McKinney ISD officials said the district does not have enough funds to comply with the new state-mandated seat belt bill.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Dennis Womack gave a presentation on how Senate Bill 546 will impact the district at a May 18 meeting.

The big picture: Senate Bill 546 was passed during the 89th Texas Legislature and requires all buses owned or operated by school districts to have three-point seat belts for every passenger. School districts must comply with this new law by Sept. 1, 2029.

The current situation: It would cost just under $6 million to replace all MISD buses that don’t have three-point seat belts, while retrofitting buses that don’t meet state requirements would cost $1.2 million, Womack said.

Based on current budget projections, the district does not have the resources to implement this bill without impacting current operations.

The Nature School of McKinney, a private school, will welcome its first group of students this fall, owner Fiona Marron said.

The McKinney school is the second location and an expansion of the Nature School of Fairview.

The setup: Marron opened the Nature School of Fairview in August 2020 in a residential home that was converted into a school. The Fairview school has grown over 6 years to have 100 students, which she said is the facility’s capacity, driving the need for a second location.

What they offer: Both school locations serve children ages 3-11 in mixed-age, small group classrooms, and incorporate nature-based learning with curriculum that aligns with Texas Education Agency’s Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, guidelines, Marron said.

Quote of note: “There is nothing quite like this,” Marron said of the school. “It's a very, very unique type of place and a very unique type of education.”

• 7145 Armadillo Ridge Road, McKinney

Stay informed on five transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Legacy Drive improvements
Project: The project will widen Legacy Drive to four lanes between Carey Road and Punk Carter Parkway and make improvements to the intersection of Legacy Drive and FM 428.
Update: Celina City Council approved a two-year contract for detailed design services at a May 12 meeting.

• Timeline: estimated completion December 2030
• Cost: $2.6 million
• Funding source: city of Celina

• Timeline: service starting late 2029
• Cost: $167 million
• Funding source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Trinity Metro, North Central Texas Council of Governments

Dozens of federal, state and local primary campaigns will come to a close May 26 as Texas voters cast ballots in the Republican and Democratic runoff elections.

How it works: Texas held its primary elections in March, with some races advancing to an overtime round, known as a runoff, after no single candidate picked up more than half of the vote.

On May 26, voters may see statewide offices, state legislative seats, redrawn congressional districts, the State Board of Education and county-level positions on their ballots. The winner of each runoff race will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.

At the polls: Polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 26. Voters in the following counties in Community Impact’s coverage areas can vote at any polling location within their county of residence: Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Brazos, Collin, Comal, Fort Bend, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson.

Registered voters in other counties are required to visit a polling place specific to their voting precinct.