Despite the county’s rapid growth, many Fort Bend residents continue to struggle with basic health needs – particularly mental health services and prenatal care – according to a new study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute and UTHealth Houston.
From 1970 to 2024, Fort Bend County has transformed from a small outpost of 50,000 people to one of the most diverse and fastest-growing communities in the nation, now home to nearly one million residents. The county is also becoming wealthier: median household income rose from about $76,000 in 2010 to $105,000 in 2023, and the number of households earning more than $150,000 nearly doubled.
But prosperity has not erased inequality. The new community health assessment, based on 3,440 households, shows that poverty is also on the rise – with more than 80,000 residents living at or below the poverty line in 2023, up from 53,000 in 2010. While many residents report good physical health, significant disparities persist across race, income, and education, the assessment shows.
The study was led by three researchers: Dr. Stephen Linder of UTHealth Houston’s Institute for Health Policy, Dr. Daniel Potter of the Kinder Institute’s Houston Population Research Center, and Dr. Letosha Gale-Lowe of Fort Bend County Health & Human Services.
“The study was designed to capture a true picture of health across Fort Bend’s diverse and growing communities,” said Potter. “By using a scientifically drawn sample, we can be more confident the findings reflect both the resources and the challenges residents face.”
“The purpose of this assessment was to collect and analyze data that will further guide and support sustainable public health interventions tailored to Fort Bend County’s diverse and evolving population,” said Gale-Lowe.
The survey was available in English and Spanish, and it was conducted between Nov. 21, 2024, and Jan. 29, 2025.
Mixed picture of health
Most county residents rated their health positively. About 58% described their physical health as “good” or “very good,” and 21% said it was “excellent.” Still, roughly one in 10 adults reported their health as “poor” or “fair.” When asked about days of poor physical health, residents averaged 3.5 in the past month.
Education emerged as a strong factor: adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported just 2.4 days of poor health, while those with only a high school diploma averaged 4.7. By race,
SEE HEALTH PAGE 4
By Juhi Varma SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Fort Bend ISD has earned a “B” in the Texas Education Agency’s latest accountability ratings, up from a “C” the previous year, district leaders announced last week.
Fort Bend ISD Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Jaretha Jordan presented the 2025 accountability results to the FBISD board during its August 18 meeting, outlining the state and federal measures that shape how campuses are judged.
The TEA released the ratings on August 5 after a nearly two-year delay caused by a legal dispute.
“It’s my honor tonight to share that we have moved to a B rating,” Jordan said. “We have a lot of positive things to celebrate, but we also have to remain focused on ensuring all of our students achieve at a high level.”
Gains across campuses
The district’s higher rating reflects academic progress at campuses across grade levels. Sixty-eight percent of schools earned an A or B. Twenty-four campuses are now rated A and 30 are rated B. Twenty-eight schools improved by at least one letter grade, and overall, the number of campuses rated C, D or F decreased by 12.
From the 2023-24 to the 2024-25 school years, the district gained six A-rated schools, from 18 to 24; and gained six Brated schools, from 24 to 30. In the same period, there were three fewer C-rated schools, from 19 to 16; seven fewer D-rated schools, from 14 to seven; and two fewer F-rated schools, from five to three. Performance improved across all grade levels. At the elementary level, 37 out of
FORT BEND ISD WELCOMES STUDENTS TO THREE NEW CAMPUSES
By Juhi Varma SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Fort Bend ISD welcomed nearly 80,000 students back to school on Tuesday, August 12, for the 2025-26 academic year.
Mission Elementary and Aldridge Elementary are new additions to the district, while Ferndell Henry Elementary has been renovated and converted to serve elementary grades. The campuses feature updated technology, collaborative
learning spaces and energy-efficient designs, the district said in an email. All three projects were funded through the 2023 voter-approved bond program.
Campus size: 127,200 sq. ft.
Address: 16200 Beechnut St, Houston
Sub-principal: Sonya Smith
Watson
Enrollment: 425 students
Staff: 60
Mission Elementary Mission Bend and Mission Glen are now Mission Elementary. The Mission Bend Elementary building was demolished to make space for the new building, now named Mission Elementary. The Mission Glen Elementary building is currently not being used. The new school will serve the Mission Glen and Mission Bend neighborhoods.
