Pearland - Friendswood Edition | December 2024

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Pearland Friendswood Edition VOLUME 11, ISSUE 1 DEC. 13, 2024JAN. 15, 2025 A N

Special education enrollment grows

A Friendswood ISD student participates in Apple Day, where students receive hands-on learning about apples, in special education teacher Alexis Young’s class on Sept. 26.

COURTESY FRIENDSWOOD ISD

Alvin, Friendswood, Pearland ISDs look to state to help with funding, programming costs

Districts are looking to allocate more resources and hire more professionals into its special educa- tion programming, district ocials said. Districts and advocacy groups are looking to the state for more help on funding and programming.

enrollment data from the Texas Education Agency. Despite this, special education enrollment from 2014-15 to 2023-24 has increased by nearly 47% in PISD, and by nearly 78% in FISD, TEA data shows. In AISD, ocials said the district’s special educa- tion enrollment has more than doubled.

BY HALEY VELASCO

The number of students enrolled in special education across Texas has risen sharply. While Alvin ISD’s overall student enrollment is growing, enrollment for Friendswood and Pearland ISDs has stagnated in recent years, according to

CONTINUED ON 20

Also in this issue

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Government: Read about the bills led by local representatives on the rst day of ling ahead of the new legislative session (Page 8)

Nonprofit: Learn what the Pearland Neighborhood Center does to help the community throughout the year (Page 27)

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Impacts

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Manvel

3 Spacio.us The business specializes in office space, whether it’s for short-term or long-term needs. Other options on its website include a podcast room, conference rooms and an event space. • Opened in August • 2880 Broadway Bend Drive, Ste. 3, Pearland • www.spacio.us 4 FYZICAL West Pearland FYZICAL offers services like orthopedic rehabilitation, pediatrics, balance therapy and occupational therapy. The business has more than a dozen locations in the Greater Houston area, as well as locations across the country. • Opened Oct. 30 • 10015 Broadway St., Ste. E, Pearland • www.fyzical.com

5 Rebel Pilates The business offers private and group class sessions using bands, toning balls, stability balls, fitness rings

Now open

1 Divizion Barber Co. The barber shop offers services such as haircuts, beard trims, designs and other packages related to those services. • Opened Sept. 17 • 1930 Pearland Parkway, Ste. 124, Pearland • Booksy: Divizion Barber Co. 2 Tiny Cantina The business serves margaritas, daiquiris, seltzers, ciders and beers, among other items. The location is the bar’s ninth one in Texas. • Opened Oct. 4 • 500 Baybrook Mall Drive, Friendswood • www.tinycantinaus.com

and foam rollers. • Opened Nov. 1 • 3695 Kirby Drive, Ste. 125, Pearland • www.nbpilateswellness.com

6 Pearland Automotive The business specializes in diagnostics work but offers services including automotive repair, alignments, transmissions and oil changes, among other services.

• 6073 Broadway St., Pearland • www.pearlandautomotive.com

7 Essential Vision Center Headed by optometrist Nicola Shatleh, the center provides evaluations for glasses and contacts, including

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specialized contacts for those who struggle with regular contacts. The center also treats myopia control, dry eye, glaucoma and macular degeneration. • Opened Nov. 2 • 19804 Morris Ave., Ste. 120, Manvel • www.essentialvisioncenter.com 8 Pearland Coffee Roasters The new spot has a similar menu as its first location and a drive-thru. Items include coffee beans such as Peru decaf, Palo Alto, black star and Colombia Medellin supremo. • Opened Nov. 8 • 1315 Broadway St., Pearland • www.pearlandcoffeeroasters.com 9 Revolt Tattoos Baybrook The tattoo and piercing shop has additional locations in The Woodlands, Salt Lake City, Utah and Las Vegas, Nevada. • Opened Nov. 9 • 500 Baybrook Mall Drive, Friendswood • www.revolttattoos.com 10 Gameday Men’s Health The clinic offers services to treat erectile dysfunction, shockwave therapy, hormone pellet therapy and testosterone replacement therapy. • Opened Nov. 12 • 3129 Kingsley Drive, Ste. 1640, Pearland • www.gamedaymenshealth.com 11 Caribbean Island Bites The specialty grocery store offers spices, snacks, drinks and other specialty items that celebrate Caribbean culture and cuisine. • Opened Nov. 16 • 8201 Broadway St., Ste. 150, Pearland • Facebook: Caribbean Island Bites 12 Catdaddy’s Famous Fried Fish The business opened a new food truck in Arcola. It serves catfish, wings, pork chops and shrimp, among other items. • Opened in November

