Fort Bend ISD students score above the national average in most key academic areas.

In a nutshell: At an Oct. 26 meeting, district staff presented results from a beginning-of-year assessment focusing on Measure of Academic Progress scores, which measure student growth in math, reading and science skills.

Jaretha Jordan, deputy superintendent of teaching & learning, said students and campuses are growing across the district with 49 new campuses crossing the threshold of high achievement and growth in reading and 34 in math.

By the numbers: Math is mainly above the national average, which is the 50th percentile, but scores start dipping below the national median in eighth grade. Meanwhile, all grade levels scored above the national average in reading, except for 11th grade.

Science achievements remain consistently strong up to eighth grade, but the data dips below average in 10th grade biology.

Looking ahead: Staff will focus on closing the gap in high school classes and will focus on meeting specific students, Jordan said. 

Sugar Land officials will focus on supporting local power and reducing taxes during the 90th Texas Legislative Session.

What you need to know: At an Oct. 20 meeting, Sugar Land City Council approved the city’s priorities for the upcoming 2027 Legislative Session.

City officials will support bills that let local officials govern local topics as well as bills that reduce tax burdens on residents and businesses without reducing vital funding for public services, Intergovernmental Relations Manager Spencer Gutierrez said.

The framework: The city has a legislative task force full of community members who meet with city departments and review the city’s legislative agenda, Gutierrez said.

This session, city officials plan to:

• Work with legislators and partners before and during the session

• Ensure transparency and public engagement through the city’s legislative task force

• Help legislators understand the impact of bills on local government

Stay tuned: The 90th Legislative Session is slated to begin Jan. 12 and adjourn May 31; however, legislators might later go into special sessions to review additional bills.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County will offer complimentary rides to and from the polls on Election Day, Nov. 3.

How it works: To receive a free ride, riders must show their voter registration card to a METRO operator or fare inspector when boarding. Regular fares still apply during the early voting period, as the complimentary rides are only available on Election Day.

Available fare services for the offer include: METRORail, local bus routes, METROLift, curb2curb and community connector.

“Every voter deserves the opportunity to make their voice heard, and transportation should never stand in the way,” said METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock via news release.

One more thing: METRO leaders encourage riders to plan their trips using the transit authority's Trip Planner and to confirm polling locations before traveling. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

More than 4.5 million Texans cast ballots in the first seven days of early voting in the Nov. 3 election, state data shows.

The overview: From Oct. 19-25, 23.8% of Texas' 19 million registered voters had voted in-person or by mail, according to voter turnout data submitted by counties and reported by the secretary of state. This is slightly below early voting turnout at the same point in 2018 and several percentage points above turnout in 2022.

Some context: Turnout this fall follows voter enthusiasm during the March primary election, when more Texans voted early than in recent primaries. In total, about 4.5 million people—or one-fourth of voters registered at the time—cast ballots in Texas' March election, setting a primary turnout record.

At the polls: Registered voters can visit any polling place in their county through Oct. 30, the last day of early voting. Election Day is Nov. 3. Texans can read Q&As with dozens of candidates, find local polling sites and print a custom sample ballot at communityimpact.com/voter-guide.