Supporting students: Special education growth sparks budget increases, recruitment efforts in McKinney ISD
📈 With nearly 1 in 5 McKinney ISD students now receiving special education services, district officials are focusing on ways to recruit and retain special education teachers.
The gist: McKinney ISD has seen a 65.8% increase in its special education student population in the last decade, according to data from the Texas Education Agency. Special education services can support students with various disabilities, such as autism or emotional and intellectual disabilities.
“It’s our obligation to educate every child in McKinney ISD regardless of any special needs they might have,” MISD school board President Amy Dankel said.
The impact: While officials don’t point to a specific cause for the increased special education enrollment, the growth has increased the district’s costs.
"As McKinney ISD continues to grow, so does our responsibility to ensure that every student receives the support they need to thrive,” Superintendent Shawn Pratt said in an emailed statement. “We have seen a significant increase in our special education population, and we are responding with expanded resources—including additional staffing, additional facilities, and increased budget allocations.”
Velocity Badminton offers skills training, court reservations in McKinney
🏸 Velocity Badminton recently opened in McKinney, a company representative said.
What they offer: The facility features 14 courts as well as observation areas for parents, the company website states. Badminton skills training sessions are offered for members and non-members will be able to reserve courts, the representative said.
Broken Yolk Cafe to bring brunch concept to Frisco, Plano, Allen with North Texas expansion
🍳 California-based breakfast, brunch and lunch chain Broken Yolk Cafe will open four new locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including eateries in Plano, Frisco and Allen, according to a Sept. 23 company news release. JP Wu and John Zhang, franchisees of the four new locations, have also purchased the franchise's existing restaurant in McKinney.
On the menu: The restaurant’s menu features a variety of breakfast items including seven types of egg Benedicts, pancakes, waffles, avocado toast, crepes, skillets and more. Lunch items include burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups.
Quote of note: “The coming locations will continue to target suburban cities in north [Dallas-Fort Worth], given the tremendous population growth and business expansion the area has seen in recent years,” Zhang said in the release.
FOODIE FRIDAY Check out these new restaurants and bars opening across the Dallas - Fort Worth area.
Andalous Fresh Mediterranean is slated to open in the first quarter of 2026, said Wassim Merched, founder of Andalous Mediterranean Concepts.
The modern, fast-casual eatery will feature a dining experience that combines buffet-style service with plated dishes. Cold items, including fresh dips, salads and toppings will be available buffet-style while proteins will be plated fresh from the kitchen, Merched said in an email.
“This location will serve as a prototype model for future growth opportunities, allowing us to perfect a scalable concept while delivering the same authentic Andalous flavors,” Merched said.
🍳 Broken Yolk Cafe to bring brunch concept to Frisco, Plano, Allen with North Texas expansion (Read more)
🍗 Former NBA player operating sports bar in his hometown of Fort Worth (Read more)
🍔 Burger Bro'z to bring smash burgers to Roanoke (Read more)
😋 Levant BBQ to offer smoked meat, family platters in Frisco (Read more)
Le Beef Steak & Frites recently opened in Plano’s Shops at Legacy North, a company representative said.
The French cuisine restaurant, which is owned and operated by brothers Alex Nunes and David Jeil, serves a prix fixe menu, including an artisan salad, 50-day wet-aged, USDA Prime top blade steak, signature fries and a proprietary Le Beef sauce. Other protein options include chicken and sausage. A vegetarian plate is also available.
Thousands of Texas businesses barred from selling THC to customers under 21
Many Texas retailers can no longer sell consumable THC products to customers under 21 years old after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved two emergency rules Sept. 23.
The overview: The new rules, which were drafted after Gov. Greg Abbott issued a Sept. 10 executive order requesting tighter THC regulations, apply only to retailers that sell alcohol. The rules state that businesses may not sell, serve or deliver consumable hemp products to minors and must check all customers' IDs before selling them THC products.
Zooming in: About 60,000 Texas businesses hold TABC licenses and will be prohibited from selling THC products to minors. Those businesses include bars, restaurants, liquor stores, grocery stores and some convenience stores.
However, the rule does not apply to THC retailers that do not sell alcohol or have a TABC license, such as smoke shops, gas stations or online sellers. The TABC and the Texas Department of State Health Services are working to determine how to best enforce age restrictions for THC retailers that do not sell alcohol, agency spokespeople said.