• 5329 FM 521 Road, Arcola • Facebook: Catdaddy’s Famous Fried Fish

Now open

13 Simple Simon’s Pizza The restaurant serves a variety of pizzas as well as signature dishes, such as “The Original Calizone” and “The Great Stromboli.” • Opened Nov. 20 • 9700 Riverstone Ranch Road, Pearland • www.simplesimonspizza.com

Coming soon

14 7 Brew The Arkansas-based coffee shop has around 100 drive-thru locations across the country and will serve espresso drinks, shakes, smoothies, teas, sparkling waters and energy drinks. • Opening Jan. 6 • 236 El Dorado Blvd., Webster • www.7brew.com 15 Rocko’s Dive Bar & Texas Kitchen The dive bar will serve a variety of drinks, such as beer, a mix of cocktails and food. The business will have a kitchen, but no table service. • Opening in December • 1130 Broadway St., Ste. 114, Pearland, • www.rockostexasdive.com

18 Chingaari Located in Yogi India Grocers, the Indian restaurant serves dishes from both the north and south sides of the continent. Dishes include chicken tikka masala, saag paneer and samosas. • Opened Aug. 31 • 12155 Shadow Creek Parkway, Ste. 118, Pearland • 832-392-9653 reopened in a new location in Manvel in October. • 20514 Morris Ave., Ste. D, Manvel • Facebook: Stacey Jo’s 19 Pearland Chamber of Commerce The chamber received a five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 14, making it one of around 30 in the state of Texas to receive such a distinction.

In the news

16 East Bay Emporium Formerly known as Alvin Antique Center and Marketplace, the store reopened under a different name at a new location in Webster in October. The old shop in Alvin was open for 27 years prior to closing in February. • Reopened Oct. 1 • 1121 W. NASA Parkway, Webster • www.eastbayemporium.com 18 Stacey Jo’s Hair Salon Run by hair stylist Stacey Jo Jackson, the salon offers services for hair styling, cutting and cosmetology. It

• 6117 Broadway St., Pearland • www.pearlandchamber.org

20 City of Pearland and Visit Pearland The city was designated in November as the seventh Tourism Friendly Certified Community by Travel Texas. The city in recent years has invested more into growing its sports tourism industry. • 11200 Broadway St., Ste. 1390 Pearland • www.pearlandtx.gov

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Government

Local reps file 47 bills on 1st day of filing

Bill highlights

State Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton

Property taxes, parental rights and term limits are some of the legislative topics local state representatives in the Pearland-Friendswood area are hoping to tackle in the upcoming 2025 legislative session. The details Nov. 12 marked the first day state legislators could file new bills for the upcoming 89th legisla-

ticket through the internet or a mobile app. Currently, the law just prohibits doing so through a telephone. Meanwhile, soon-to-be State Rep. Jeffrey Barry, R-Pearland, did not file any bills on the first day ahead of his first legislative session, filings show. As of Dec. 4, Barry had not filed any bills, nor had he cosponsored any. What else? These bills have yet to be voted on or signed into law and are subject to change or be dis- missed entirely prior to approval. All told, more than 1,400 bills were filed across the state of Texas on the first day of filing, according to the state legislature’s website. Among those bills, lawmakers, particularly those on the Republican side of the aisle, have named school vouchers as a top priority this session, Community Impact previously reported.

HB 165: Lays out the framework to eliminate ad valorem taxes, or property taxes, in the state of Texas. HJR 44: Caps the number of term limits for state representatives and judges HB 375: Lowering the amount an appraisal district can increase the value of a home for tax purposes HB 196: Requiring school curriculum to teach that life begins at conception Total bills filed on Nov. 12: 40

tive session, which begins in January. On the first day, State Rep. Cody Vasut,

Texas Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston

R-Angleton, filed 40 bills on Nov. 12. Many of his bills dealt with limiting property tax increases for residents. Others include term limits, education and parental rights, and changes to procedures within the state legislature. Texas Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, whose district runs through much of northern Brazoria County, was party to seven bills filed on the senate side on Nov. 12. One of Middle- ton’s bills makes it illegal to purchase a lottery

