an application, the process for which varies from school to school. Students can submit applications to any magnet school in the district, regardless of where they live. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAGNET SCHOOL AND A VANGUARD SCHOOL? Vanguard schools are designed for students in HISD’s Gifted & Talented program and feature accelerated curricula. Vanguard schools fall within the broader magnet program alongside other programs, such as ne arts.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

State average District average

N/A N/A 77% 70% 77% 69% 80% 75% 66% N/A N/A N/A N/A 73% 66% 72% 65% 76% 72% 59% N/A N/A 477 -0.8% 78% 85% 80% 83% 91% 93% 62% 51.8% N/A 567 -3.9% 86% 89% 97% 77% 86% 82% 72% 36.9% 21 408 -7.9% 86% 52% 62% 68% 79% 79% 57% 92.4% 20 543 -2.3% 83% 67% 84% 81% 85% 66% 64% 67.4% 20 423 -1.9% 93% 88% 93% 87% 96% 98% 81% 58.4% 19, 20 600 -10% 54% 47% 53% 39% 75% 73% 68% 92.2% 18 678 4.8% 92% 86% 96% 94% 97% 86% 75% 19.5% 20 461 -4.4% 84% 86% 88% 80% 95% N/A 71% 56.8% 19 330 6.5% 80% 60% 87% 67% 88% 85% 64% 74.5% 19, 20 370 17.1% 87% 89% 82% 79% 89% 86% 60% 54.9% 20

1 Arabic Immersion

2 Baker

3 Browning 4 Crockett

5 Field

6 Gregory-Lincoln

7 Harvard 8 Helms

9 Love

10 Memorial

11 Poe

791

1.9% 91% 86% 83% 79% 88% 82% 76% 30.3% 21

STAAR SCORE CHANGES

12 River Oaks 603 -2.1% 92% 92% 97% 97% 91% 92% 90% 13.9% 21 13 School at St. George Place 760 0.9% 88% 75% 86% 86% 86% 92% 69% 53.4% 21 14 Sinclair 631 6.8% 93% 86% 85% 76% 93% 88% 81% 36.1% 17, 19 15 Travis 700 0.9% 92% 91% 95% 90% 96% 94% 85% 15% 20 16 Wharton K8 Dual Language 610 0% N/A N/A N/A N/A 97% 92% 82% 46.7% 22

Houston ISD saw improvements in STAAR results in reading and math between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

Houston ISD Statewide

PERCENTAGEPOINT CHANGE, SPRING 2021 VS. SPRING 2022

202122 STAAR PASSING RESULTS BY GRADE

ENROLLMENT

0% +5% +10% +15% +20% +25% +30%

6TH 7TH

8TH

SUBJECT: READING (3RD) READING (4TH) READING (5TH) READING (6TH) READING (7TH) READING

+14%

MIDDLE SCHOOLS State average District average

+9%

+16%

+14%

N/A N/A 69% 72% 78% 59% 82% 69% 73% 59% N/A N/A N/A N/A 62% 63% 75% 54% 77% 61% 64% 48% N/A N/A 1,295 -4.7% 74% 76% 81% 56% 83% 82% 70% 62% 56.1% 27 600 -10% 53% 63% 84% 50% 89% 57% 67% 66% 92.2% 24, 26 919 -13.1% 70% 64% 84% 66% 84% 55% 69% 61% 85.4% 24, 27 1,043 1.3% 77% 78% 85% 71% 91% 78% 84% 76% 48.3% 24, 26

+11%

+8%

17 Black

18 Gregory-Lincoln

+10%

19 Hamilton

+8%

20 Hogg 21 Lanier

+15%

1,415 0.3% 87% 89% 94% 83% 94% 88% 92% 82% 25.6% 26 22 Wharton K8 Dual Language 610 0% 93% 88% 92% 82% 91% N/A 94% 74% 46.7% N/A

+10%

+15%

(8TH) MATH (3RD) MATH (4TH) MATH (5TH) MATH (6TH) MATH (7TH) MATH (8TH)

+10%

202122 STAAR PASSING RESULTS BY GRADE

ENROLLMENT

+15%

+9%

HIGH SCHOOLS State average District average

+16%

+11%

+13%

N/A N/A 74% 82% 63% 71% 89% N/A N/A N/A N/A 61% 70% 53% 64% 85% N/A N/A 913 -1.3% 98% 100% 100% 100% 100% 35% 96.6% 2,447 -0.1% 56% 78% 65% 79% 90% 61.3% 96.5%

+6%

+11%

23 Carnegie Vanguard

+6%

24 Heights

+13%

Houston Academy for International Studies

460 -7.8% 89% 97% 98% 99% 99% 69.1% 97.4%

+5%

26 Lamar 27 Waltrip

2,934 3% 59% 86% 76% 78% 91% 47.4% 94.5% 1,713 -7.6% 42% 66% 49% 58% 83% 77% 80% *2020 GRADUATION RATE

+27%

+9%

HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • AUGUST 2022

CONTINUED FROM 1

Investing in teachers The scal year 2022-23 budget involves making key investments in teachers and support sta.

