8 new mobile STEM labs to visit 270 Texas school districts this school year
Education in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, may become more accessible for Texas public school students this school year.
What happened: Officials from national education nonprofit Learning Undefeated and the Texas Education Agency celebrated the opening of eight new mobile STEM labs at a Sept. 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony in Austin. The TEA-funded labs are expected to visit 270 school districts across the state in the 2025-26 school year.
Notable quote: “In an ever-changing world, access to STEM education remains critical to help prepare our students for career pathways and lifelong success,” said Alejando Delgado, TEA deputy commissioner of operations.
The overview: Learning Undefeated built eight new mobile STEM labs after receiving a $3.5 million grant from the TEA, according to Learning Defeated information. The organization opened its first mobile STEM lab in Texas in 2020.
The nine regionally-based labs will now visit elementary and middle school campuses across the state’s 20 educational service center regions. Kindergarten through eighth grade students may participate in a variety of STEM activities to learn engineering design.
Council approves extension to Impact Way in Pflugerville
Pflugerville City Council approved a $5.8 million agreement with Patin Construction for a road project to reduce congestion near East Pecan Street and SH 130, as well as to open up land for future development.
The overview: The project, which is being managed by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation, will create a connection from Helios Way to SH 130, as well as extend Impact Way further south.
“So instead of FedEx and other large trucks going out and competing on Pecan Street, for traffic concerns, now they’ll be able to come in and out from the service road for [SH] 130,” said Jerry Jones, executive director of PCDC. “So that’s going to create a little bit of a reduction in the congestion that you see right there where Impact [Way] and Pecan intersects.”
Southwest Airlines has laid claim to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, pursuing a lease agreement with the city for up to 18 gates in the planned Concourse B.
“This is really important for us, because this is a pivotal moment to be that airport with what I call ‘Southwest 2.0’. The company is going through a lot of changes, and it's really great to have them invest in [Central Texas],” ABIA CEO Ghizlane Badawi said.
The details: On Aug. 28, City Council approved an agreement allowing the Department of Aviation to move forward with negotiations and lease agreements with commercial airlines and cargo carriers for future facilities. That same day, Southwest told Community Impact it’s aiming to add more gates at ABIA.
“Southwest is eager to be the anchor tenant of the new Concourse B, with up to 18 leased gates upon execution of the new agreement,” a spokesperson said.
Delta Airlines is also expanding in Austin, opening a permanent flight attendant base in October.