Lamar CISD opens five new campuses amidst rapid growth
By Juhi Varma SPECIAL TO THE STAR
has seven color tracks, with each color track anchored by a flagship high school, followed by a junior high, a middle school, and several neighborhood elementary schools. (More information on Lamar CISD’s color tracks can be found at lcisd.org/91727_3.) In LCISD, secondary campuses in the same color track share a mascot, while their
of the new Green
Fort Bend ISD’s new Aldridge Elementary is named for alum Allen Aldridge, Jr., former NFL football player
Briargate Elementary property after that campus was demolished.
Courtesy Lamar CISD
Gene Thomas High School, one of Lamar CISD’s five new campuses, is named after Gene Tomas, who served the district for 37 years before retiring as principal of Foster High School in 2015.
Photo by Juhi Varma
Fort Bend ISD has earned a “B” in the Texas Education Agency’s latest accountability ratings, up from a “C” the previous year, district leaders announced last week.
within the Willowridge High School feeder pattern.
Campus size: 127,000 sq. ft.
Address: 15817 Blue Ridge Rd, Missouri City
Principal: Tara Garrett
Enrollment: 550
Staff: 52
Mascot: Allen Aldridge Jr.
Elementary Defenders
Motto: “Defending potential, advancing excellence with class and character.”
This was the motto of the school’s namesake.
Ferndell Henry Elementary
The Ferndell Henry Center for Learning was renovated and converted into Ferndell Henry Elementary School, serving elementary students for the first time. The existing structure was renovated to include learning spaces that meet the needs of younger students, said Maria Dipetta, FBISD’s communications director.
Additionally, the cafeteria and library were expanded, and a new wing was added to accommodate prekindergarten students and Extended Learning for before and after-school care.
“Our zoned neighborhoods are Sienna Point 1, 2, 3, Huntington Place, Southern Colony, Plantation Lakes, and Caldwell Ranch 1-4 and 8-10,” said Dipetta.
Campus size: With a new
16,141-square foot addition, new size is 86,141 sq. ft.
Address: 7447 FM 521 Rd, Rosharon
Principal: Stephanie Woodard
Enrollment: The campus has a capacity of 721 students, and current enroll-
ment is 580 students.
Staff: 77
Mascot: Ferndell Henry Rams
Motto: “Leading our Rams with Purpose and Positivity.”
Varma is a freelance writer. She can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
Water District Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate
The FORT BEND COUNTY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT NO. 66 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2025 on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. at SI Environmental LLC, 6420 Reading Rd, Rosenberg, TX, 77471. Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.
Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.
FOR the proposal: Alex Hemleb, Louis Imbrogno, Wade Purdy, Robert Woodhouse, Barbara Roberts AGAINST the proposal: None
The following table compares taxes on an average residence homestead in this taxing unit last year to taxes proposed on the average residence homestead this year.
Track. Haygood Elementary is part of the growing Purple Track. They serve the expanding community of families and students in the northwestern part of the district’s 385-square-mile territory, Cole-Hamilton said.
Fagert Elementary School (Green Track)
Address: 24735 Easton Ramsey Way, Richmond
Enrolled students: 716
Faculty: 55
Principal: Jearine Jordan
Mascot: Fox
Fagert Elementary is named after Alice Deanne Sbrusch Fagert, a popular teacher in the Richmond-Rosenberg area for 47 years.
Haygood Elementary School (Purple Track)
Address: 31620 Fulshear Bend Dr., Fulshear
Enrolled students: 748
Faculty: 42
Principal: Dr. Troy Bethley
Mascot: Hedgehog
The school is named in honor of husband-and-wife
James Richard and Marinella Haygood, who both taught in Lamar CISD. James Richard Haygood passed away in 2009, and Marinella Haygood in 2015. They are survived by three children and several grandchildren.
Secondary Complex 7, at 8020 Farm to Market Rd 723 in Richmond, is home to Tomas High School, Banks Junior High, and Bielstein Middle School. They will serve the neighborhoods of Lakes of Bella Terra, Westheimer Lakes, Lakemont, and some of Candela.
All three schools share Chomp the alligator as their mascot. Students at the new Tomas High School are mainly from Foster High School and Fulshear High School, with additional enrollment from surrounding areas.
Tomas High School (Green Track)
Enrolled students: 1,392
Faculty: 73
Principal: Lilly Rincon
School motto: GENE-rating Excellence. Every Gator. Every day.
“The first day showed that our Gator family is ready for a legendary year!” said Principal Lilly Rincon. A career educator, Rincon previously led Jefferson Elementary in Houston ISD for seven years and George C. Scarborough High School for two years before joining Tomas.