SB 85: Creates a path for those on registry for abusing or neglecting children to come off the list after a length of time depending on severity of crime SB 116: Health care liability claims related to gender modification drugs or procedures SB 240: Requiring individuals who are using private spaces in state-run areas to use facilities based on their biological sex Total bills filed on Nov. 12: 7

SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Manvel retrieves $450K stolen from city coffers Roughly a month after $450,000 was stolen from the city of Manvel, law enforcement officials were able to retrieve it. Despite this, an investigation is ongoing and officials are still tracking down the parties involved in the breach. What you need to know Manvel Police Captain Rick Alvarado told Com- munity Impact on Nov. 19 the city was able to get the money back with the help of other agencies. In an Oct. 28 news release from the city announcing the incident, officials said the breach stemmed from suspects getting into the city’s email system. Officials said the suspects did not compromise or steal any information related to residents. Stay tuned The investigation is ongoing, Alvarado said.

Pearland approves $3.5M contract for Barry Rose facility Pearland City Council approved a contract for the Barry Rose plant totaling nearly $3.5 million for construction services. The gist The funds for this contract are not new and were part of the original budget for the project, officials said at the meeting. The contract now includes construction phase services, which could involve construction submittals and meetings, and other con- struction-related tasks, documents show. The background The project includes reconstructing and expanding the Barry Rose Water Reclama- tion Facility to pump 5 million gallons a day.

Breaking down stolen funds

Money is stolen, investigation begins, city begins locating funds

September

October

Investigators recover stolen funds

Investigation is ongoing November

$450K stolen and retrieved

$10.1M* in general fund balance

$15.8M in city’s general fund

“Transparency and accountability are paramount, and we will continue working closely with law enforcement to safeguard

our city’s resources.” DAN DAVIS, MANVEL MAYOR

* ESTIMATED FUND BALANCE AT END OF FY 2023-24

Meanwhile, city officials said in October they are hoping the incident helps to strengthen the city’s cybersecurity going forward.

Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

What comes next for Alvin ISD’s bond

Looking ahead

AISD Assistant Superintendent Rory Gesch said the first slate of projects for the bond will be upgrading security vestibules for nearly two dozen campuses across the district. These new vestibules will require visitors to present a form of identification and state the reason for being at the school through a transaction window with a receptionist prior to entering the office or school area. After that step, the visitor can be buzzed in. “[Previously] they came into the office and [presented identification] before they were allowed into the rest of the school,” Gesch said. The security vestibule project will potentially occur in three phases over summers 2025-27 to prevent disruptions during the academic school year, Gesch said.

• In the Nov. 5 election, nearly 61% of Alvin ISD voters approved a $380.1 million bond targeted at managing the district’s projected enrollment growth. This bond package consists of the following projects: • Two new elementary schools for $92M • One new junior high school for $88.2M • One replacement campus for $44.3M • Renovations and additions to Alvin and Manvel High Schools for $143.9M • A safety and security package for $14.1M • Land acquisition for $12.5M As of November and December, district officials are participating in preliminary meetings before the projects begin. Officials said the timelines provided leading up to the bond’s vote in November are still correct but could change over time.

Fall through end of 2024: Preliminary meetings to discuss design, timelines and site conditions begin Spring 2025: Bidding begins for security vestibule upgrades at 23 campuses Summer 2025: Construction begins for security vestibule upgrades, projected to be completed by summer 2027 Late 2025: Construction begins for first new elementary school Early 2027: Construction begins for Alvin High School expansion; completion of first new elementary school Mid-2027: Construction begins for new junior high school; renovations begin for Manvel High School Late 2028: Construction begins for second new elementary school Late 2026: Construction begins for replacement elementary campus

NOTE: THE DISTRICT SAVED $15M ON ITS LAST BOND, BRINGING THE $395M WORTH OF PROJECTS TO $380M FOR THE NEW BOND.

