A majority of Houston ISD classrooms under the district’s new special education program, which debuted with the start of the 2026-27 school year, have met the district’s goals for size, adult-to-student ratios and number of grade levels per class, district leaders said Sept. 10.

How we got here: HISD’s revamped Special Education Success Programs rolled out in the 2026-27 school year, which began on Aug. 10 for students, as previously reported by Community Impact.

The new programs reorganized classrooms for about 5,000 students who are enrolled in self-contained special education programs, which provide learning settings for students who need more support than a general education classroom can offer.

The impact: During the HISD board of managers’ regular Sept. 10 meeting, Deputy Superintendent Kristen Hole presented updated figures on the implemented programs. According to Hole’s presentation, HISD Special Education Success Program classrooms feature:

• 97% of classrooms with 15 students or fewer

• 95% of classrooms with ratios of 1 staff member per five or fewer students

• 22% of classrooms with 2 or more grade levels, compared to 56% last year

A new Tex-Mex restaurant will open in the Swift Building in the Heights. Escalante’s Tex-Mex, known for its fajitas and queso blanco, is expected to open in mid-October.

Respecting the craft: Owners Pat Torres and Kopi Vogiatzis opened the first Escalante's location in Houston in 1993 to honor the recipes of Torres’s grandmother, Barbara Escalante. It specializes in made-from-scratch cooking, using fresh produce that is delivered daily from farms in Texas, California and Mexico, and employing long-tenured kitchen managers, according to Escalante’s website.

Menu items include classic Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas, fajitas, flautas, empanadas and burritos.

Some background: The Swift Building is a historic industrial building that is currently undergoing redevelopment. Originally constructed in 1909 as a meatpacking plant and cottonseed oil refinery, it is now being redeveloped as a mixed-use complex for restaurants, small offices and retail.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the project is estimated to cost $1.6 million and include interior alterations to an empty 4,339-square-foot tenant space. Work began in May and is expected to be completed by Oct. 12.

• 621 Waverly St., Houston

Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones added a $1.4 million investment in county worker programs and a minimum wage raise for Harris Center employees to the county’s proposed budget Sept. 8.

The gist: Briones announced her $1.4 million proposal during a press conference an hour before the Harris County Commissioners Court met to discuss amendments to the county’s proposed $3.09 billion budget and tax rates.

The money would establish a $20 minimum wage for more than 200 Harris Center frontline employees, who deliver mental health and behavioral crisis services, according to a press release.

The investment would also go toward:

• Apprenticeship Advantage Program

• Harris County Consultation Policy

• Harris County Worksite Safety Policy

Zooming in: The commissioners court met Sept. 8 to discuss amendments to the proposed budget, along with the proposed tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year. The discussion comes as the county faces a projected shortfall of about $180 million.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out these trending stories across the southern portion of the Greater Houston area from Sept. 7-11.

1. Fulshear officials break down multifamily development growth

2. Ismaili Center debuts new all-day café showcasing global cuisine

3. 'Redefine what is possible': Kinder Children's Cancer Center secures $10M in development funds

4. Regional organizers revitalize buried study for Clear Lake water taxi

5. New Indian restaurant opens in Pearland

6. Missouri City proposes City Council and commission changes

Three candidates are running to lead the Texas General Land Office in the Nov. 3 election.

The overview: Democrat Benjamin Flores and Libertarian Neill Snider are challenging Republican incumbent Dawn Buckingham for the seat.

Buckingham ran uncontested in the March Republican primary, Community Impact reported, while Flores won the Democratic primary. Snider was selected as the Texas Libertarian Party's candidate during an April nominating convention.

The context: The state land commissioner manages 13 million acres of state lands, with duties such as allocating disaster recovery funds, leasing state lands to generate revenue for the Texas Permanent School Fund, preserving state landmarks such as The Alamo and overseeing several veterans programs.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.