On March 26, four Houston ISD high schools and a prekindergarten program will be considered for a state-funded initiative that will give the schools more control over curriculum, hiring, assessments and calendars.

The overview: During the March 26 special meeting, HISD’s board of managers will consider whether four high-performing high schools and a district pre-K program can partner with various nonprofits to apply for Senate Bill 1882’s program. Schools participating in this program could receive $1,200-$1,400 more state funding per student.

In case you missed it: SB 1882 was approved by state lawmakers in 2017, and allows districts to partner with open-enrollment charter schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofits or government entities to help manage schools.

Slowpokes, a locally owned coffee shop, has opened its eighth location at Silver Street Studios, according to a March 16 news release from company representatives. 

What we know: The new location in Sawyer Yards can accommodate 126 guests and features a large patio, which can be used for neighborhood gatherings, such as pop-up fitness events and birthday parties, the release stated. 

On the menu: The coffee shop is known for its in-house roasted coffee and all-day breakfast items.

The menu also includes options such as biscuits, croissants and bagels as well as sandwiches and flatbreads. In addition to coffee, Slowpokes serves teas, specialty lattes, refreshers, craft beer and wine.

• 1501 Silver St., Building B, Houston

Following an hours-long March 19 public hearing, Harris County commissioners unanimously approved the acquisition of 8.9 acres of Hermann Park for the expansion of Ben Taub Hospital, one of only two adult Level I trauma facilities in the county.

The long-awaited vote comes after months of contention about whether or not Harris Health—the county's hospital system—should acquire the land by eminent domain, which grants local governments the legal power to use land for public use.

What happened: Commissioners authorized the condemnation March 19 after Harris Health officials confirmed that no "feasible alternative" exists for the $410 million expansion of Ben Taub's campus.

Why it matters: Ben Taub Hospital consistently operates beyond its 402-bed capacity, and officials expect emergency room demand to increase over the next several years as Harris County's population grows, Community Impact previously reported. Porsa said the hospital's ER regularly suffers from hours-long wait times due to chronic backlogs.

Looking forward: Officials expect to have legal possession of the land within 6-9 months and break ground on the project in late 2027. 

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out five trending stories in the Greater Houston area from March 16-20.

• Fleet Week Houston ship lineup announced
• Photos: Houston officials give HUD Deputy Director tour of new hub for individuals experiencing homelessness
• Houston Methodist announces $104M expansion in Cypress
• Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan to see final round of resident engagement in March
• See when these 9 Greater Houston-area water parks will open for the 2026 season

More than 229,000 students have applied to receive state funds for private education or homeschooling under Texas’ education savings account program, according to the state comptroller’s office.

By the numbers: State data indicates that the most applications have been submitted on behalf of students living in urban areas and the surrounding suburban communities. As of March 8, students living in Houston ISD’s boundaries led the pack with over 8,900 applications, followed by 6,700 applicants in Dallas ISD.

The data reflects how many students living in each district's boundaries have applied, including those not currently enrolled in a public school.

The background: State lawmakers created the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program in 2025.

Students accepted for the 2026-27 school year will receive $10,474 for private education or up to $2,000 for homeschool. Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000 each.

More details: Of the first 152,000 program applicants, nearly three-quarters were not enrolled in a public school during the 2025-26 school year, data obtained by the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency shows.