SOURCE: ALVIN ISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY HALEY VELASCO

FISD transfers $3.35M to capital projects fund Friendswood ISD’s board of trustees voted Nov. 11 to transfer a total of $3.35 million to its capital projects fund, which came from a surplus in its fiscal year 2023-24 budget. The overview The surplus for the FY 2023-24 budget totaled around $3.45 million, according to district agenda documents. The $3.35 million that trustees opted to transfer came from $1.6 million in surplus funds and $1.75 million of remaining maintenance tax notes, officials said. Officials said the $3.45 million surplus resulted from additional revenues and reduced spending in the overall budget. Stay tuned A portion of the new funds will be used to improve equipment at the district’s natatorium,

PISD votes no on AC in stadium bathrooms Pearland ISD’s board of trustees at its Nov. 12 meeting opted against buying mini cooling and heating systems worth $333,500 for the bathrooms at Pearland ISD Stadium. Had the board approved the item, the purchase would have been made through the district’s 2024 bond. What they said Board President Crystal Carbone said she believes that money could be allocated toward other items. “We’ve been in existence in Pearland ISD since 1910, and we’ve never air conditioned or heated our restrooms at the stadiums,” Carbone said. “I understand that it’s a creature comfort, but the cost of the short amount of times that we use those facilities, I’m not sure that this is a good investment.”

Friendswood ISD's FY 2023-24 budget reconciliation

Budgeted Actual

Tax revenue $33.16M $31.34M State revenue $20.14M $24.11M

Local revenue* $2.63M $3.86M Other resources $4M $4.2M +5% Federal revenue $474,938 $321,751

-5.49%

+46.77%

+19.71%

Teacher retirement system contributions $2.96M $3.4M +14.86%

-32.25%

SOURCE: FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: LOCAL REVENUE INCLUDES INTEREST AND DONATIONS

Superintendent Thad Roher said at the meeting. This will include resurfacing the pool, a new scoreboard and improving the powdered coating on the railing in the natatorium, Roher said. Projects are anticipated to begin in January.

AISD to add almost 6,000 more students by 2034 Enrollment at Alvin ISD has grown by more than 1% since the 2023-24 school year, and the trend is expected to continue, according to the latest enrollment projections presented at the board’s Nov. 12 meeting by Zonda Demographics. By the numbers Alvin ISD currently has just over 30,000 students enrolled. Forecasts project the district will have over 36,000 students by 2034, according to Zonda. More than a dozen schools are estimated to be overcapacity in that time. Diving in deeper Kindergarten enrollment is outpacing the number of births within the district, which is an indication that more families are moving into the area over time, according to Zonda.

Alvin ISD enrollment 40,000

35,512

25,000 30,000 35,000 0

29,727

+19.46%

SOURCES: ALVIN ISD, ZONDA DEMOGRAPHICS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Transportation

Smith Ranch Road to undergo widening project in December

Construction to widen Smith Ranch Road near FM 518 to Hughes Ranch Road will begin in December after Pearland City Council approved a construction contract for the project. The approval comes nearly a year after the city approved the project’s design plan. The details On Nov. 18, Pearland City Council voted unani- mously to award a $6.6 million contract to Hous- ton-based Texas Sterling Construction for the road’s expansion, which is part of the city’s thoroughfare plan approved in 2018. The project will replace the 3,250-foot stretch of road from a two-lane asphalt roadway to a four-lane concrete curb and gutter-divided roadway with raised medians, including storm sewers, sidewalks and landscaping, according to city documents. Additionally, around 5,700 feet of fiber optic cable will be installed for the West Pearland Community Center as part of the project.

How we got here Community Impact previously reported the project would begin its bid phase in September 2023 with construction beginning in early 2024, but City Manager Trent Epperson said the project’s progress lagged due to the time it takes to coordinate with the various federal and state sources of funding for both the project and related land acquisition. In July 2013, the Houston–Galveston Area Council designated that the city would fund 20% of the project costs while the remaining 80% would be sourced from federal and state funds, including The Federal Surface Transportation Program–Metropol- itan Mobility and Texas Mobility Fund, which exist to advance transportation projects in urban areas and across the state. About the project In October 2016, the city authorized Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation, which was acquired by

288

518

Gannett Fleming in March 2024, to prepare a con- struction plan for the widening project, which was completed and approved by the city in December 2023, according to city documents. Looking ahead The construction will start in December and take a year to complete, according to city documents.

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BY RACHEL LELAND & JAMES T. NORMAN

Manvel discusses upcoming road projects for 2025

Roads receiving asphalt overlay

Gravel to asphalt

OLD CHOCOLATE BAYOU RD.