The new campus is named in honor of Gene Tomas, who dedicated 37 years to Lamar CISD before retiring in 2015. Tomas served at Bowie Elementary, Lamar Junior High, George Junior High, Lamar Consolidated High School, and Terry High School, before retiring as principal of Foster High School.
Banks Junior High (Green Track)
Enrolled students: 1028
Faculty: 47
Principal: Dr. Courtney Dickey The school is named after Ella Banks, a beloved LCISD bus driver for 40 years. Bielstein Middle School (Green Track)
Enrolled students: 514
Faculty: 23
Principal: Dr. Sherri L. Henry The school is named after the late Judge RH “Sandy” Bielstein, the first judge for Fort Bend County Court-atLaw No. 4. Bielstein died in 2017. Lamar CISD will open four more new campuses next year and has plans to build approximately 18 additional schools by 2030, Superintend Roosevelt Nivens said. Varma is a freelance writer. She can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
482-0216.
Courtesy Lamar CISD
Named for Judge RH “Sandy” Bielstein, Lamar CISD’s new Bielstein Middle School is part of Secondary Complex 7, at 8020 Farm to Market Rd 723 in Richmond.
Courtesy Lamar CISD Lamar CISD’s new Fagert Elementary is part of the Green Track and serves students in the northwestern part of the district.
Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
The former Mission Bend and Mission Glen elementary schools are now combined at the new Mission Elementary, located at 16200 Beechnut St., Houston.
Courtesy Fort Bend ISD
Ferndell Henry Elementary reopened its doors this fall after a full renovation.
EDITORIAL
To inspire, you must conspire
THE DEN – A fine night to relax. A cheap cigar, cheap brandy and, in the background, The Best of the Highlanders. (I love bagpipe music.) And now…Odd. Someone is ringing my doorbell. I open it to see a man in a trench coat, collar turned up, hat pulled low, dark glasses. He glances furtively around and whispers, “Michael lost his diesel.” Huh? “The mongoose is in Detroit.” I start to close the door. “Wait,” he says. “Isn’t this 505 Toxic Dump Drive?” Wrong. “That’s across the street. The Machiavelli house.” He frowns. “Then I’ll have to kill you.” Oh, Lordy, it’s him again, the town’s conspirator. “Look, Grassy Knoll, if that is your name, you keep hatching these ridiculous conspiracies and just because you want to believe them you keep spreading these twisted stories thinking other gullibles will buy in. You probably think Joe Biden stole the 2020 elections.”
“Other gullibles?” He pulls out a paper. “’Eightytwo percent of the country
WLynn Ashby Columnist
ASHBY2@COMCAST.NET
understands that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. That’s straight from Donald Trump himself. Said it on March 2, 2021, during a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina. If you can’t believe Donald Trump, who can you believe? Want more? A Umass Amherst Poll found that 30 percent of respondents believed Biden’s win was illegitimate. A Washington Post poll found 69 percent of respondents believed there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Their information source was Fox News. I rest my case.” I slam the door shut but begin looking into the conspiracy theories, which have been around but are growing. Remember the black helicopters? In the 1960s, the John Birch Society said that a United Nations force
Grief
ith absence comes an ache, almost like a pull inside us when someone’s presence in our world vanishes. This ache is none other than grief. Grief is a complicated feeling as it doesn’t just come from those who were closest to us. Sometimes it’s from those present for a flicker of time, some who drift through our lives that can leave us unexpectedly hollow. We find ourselves replaying small gestures and reliving moments wondering why their absence hurts so much even when their presence had faded so long ago. I felt this ache this August when I lost my aunt..
My Aunt Marka died August 1 at 10:32 a.m. I was not at her funeral. I was not there to comfort those grieving. I was not there to say my goodbye. I was simply not there. Instead, I was competing in a tennis tournament, surrounded by teammates and friends, while my family and friends were grieving together. I had called my mom crying and saying I felt like I should have
would arrive in black helicopters to bring the U.S. under U.N. control. Speaking of aviation, there was the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared in the ocean off southeast Asia in March 2011. No, it was not hijacked and flown to Africa, no matter what some conspirators claim, with too much time on their hands. Perhaps the greatest and long-lasting they’re-hiding-the-truth conspiracy is who shot JFK? More than 2,500 books have been published in whole or part on the Kennedy assassination. The best sellers contend the real assassins were sent by the CIA, Fidel Castro or Lyndon Johnson. Then we have the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination which generated “The Plot to Kill King” and similar fabrication.
