Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles gave board members an overview of the results of the district’s fall 2025 staff survey during the board’s Nov. 13 meeting.

The details: Miles said the survey had a response rate of about 87%, noting it was sent out to 256 principals, 506 assistant principals and 8,495 teachers throughout the district. Overall, Miles said about 98% of principals and 82% of assistant principals believed the district was headed in the right direction.

A closer look: While Miles touted the positive responses from principals and assistant principals regarding the overall direction of the district, he said only 44% of teachers felt the district was headed in the right direction. For that same question, Miles said 35% of teachers had a neutral response and 21% said they believed the district was not headed in the right direction.

Also of note: Miles added roughly 77% of teachers also believe school leaders effectively communicate important information and 68% said they believed they receive adequate communication about district priorities and changes.

Goodwill Houston officials will host a grand opening celebration Dec. 9 to cut the ribbon on the new Goodwill Connect Center on Gessner Road.

What we know: According to a Nov. 10 news release, the center is designed to bridge "the opportunity gap" and help community members gain the skills they need to thrive in today's workforce, a mission that includes empowering individuals through education, career pathway training and access to job opportunities.

The release states that the center's programs will focus on repair and maintenance, information technology and clean technology. Participants will also have access to career readiness workshops, personalized coaching, community resources and job placement services.

• 8225 S. Gessner Road, Houston

A special runoff election for Texas' 18th Congressional District will be held Jan. 31, Gov. Greg Abbott announced via a Nov. 17 proclamation.

What's happening: As previously reported by Community Impact, 16 candidates ran in the Nov. 4 special-called election for District 18, including five Republicans, seven Democrats, three independent candidates and one Green Party candidate. The top two vote-getters—Democratic candidates Christian Dashaun Menefee and Amanda Edwards—received 28.9%, or 22,022 votes, and 25.55%, or 19,467 votes, respectively, per results posted on the Harris County Clerk's Office website.

As neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Menefee and Edwards will face each other once again in a special runoff election Jan. 31. Per the proclamation, early voting will run from Jan. 21-27.

Something to note: Voters should note the special runoff election for District 18 is being held separately from other Nov. 4 races that resulted in a runoff.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration on Nov. 17 lifted a flight reduction emergency order for 40 airports, including George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport.

What's happening: The FAA safety team indicated a steady decline in staff-trigger events in air traffic control facilities, such as delays and cancellations, and recommended that normal operations resume across the national airspace system, according to a Nov. 17 news release from the administration. 

According to previous Community Impact reporting, "high impact airports" such as IAH and HOU were ordered early November to cut flights by 10% in response to air traffic controller shortages due to the federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12. Federal employees, including air traffic controllers and some pilots, were not paid during this time.

One more detail: The FAA reported eight staffing triggers—an alert of insufficient staffing at an air control facility—Nov. 15 and only one on Nov. 16 compared to a record-high of 81 on Nov. 8, according to the release. 

Texans began receiving full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Nov. 14, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced. The renewed SNAP payments came after two weeks of delays due to the 43-day federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.

The overview: SNAP is a federally funded program that provides low-income individuals and families with monthly stipends to spend on groceries. The food assistance program ran out of funding Nov. 1, one month after the government shut down amid disagreements over federal health insurance subsidies.

The details: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks. Payments are issued on a rolling basis throughout each month.

“For SNAP clients who receive benefits on or after the 14th of the month, full benefits will be issued on their normal issuance date,” the HHSC website states. “SNAP clients who already received partial benefits will receive the rest of their monthly amount on or after Nov. 14.”