Pearland OKs design contract for Hughes Road Pearland City Council approved a $1.43 million contract to prepare construction plans for widening Hughes Road between Pearland Parkway and Pearland’s city limits. What you need to know The work calls for widening the road from two lanes to four, along with other elements, such as curbs and gutter, a sidewalk, a raised median and stormwater system, and traffic signals at the Hughes Road and Alexander Ridge Lane intersec- tion, documents show. The contract, which is with Ardurra Group Inc., shows roughly half the funds tied to the contract will go to design. Much of the remainder will go to additional services, such as surveying, and various protections. Manvel is almost done converting several streets in town from gravel to asphalt and will continue work on a number of roads throughout the city going into 2025, according to documents from the city. The details Once the roads being converted from gravel to asphalt are wrapped up, the city will move to its second phase, which will consist of asphalt over- lays across 17 different roads beginning in January.

Both phases in total will cost around $3.4 million, City Manager Dan Johnson said Nov. 18. What’s next? The third phase will likely consist of side- walks and signals but won’t begin until the late summer, according to a timeline from the city. Officials anticipate having around $6 million to spend on these projects. City Council could consider a plan for the third phase in January or February.

CHARLOTTE ST.

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PINE ST.

REED LN.

BOOTH LN.

FM 518 project study to wrap up soon With a study related to the widening of the FM 518/Broadway Street corridor wrapping up soon, officials held one final public meeting related to it on Dec. 3. The full story Following the meeting, officials expect final recommendations for the project to be ready in February, according to documents from the Houston-Galveston Area Council, or H-GAC. The scope of the recommendations will determine both the work and timeline. Officials said some of the goals are to improve safety, mobility and reduce congestion, among other goals. The project runs from McLean Road to Edgewood Drive, H-GAC documents show.

CLEAR CREEK

What else? The timeline calls for a year of design and a year or so for construction, with work expected to wrap up in June 2026, city documents show. As part of an agreement approved in January, Harris County will contribute about $4.86 million for the project, documents show.

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PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

Election

BY JAMES T. NORMAN

Brazoria County sees slightly lower voter turnout rate compared to 2020

Diving in deeper

The percentage of total votes that came from early voting in 2024 eclipsed every year prior except for 2020, which had both more total early votes and saw early votes make up a larger share of total ballots cast, county and state data shows.

Voter turnout in terms of total ballots cast reached what is likely an all-time high for Brazoria County in the 2024 general election, according to data from the county. Official election results from Nov. 19 show Brazoria County had 162,766 total votes during the 2024 general election. The county this election cycle logged 251,627 registered voters in its results. Both numbers are the highest totals for Brazoria County dating back to at least 1988, according to data from the Texas Secretary of State’s website. However, this year’s turnout rate, or the percentage of registered voters who cast a ballot in the November election, was the third highest since 1988, data shows.

Voter turnout for Brazoria County Voter turnout

Voters who didn't cast ballots

2004 93,248

57.74%

Percentage of total votes cast early

2008 104,940

60.98%

82.7%

2012 106,423

59.62%

80% 60% 40% 20% 0 100%

2016 120,911

61.53%

23.46%

2020 154,037

68.69%

2024

162,766

64.69%

0 50K 100K 150K 200K 250K

SOURCE: BRAZORIA COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

SHADOW CREEK 11023 Shadow Creek Pkwy (281) 977-1027

PEARLAND 10555 Pearland Pkwy (713) 987-9205

ALMEDA 11130 Gulf Fwy (713) 910-3941

FRIENDSWOOD 3126 FM 528 (281) 648-5473

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Events

BY ASIA ARMOUR

December

Cookies with Santa Pearland Bicycles hosts this Christmas-themed outing for children. The event will feature holiday cookies and photo opportunities with Santa Claus.

• Dec. 18, 5-7 p.m. • Free (admission) • 2819 Cullen Parkway, Ste. 112, Pearland • www.pearlandbicycles.com

Christmas cookie decorating class Sweet Em’s Cookies and The Sparkly Elephant Sewing Lounge brings Friendswood residents this festive workshop at The Sparkly Elephant’s location. • Dec. 21, 10:30 a.m.-noon • $60 • 301 W. Edgewood Drive, Ste. 14, Friendswood • www.thesparklyelephant.com Pearland Town Center Vendor Fair Pearland Town Center will host this holiday vendor market, which features shopping, performances, food and activities. The event will have local craftsmen, artisans and vendors selling treats and other gifts. • Dec. 21, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. • Free (admission)

A Grinchy Christmas The Alvin Senior Center is the location for this social holiday event, which features photos with the Grinch, hot cocoa and treats, shopping with local vendors, food trucks, activities for children and an ornament exchange.