Why are there so many conspiracy theorists? One guess: Money. Alex Jones’s website, InfoWars, made him a fortune, but then he claimed the Sandy Hook Elementary School murders of 26 children and teachers were a “false flag” attack by the government, that “no one died” the victims were “child actors.” Jones was successfully sued for defamation for $1.3 billion by the victims’ families. Then
we have Glenn Beck whose paranoia and conspiracies include the Boston Marathon Bombing Cover-up. Both Jones and Beck could do their radio shows and social media rants from anywhere. Where to find the most comfortable place with like-minded conspiratorial souls? Both chose Texas – Dallas and Austin. Such fakes are not harmless. On Oct. 30, 2016, a Twitter account claimed that the NYPD had discovered a pedophilia ring and sex trafficking linked to members of the Democratic Party, run from the basement of Comet Ping Pong, a restaurant in Chevy Chase outside Washington. The report also claimed that the restaurant was a meeting ground for satanic ritual abuse. On Dec. 4, 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch from Salisbury, North Carolina, arrived at Comet Ping Pong, where, he believed, the children were being held in a network of tunnels. He made his way to the kitchen, shot open a locked door, and discovered cooking utensils. He found no captive children in the restaurant’s basement; in fact, Comet Ping Pong doesn’t even have a basement. Uh-oh. My doorbell rings again. “The eggplant grows
in the spring. Jeffrey Epstein didn’t commit suicide. He was murdered by the Secret Service. That’s why Ghislaine Maxwell will be pardoned,” Grassy Knoll whispers. I question him about the Epstein client list that conspiracy promoters in the far-right had been telling us it was deliberately hidden. Attorney General Pam Bondi said it was “sitting on my desk,” then all of a sudden there was no such list. Grassy Knoll smiles. “What about Hillary Clinton leading the attack at Benghazi? And why did the press not tell us about Joe Biden’s senility? That was a massive cover-up conspiracy by the left-wing fake news.”
I have to stay calm. “The day you could walk into the Oval Office and question Biden’s mental capacity is the same day a reporter could. A reporter’s chance? Zero. You saw the same Biden that the press did, every rare news conference, every speech, every public appearance. Jake Tapper only got his sources after their boss left office. And I suppose COVID-19 was deliberately hatched in a lab by the Chinese to kill Americans.”
“Who told?” I thought of informing my paranoid and uninvited visitor that I
know Trump and others have claimed, without evidence (it’s always without evidence), that COVID-19 started in a Chinese lab. U.S. intelligence agencies have categorically said there was no chance that the virus was engineered in a lab. On the other hand, at the summit in Helsinki Trump said he believed Putin over Trump’s own intelligence agencies, so why bother?
“You know that Barack Hussein Obamas couldn’t be president because he was born in Kenya.” Is that yarn still around? Obama finally had to produce his birth certificate. He was born in Hawaii. Obama’s parents were in Kenya but sneakily placed notices in both Honolulu newspapers announcing his birth. But an old high school buddy sent me a photocopy of Obama’s birth certificate from something like the Royal Hospital in Nairobi signed by a doctor. There were problems including the fact that the hospital wasn’t even founded until years later and there was no such doctor.
“Good night,” I say and start to shut the door. Grassy Knoll replies. “Good night, Elvis.” Ashby conspires at ashby2@comcast.net
for someone not there
Eva K. Morris Youth Columnist
been there even if my aunt was not present in my life. I should have been there to say goodbye for her final rest. I should have been there to tell her I loved her. I was overcome with guilt, regret and the shame of being at a tournament so far away. Grief does not measure itself by how recently you have seen someone but rather from the memories tied to that person. For me, those memories with my aunt are still vivid: her giving me my very first makeup kit, sending me a huge basket of Japanese Cherry Blossom lotions and sprays, strawberry picking at Froberg’s Farm, and dancing all night at my cousin Sam’s bar mitzvah until she stopped, reached into her purse, pulled out hairspray, and fixed my hair like only an aunt could. Those little moments tied me to her and became the strings that grief pulled me by when she was gone. In Judaism, we believe the
n’shama, the soul, is tied closely with God. It carries not just life, but feelings of connection, love, and responsibility. That is why loss hurts so deeply, because of our soul. When a soul leaves this world, our own souls feel it, even if the person was not present in our daily lives. It is why I felt the weight of not standing at her funeral. My n’shama longed to show kavod, respect, to her n’shama. I also wrestled with the thought that she had struggled so deeply and never received the help she needed. I kept circling back to the idea that she was left to carry her pain alone, and that truth broke my heart. Even though I was not close to her in recent years, I could not stop thinking: What if I had done something, anything, to help ease her struggle? Grief has a way of whispering those “should haves” into our minds, making us feel like we failed someone we loved. Part of me knew it was unfair to put that pressure on me. After all, I was just a child when she began to drift from my life, and I could not have saved her from battles far larger than me. But another part of me, the part that loved her and remembered the warmth of those small memo -
rable moments we had, carried the weight of grief. When someone struggles in silence, their absence can feel even heavier. Because it is not just the loss of their life we are mourning, but now the loss of what could have been.