HOUSTON ISD FINANCIAL REPORT CARD *AS OF JUNE 16 Allocated*: $614.57M

TEACHERS

SUPPORT STAFF

sign-on bonus for certain roles $1,000-$3,000

Starting salary to increase from $56,869 to

$61,500

raise depending on pay grade 6%-16%

raises on average across the board 11%

Houston ISD has until the September 2024 to spend all of its Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief dollars. As of mid- June, HISD allocated about half and spent about one-quarter. SOURCE: HOUSTON ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Examining ESSER

Total funding: $1.16B

OTHER INVESTMENTS

minimum wage for most employees $15 per hour

Funding for all schools to employ a:

Librarian or media specialist

Nurse or nurse assistant

Counselor

Remaining: $545.43M

February, and future increases are anticipated to keep the dis- trict competitive, which will necessitate a new approach to budgeting, House said. District 5 trustee Sue Deigaard said the budget rep- resented a step in the right direction for the district in terms of being more compet- itive with pay. However, she said she had concerns about the budget’s sustainability. “My biggest worry about this budget is what happens in two years when the ESSER dollars run out,” she said. “How we balance the budget will either set children up for success of allow them to fall further behind.” Although Deigaard voted to approve the budget in June, she described her vote at the time as a reluctant one. She said the budget did not pro- vide enough specics on how ocials would ensure money was being targeted at the dis- trict’s biggest needs in terms of actually helping students learn, calling that the “north star.” “Just having a balanced budget is not the measure of a successful school district,” she said. “These are all means to an end. The ultimate end is, ‘are children learning?’” Moving forward, HISD will work with the consulting rm Alvarez and Marsal to take a deep dive into nances, which will include identifying

district’s highest-need cam- puses, House said. “This budget makes a com- mitment to putting more funds directly in the hands of our campus leaders, espe- cially as they navigate lead- ing, teaching and learning … in the shadow of a global pan- demic,” House said. In comments to Community Impact Newspaper , Ander- son said teachers not feeling supported is a key factor in a teacher shortage being seen nationwide. Moving forward, teachers will need to continue to be at the table where edu- cational decisions are being made, she said. As of June 16, the most recent data available, HISD had allocated roughly $614.57 million of its $1.16 billion in ESSER funds, which includes two separate packages called ESSER II and ESSER III. About $363 million of the funding has been spent so far. The remaining ESSER II funds must be allocated by Sept. 30, 2023, while the ESSER III funds must be allocated by Sept. 30, 2024, according to ESSER guide- lines. After that point, HISD will be on the hook to fund its compensation plan out of its own budget. The bigger picture The teacher salary increases were part of a ve-year stra- tegic plan House released in

Centrally funded

Campus-based

Tutoring

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning

$36M allocated

$83M allocated

$28.3M spent

$0 spent

Employee and teacher stipends

Wraparound services

$50M allocated

$11.4M allocated

$29.6M spent

$9M spent

Middle school student laptops

COVID-19/safe reopening

$34.3M allocated

$6.2M allocated

$11.6M spent

$2.6M spent

Houston ISD must allocate all ESSER II funds by Sept. 30, 2023, and all ESSER III funds by Sept. 30, 2024.

Learning loss ex spending

Air ltration systems

$4M allocated

$34.1M allocated

$3.3M spent

$27.2M spent

Fine arts and supplies

Postsecondary exam prep

$22.2M allocated

$2.6M allocated

$15.7M spent

$586K spent

HISD chapter of the Federa- tion of Teachers. “If you want students to learn and you want students to feel safe and appreciated, you have to do the same thing for sta.” However, several trustees, along with Superintendent Millard House II, were quick to point out that the raises were made possible in part thanks to one-time federal coronavirus relief dollars through the federal Elemen- tary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program. If signicant changes are not

potentially the consolida- tion of schools. Budget overview The adopted $2.26 billion budget is expected to result in a $31 million decit in FY 2022-23, according to dis- trict information. About $102 million in one-time ESSER funds are being used to plug holes, including $52 million to pay salaries. Another $50 million will be allocated to indirect costs, including as discretionary money at the

made in the near future, the district faces a potential “s- cal cli” in the 2024-25 school year, House said. “These resources have allowed us to make major investments in our students and teachers, but we know that these funds are not perma- nent,” House said at the June 9 meeting. As they work through fed- eral relief dollars, district lead- ers are looking into ways they can save money down the line, a process that will include cuts to central oce funding and

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