A $80.9 million shortfall and two one-time stipends contingent on a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, were adopted June 22 as part of the Cy-Fair ISD fiscal year 2026-27 budget approval.

Long story short: The CFISD board of trustees approved and adopted the FY 2026-27 budget and staff compensation plan in a 6-1 vote, with trustee Christine Kalmbach opposed.

Two one-time stipends are included in the staff compensation plan, contingent on the board of trustees calling for a 12-cent maintenance and operations, or M&O, tax rate increase election, and its passing in November, as previously reported by Community Impact.

The details: The stipends would be paid by Feb. 28, 2027, per a news release, and vary based on employment type:

• $2,000 for full-time hourly and paraprofessional employees
• $1,000 for all other full-time employees

Houston Shock Volleyball officials said the volleyball school relocated to Spring Cypress Road from the West Houston area to provide easier access, shorter drive times and more opportunities for young athletes.

The details: According to officials the new facility features two full volleyball courts and is wheelchair accessible. In addition the facility allows Houston Shock Volleyball to offer enhanced programming and a consistent training environment.

What else?: In addition to club volleyball programs, the facility plans to host summer camps for athletes ages 6-16. Houston Shock Volleyball also offers a weekly open gym on Fridays from 6-8 p.m.

More renters in the Greater Houston area signed leases in May as available listings and prices dipped slightly, according to a June 17 report from the Houston Association of Realtors.

The breakdown: The number of rentable single-family homes in the Houston area fell by about 0.8% compared to May 2025, with 54 fewer new listings to choose from, according to the monthly rental market update. Additionally, the number of signed leases increased by 5.2%.

As for average lease prices, costs eased by 0.3% compared to last May, with the average price totaling $2,346 in 2026, the report shows.

Diving in: Meanwhile, townhomes and condos saw an increase of 8.2% in the number of leased listings and an increase of 0.5% in price.

What they’re saying: “In today's economy, many consumers are taking a more measured approach to major financial decisions, and renting remains an attractive option for some households,” said HAR Chair Theresa Hill.

Texas education officials gave preliminary approval June 23 to the state’s first mandatory reading list, which includes nearly 200 literary works that public school students would begin reading as soon as 2030.

The overview: The proposed list incorporates about a dozen stories from the Bible, including the tale of David and Goliath in second grade and direct biblical excerpts beginning in fourth grade. In total, students would be required to read more than two dozen texts in early elementary grades and about 10 literary works per year from sixth grade through high school.

What's happening: Members of the Republican-led State Board of Education voted 9-5 to cut several titles from the reading list June 23, following nearly eight hours of public testimony a day earlier.

More than half of those who testified June 22 asked the board to shorten the list, include more diverse authors and remove religious references. Others praised the SBOE for creating a list that they said would teach students about “American exceptionalism” and prioritize classical literature.