Two weeks later, my grandfather, whom I had no connection with, took his own life. I had not seen him, had not spoken with him, and yet I felt another sadness. It was not the same deep grief I felt for my aunt, but it was still there. The human soul cannot help but ache when we know someone was in that much pain. Even without a relationship, our n’shama reacts to another’s suffering. What I’ve learned is this: grief does not follow logic. It does not check the closeness of a relationship before it shows up. It rises because the soul knows connection, because memory holds weight. While grief is heavy, it can also become a way of honoring.
In Judaism, we believe the n’shama does not disappear; instead it returns to God, but its presence is never erased from the world. The Jewish soul doesn’t just feel loss, it also carries memory, meaning, and connection. That’s
why grief strikes so deeply, because our souls instinctively recognize the eternal ties between us and those we have lost. When someone we love leaves this world, the n’shama inside us aches, reminding us that love is not bound by time or distance. That ache can be painful, but it can also become holy. To grieve is to affirm that a life mattered, that the moments shared were not fleeting but lasting. My closure for my aunt has not come from standing at her graveside or being present at her funeral. It has come from telling her stories, from letting her memory shape my own soul, and from carrying her attitude into my life. I have come to understand that grief is not just about absence, it is about connection. The invisible threads that bind us to others, even when time, distance, or other weaken them. It is about the soul’s memory, which carries the echoes of laughter, the warmth of touch, and the imprint of love. For me, that is where my healing lives: in allowing my aunt Marka’s memory to guide me, in making sure her story does not fade, and in embracing the truth: love, once
given, is never truly gone. To remember is to honor. To tell the story is to keep the soul alive. As long as I hold her in memory, my aunt’s n’shama will never be absent from this world. I will always carry my aunt Marka with me. In the scent of cherry blossoms that transport me back to being a little girl, in the sweetness of strawberries that remind me of warm afternoons at Froberg’s Farm. In the times I need to live my life my own way and not care what others think, in the times I need to stand up for myself and get what I need no matter what. Those are not just memories from childhood; they are small acts of love that continue to live within me. Remembering is how the soul keeps another soul alive and I will continue to make sure her memory lives on.
Morris is a Ridge Point High School student, class of 2027, a varsity tennis player, and an active member of JCC Maccabi Houston.
If you are a Fort Bend County high-school-age student (public, private, charter, or homeschool) who might be interested in becoming a Youth Columnist, please send an email to editor@fortbendstar.com.
Sugar Land offense erupts as Space Cowboys split series against Iowa
Community Reports
Des Moines, Iowa – Eight runs on 10 hits powered the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (21-27, 60-63) to an 8-4 seriesfinale win over the Iowa Cubs (22-29, 61-64) Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. The Space Cowboys split their series against Iowa with the win, their second-ever Interleague series.
Pedro León led off the top of the first with a single on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, stole second and moved up 90 feet to third after a throwing error from Moisés Ballesteros. With one out in the frame, Edwin Díaz drove in León with an opposite-field RBI single. After Jon Singleton launched a wall-scrapping double, Miguel Palma plated both runners with a two-RBI double as the Space Cowboys pushed out in front, 3-0.
Sugar Land extended its lead in the top of the second. Kenedy Corona took a lead-off walk, stole second and came around to score on a two-out RBI double from César Salazar to stretch the Space Cowboys’ margin to 4-0.
RHP Ethan Pecko fired a perfect bottom of the first and posted a scoreless second by stranding two on with one out,
helped by an inning-ending double play.
Iowa scored its first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the third, but Sugar Land answered in the top of the fourth. Colin Barber kept the inning alive with a two-out single before León thumped a two-run homer to right as the Space Cowboys went up, 6-1. The Cubs threatened in the bottom of the fourth by loading the bases with two outs, but Pecko stranded the runners with an inning-ending punchout.
