Education
BY VALERIA ESCOBAR
Katy ISD to see $4.9M in system upgrades Katy ISD signed a $4.9 million agreement with contractor LECS for life safety and sys- tem upgrades at Franz Elementary, Rhoads Elementary and Seven Lakes High. Officials said the upgrades are a compo- nent of the district’s $806.56 million bond. The breakdown The work includes life safety system upgrades encompassing fire alarm systems, audio systems, master clock systems and emergency generators, officials said. Of the $4.9 million, which includes con- tingency engineering and design amounts, Seven Lakes High will see $2.45 million allocated, followed by: • Franz Elementary at $1.03 million • Rhoads Elementary with $1 million Moving forward The repairs are set to be completed before the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
Lamar CISD maintains low job vacancies Lamar CISD officials said achieving its 95% average full-time positions through competitive pay and career advancement opportunities offered through the district helps the district foster student success amid enrollment spikes. Chief Human Resources Officer Julia Andrews outlined the district’s current staffing landscape, recruitment efforts and retention strategies that have resulted in the district’s 11.5% turnover rate— nearly half of the state’s 20% rate—at the Nov. 18 board meeting. “These priorities form the foundation of our recruitment and retention strategy, ensuring that we not only attract the right people to [LCISD] but also create conditions that help them thrive and grow with us,” she said. The current situation Andrews said the district employs more than 6,500 staff members across all job categories, with fill rates averaging 95% districtwide. In the last three years, she said the district experienced more than a 25% increase in new hires, largely due to the opening of new campuses and enrollment growth. Administration and maintenance and operations positions were close to completely filled, per the presentation. However, paraprofessionals, transpor- tation and technical categories—including tech- nology specialists, graphic arts staff and learning and development staff—are still below the average vacancy rate. What’s being done Director of HR Courtney De La Torre said the district is strengthening its recruitment with
Fill rate for employment categories Most positions remain above the 95% rate except technical, transportation and paraprofessional rolls.
Administrators
99%
Maintenance and operation
99%
Child nutrition
98%
Other professionals
97%
Teachers
96%
Technical
93%
Transportation
93%
Paraprofessionals
91%
SOURCE: LAMAR CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
strategies including: • A $100 refer-a-friend incentive
• Hosting multiple annual job fairs at the district and attending job fairs across 15 college campuses • Alternative Certification Program Night Out, spotlighting alternative certification pathways De La Torre said in addition to maintaining a competitive pay structure, which positions LCISD among the top starting salaries in the Houston area, the district wants employees to have career pathways for advancement. Moving forward De La Torre said the district is working to improve its substitute teacher fill rate. Though it has increased from 70% to 74% from the 2023-24 to 2024-25 school year, De La Torre said it is still below the average fill rate of other positions.
Affected campuses Seven Lakes High School 1
3
CLAY RD.
2
Franz Elementary School 2
10
99
Jack & Sharon Rhoads Elementary School 3
N. WESTGREEN BLVD.
1
S. FRY RD.
N
TSTC opens $35M Transportation Technology Center
Transportation Technology Center
FARM-TO-MARKET RD. 2218
Texas’s transportation and industrial sectors, per the release. In March 2024, Bowling told Community Impact that the demand in the auto- mobile industry is caused by an aging workforce retiring and a larger need for electric vehicle technicians. How we got here The building was funded through the Capital Construction Assistance Projects under Senate Bill 52 during the 87th Texas legislative session in
Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus has opened a new state-of-the-art facility, representing a more than $35 million investment from the state in technical education and workforce development for the region. The over 100,000-square-foot Transportation Technology Center in Rosenberg will house the automotive, automotive collision and manage- ment, and expanded diesel equipment programs. These three fields are in high demand across
36
59
N
2021, per the release. Following a ground break- ing in November 2023, the building is now open to the public.
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KATY - FULSHEAR EDITION
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