Nine of the 12 schools closed by Houston ISD ahead of the 2026-27 school year could now be sold after the district’s board of managers declared the facilities “surplus" property during its Aug. 13 meeting.

Remember this: On Feb. 26, HISD’s board of managers unanimously voted to close 12 schools in June—a choice district leaders said would save HISD $14.6 million to $20 million, as previously reported by Community Impact. Seven of the schools closed permanently, while the remaining schools were co-located at a separate campus.

Diving in deeper: According to Aug. 13 meeting documents, the closed schools that were declared as surplus are:

• Alcott Elementary

• Briscoe Elementary

• Burrus Elementary

• Franklin Elementary

• Henderson Elementary

• Port Houston Elementary

• Ross Elementary

• Cage Elementary

• Fleming Middle

Stay tuned: According to HISD staff’s Aug. 13 presentation, the board of managers will need to approve potential sale transactions for the facilities before they are completed.

Spice in Heights, a new Mediterranean kitchen in the Heights, opened this summer. 

What’s on the menu: The restaurant offers shared plates inspired by the flavors of the Levant and North Africa. The restaurant’s menu includes mezze (shared plates) such as baba ghanoush, hummus, and falafel, as well as grilled meats, seafood and vegetable-forward dishes.

The menu was built by Executive Chef Kausik Roy, who worked in Mediterranean and North African kitchens. The menu incorporates traditional techniques, including house-marinated kabobs cooked over a grill and tagines, a popular North African stew, prepared in clay earthenware.

More information: Other dishes include lamb shank with a fennel-coriander reduction, house-baked flatbreads with pistachio butter and chicken samosa with pine nuts and Kalamata olives. Additional items include:

• Turmeric Cauliflower

• Jacket Sweet Potato

• Halloumi & Shishito Skewers

• Seared Red Snapper

One more thing: The restaurant also has a bar serving Mediterranean-inspired cocktails, a curated wine list focused on Old World producers, craft beer, spirits and non-alcoholic selections.

• 1111 Studewood St., Ste. A, Houston

Houston is on a shortlist of host cities for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup after city officials said they hosted a successful men's tournament. 

The big picture: At the Aug. 12 city council meeting, officials with the Harris County Houston Sports Authority announced that the city will bid on several upcoming major sporting events, including the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and several NCAA championships.

“We’re already working on what’s next: continuing to drive sports tourism and ensuring that Houston keeps that title of having hosted more major sporting events than any other city in North America,” said Ryan Walsh, CEO of the HCHSA.

Walsh said after factoring in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the HCHSA will have delivered more than $4 billion in economic impact in the region.

One more thing: FIFA officials will announce the host cities for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups at a later date this year.

Harris County commissioners are expected to discuss the budget and tax rate options for the upcoming fiscal year at an Aug. 17 special meeting, as the county faces a potential $178 million shortfall.

In a nutshell: The county’s Office of Management and Budget will present its proposed budgets and tax rates for the court to discuss and potentially take action on.

Diving in deeper: If commissioners decide to increase the tax rate more than 3.5%, according to the state comptroller website, voters will see the proposed rates on their November ballots. 

Before you go: Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. in Downtown Houston. The administration building is located at 1001 Preston St., Houston. 

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 Aug. 10-14.

Simply South opens Katy location: Simply South opened its new location in Katy, according to the restaurant’s website.

The restaurant features vegetarian dishes from throughout India including a range of soups, curries, biryani, as well as desserts and chai.

Thousands of Fort Bend ISD families apply for new education accounts: As Fort Bend ISD prepares for a new school year, district officials are waiting to see how the new Texas Education Freedom Accounts affect enrollment.

State lawmakers created the TEFA program in 2025, and accepted students will receive some funding for education opportunities that include: private school tuition and fees; tutoring and therapy; homeschooling; and other services.

The Texas Education Agency released public school accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year on Aug. 14.

"We use [A-F ratings] as a way to evaluate our own performance as adults, and then build action plans so that the way that we run our schools next year can be even better than last year," Education Commissioner Mike Morath said during an Aug. 14 news conference.

The overview: Across the state, 85% of campuses received a C rating or higher, which is considered “acceptable" academic performance.

Schools are rated based on three criteria: student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps.

Zooming in: At least one district, Austin ISD, is at risk of being taken over by the TEA after two of its middle school campuses received their fifth consecutive failing grades this year. State law requires the agency to shutter those campuses or take control of the district.

Any potential state-mandated closures or takeovers will not happen immediately, as districts with concerns about their ratings have through Sept. 11 to appeal scores to the TEA.

Community Impact is seeking input from residents in the Greater Heights area who would like to share their thoughts on the Greater Heights Strategic Connections Plan, which the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority is currently developing. We’d like to hear about priority projects for residents, current mobility issues and general thoughts. If you are interested, please reach out to [email protected]. Must be willing to speak on record.