• Dec. 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • 309 W. Sealy St., Alvin • Facebook: The Enchanted Cottage

• 11200 Broadway St., Pearland • www.pearlandtowncenter.com

NYE Cruise Car club Space City Mustangs invites Mustang owners to ride around The Piney Woods for a New Years Eve- themed drive.

• Jan. 5, 6 p.m. • Free attendance with RSVP • 9330 Broadway St., Ste. 216, Pearland • Facebook: Dance Vision Studios - Pearland

Reviseur Cognac tasting Total Wine & More hosts cognac company Reviseur for

this tasting event. • Dec. 23, 4-7 p.m. • Free (admission)

• Dec. 29, 10 a.m. • Free (admission) • 18018 Hwy. 3, Webster • Facebook: Space City Mustangs

Rodeo High Tea & Fashion Show The Teaspoon by Day Cocina teahouse hosts this wearable art fashion show with artists J. Howard and Kelly Kathleen. Attendees will construct an outfit with accessories and receive complimentary mimosas. • Jan. 12, 2-4 p.m. • $50 • 2625 S. Loop 35, Ste. 191, Alvin • www.theteaspoonbydaycocina.com

• 10322 Broadway St., Pearland • Facebook: Reviseur Cognac

Beads & Brunch One Glance Jewelry Supply and Design will host this free event, which features crafting and socializing. • Dec. 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. • Free (admission) • 607 S. Friendswood Drive, Ste. 30, Friendswood • www.oneglancejewelry.com

January

Twelfth Night Celebration To celebrate its grand re-opening, Pearland ballroom dance studio Dance Vision Studios will host a formal masquerade party this holiday season.

Start the New Year by joining Meal Plans | Workouts | Events | Meditations

PEARLAND - FRIENDSWOOD EDITION

From the cover

Special education enrollment grows

The overview

Special education as a portion of total student body

Alvin ISD Friendswood ISD Pearland ISD Texas

There are several ways a student can be eligible to receive special education services at AISD, FISD and PISD, according to each district’s respective special education website. Among those include a child having autism, deaf- blindness, an intellectual disability, a health impairment, a speech or language impairment, or a specific learning disability. While each district offers services such as speech therapy, early childhood special education and occupational therapy, AISD, FISD and PISD partnered up to establish a Therapeutic Education Center, or TEC, beginning in the 2023-24 school year, according to FISD’s website. The TEC serves students with autism, low incidence disabilities, an emotional disability that requires extensive self-contained support for behavior, and for students with significant behavioral difficulties with needs that can’t be met by their district, said Lisa Nixon, assistant superintendent of educational services at PISD.

18%

2014-15 9% 8% 9% 8%

15%

12%

15% 15% 13% 14% 2023-24

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Special education as a whole has been a challenge for Texas, as the state in recent years has expanded how many students qualify for

special education, according different special needs advocacy groups. This has increased the number of students districts must serve.

Diving in deeper

By the numbers

adjustment allotment for special education stu- dents, the adjustments are weighted differently based on the accommodations an individual student receives, TEA documents show. Furthermore, school districts must spend at least 55% of the ADA allotment for the special education department, according to the TEA.

Students with disabilities who are part of general education classrooms and instruction are calculated in the average daily attendance, or ADA, allotment from the state, which has been $6,160 per student since 2019, according to TEA documents. While the TEA gives school districts an

To meet demand, PISD has spent nearly $300,000 since the start of the 2024-25 school year on 11 additional personnel for special education, including teachers, aides and bus monitors for special programs, according to district documents. While additional staff members have not had to be hired for AISD or FISD, FISD’s Executive Director of Special Education Dahria Driskell said she believes state funding and staff attrition need to be a priority in the upcoming legislative session.

Alvin, Friendswood, Pearland ISD's special education allotment from state of Texas

2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 Alvin ISD

Full-time equivalent special education staff at Alvin, Friendswood, Pearland ISDs

$24.13M

$26.74M

$30.18M

2023-24 2022-22 2021-22 Friendswood ISD

$5.13M

Alvin ISD 752 749 836 918 1074 Friendswood ISD 174 194 168 178 198 Pearland ISD 353 362 392 386 409

$5.71M $6.02M

Percent change since 2019-20 Alvin ISD 42.81%

2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 Pearland ISD

$15.23M

Friendswood ISD 13.79%

Pearland ISD 15.86%

$16.68M

$18.42M

*THE TOTAL STAFF COUNT FOR THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED. NOTE: DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAID THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF FULL-TIME SPECIAL EDUCATION EMPLOYEES MAY DIFFER FROM DATA REPORTED TO THE TEA DUE TO CODING DISCREPANCIES. SOURCES: PEARLAND ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT • STAFF COUNTS FOR ALVIN AND FRIENDSWOOD ISDS WERE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE TEA.

$5M $10M $15M $20M $25M $30M $35M

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY HALEY VELASCO

Zooming out

Looking ahead

Special education has been a challenge for Texas, said Jolene Sanders, advocacy director for Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, an advocacy organization for people with disabilities, according to its website. The state has seen a spike in students needing special education, which came after a series of investigations and lawsuits dating back to the late 2010s that found Texas was not providing special education services to enough students, Sanders said. Previously, Texas had what officials considered a cap on the number of students a school district could classify as needing special education at 8.5%, Sanders said. Since removing the cap in 2017, that number across the state has increased from around 9% of students in the 2017-18 school

year to 14% during the 2023-24 school year. For the U.S., the average number of students receiving special education services is 15%, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. From 2017-21, Texas saw a 21% spike in students needing special education, TEA data shows, the highest increase of any state. The second-highest increase was less than 12%, and the national average was 3%. Sanders said this correction has not only led to more students in special education but has created funding challenges. Advocacy group Disabilities Rights Texas noted in a 2023 report that school districts funded $6.3 billion worth of special education programs in 2020-21, of which the state paid for $4 billion, creating a $2.3 billion gap.

The TEA does a systematic review of every school district’s special education department over a six-year time period, according to the TEA. While FISD will have its review in January, Driskell said the district has already partnered with Region 4 Education Services Center—a service center for Greater Houston area school districts, which assists school districts in improving and operating more efficiently and economically— and TEA liaisons to learn more ways to improve its special education practices, including trainings and audit practices. PISD will have its review in spring 2025. Nixon said in a previous review from 2018, TEA highlighted the district for its “data-driven decision making, as well as inclusive practices and supporting families.” Meanwhile, AISD, FISD and PISD officials and special needs advocates said they’re looking to the upcoming legislative session in January and hoping for some changes to both funding and the special education model. Sanders said she believes the current model, which bases much of the funding districts get on the physical placement of a student, is “woefully inadequate.” Instead, advocates are looking to a service intensity model, which would base services for individual students around their specific needs—and providing funding based on that. The 2023 legislative session did not net much in the way of public education funding, Sanders said. The base student allotment of $6,160, which has been the amount since 2019, remained in place. Many other funding bills were also left on the cutting-room floor due to, in many cases, officials attaching items to them that didn’t receive as much support from the legislature, such as school vouchers. “The [current] model hasn’t been revised in over 30 years,” Sanders said. “[Legislators] are fighting back and forth because everyone wants their bills passed and their priorities. And somehow special [education] funding ends up being a bargaining tool. And nobody has won so far.”

Increase in special education students by state

KEY

States that decreased

+0-5%

+5.1-10%

+10.1-15%

+15.1-20%

+>20%

Texas is the lone state in the country to increase its special education enrollment by over 20% from 2017-21.

+21%

Texas made up more than half the national growth in special education students from 2017 to 2021.

+106,000 additional students in Texas

The nation saw an average of 3% growth in special education students from 2017-21.

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

In their own words

and evolving?” Landingin said. PISD parent Leigh Ann Cutting, who also has a child in the district’s special education program- ming, said she looks for ways to accommodate her child’s specific needs. Her child has been in special education since pre-K as well, she said. “I’m generally content with the services,” Cutting said. “However, I do wish there were more unique and innovative opportunities for students who learn at grade level, but in different ways.”

PISD parent Maria Landingin has a child who’s been in special education programming within the district since pre-K. She said she has concerns on a statewide level for funding and a lack of resources from the state. “[My child] needs speech [therapy] more. He needs longer sessions, but when you have 50 to 60 kids in the school, how is that one therapist supposed to provide enough support for all these kids on an ongoing basis to where they’re growing

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