Rhett Kouba (W, 3-3) relieved Pecko in the fifth and spun a shutout frame. Pecko went 4.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Reylin Perez punched a single through the right side to lead off the top of the sixth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kenedy Corona. In the ensuing at-bat, Barber belted an opposite-field RBI double to left-center, scoring Perez. Later in the inning, León lashed his third hit of the day, an RBI double, that brought home Barber as Sugar Land added to their advantage, 8-1.
Iowa cut into the Space Cowboys’ lead with a two-run homer from Ballesteros in the
seventh and scored another run in the eighth to make it an 8-4 game. However, RHP Luis Contreras closed out Sugar Land’s win with a scoreless ninth as the Space Cowboys took their series finale, 8-4.
· César Salazar extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a 1-for-5 game with a double and an RBI. Over his on-base streak, Salazar has four doubles, three homers, 11 RBI, 15 walks and 12 runs scored.
· Ethan Pecko tied his Triple-A career high on Sunday with 4.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. In two starts against Iowa this week, Pecko combined for 8.0 innings of one-run ball.
· Pedro León finished a triple shy of the cycle on Sunday with a 3-for-5 afternoon with a double, a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Sunday was León’s first three-hit game since September 22, 2024 against the Sacramento River Cats and his first three-RBI game since August 25, 2024 against the Albuquerque Isotopes when he recorded four RBI.
· Rhett Kouba registered a scoreless fifth, and in the month of August, holds a 2-0 record with a 3.48 ERA across
six games while recording a .171 opposing batting average.
· Miguel Palma recorded his first multi-RBI game at the Triple-A
File photo by Kathy Aung
César Salazar extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a 1-for-5 game with a double and an RBI against the Iowa Cubs on Sunday.
53 campuses (70%) earned an A or B, with no schools rated F this year compared to three last year. Seventy-three percent of middle schools earned an A or B, while D ratings decreased from two to one. Among high schools, 50% earned an A or B, and the number of Drated campuses fell from four to two.
In addition, campuses earned 149 academic distinctions – in areas such as mathematics, science, social studies and post-secondary readiness – up from 137 distinctions the year before.
“Clear as mud” system
Jordan took time to walk trustees through the accountability system, which she acknowledged can feel “as clear as mud” to many families.
“We have two ways that we are rated as it relates to our accountability system – through state and federal accountability,” she said. “Tonight, we are focusing on state.”
Texas schools are graded on three domains:
• Student Achievement (based on STAAR results, graduation rates and College, Career and Military Readiness, or CCMR);
• School Progress (measuring academic growth and how schools perform compared to similar campuses); and
• Closing the Gaps (tracking the performance of student groups such as English learners, students with disabilities, and racial/ ethnic subgroups).
Elementary and middle school ratings are based entirely on STAAR scores, while high schools also factor in graduation rates and College, Career and Military Readiness (CCMR). Jordan described school progress as the district’s “bread and butter,” noting that growth in reading and math has been a driving factor in recent gains.
Federal accountability adds another layer, Jordan said. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, schools can be labeled for “school improvement” if certain student groups – such as English learners, students with disabilities or racial/ethnic subgroups – fall short of performance targets, even if the campus earns a B overall.
“That’s why you might see us celebrating a campus with a B rating, but at the same time, that same school could be identified for federal improvement,” Jordan said.
Focus campuses show progress
Last year, district leaders identified 20 “focus campuses” in need of extra support. According to the new results, 8 of 10 elementary focus campuses, 3 of 5 middle schools and 1 of 5 high schools improved by at least one letter grade.
Jordan said this progress reflects intentional work by campus leaders and teachers, as well as interventions that targeted student growth.
“We’ve been maximizing growth, and we’re seeing the results of that work,” she said. “Now, the challenge is to continue raising achievement levels across all students.”
Looking ahead
Jordan said the district will continue emphasizing STAAR performance, English language proficiency and support for economically disadvantaged students in the 2025–26 school year.
She reminded trustees that while progress is worth celebrating, FBISD must remain focused on lifting all students.
“Our bread and butter is student growth,” Jordan said. “But leveling up means making sure every student is achieving at the highest level.”
Varma is a freelance writer. She can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
Sheriff’s Office offers advice on avoiding telephone scams
Staff Reports
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office reports that it has recorded a drastic increase in scams affecting innocent citizens recently, with demands for payment of money to avoid an arrest for a warrant that does not exist.
In the past couple of weeks, several residents reported unsolicited telephone calls persuading them to make an immediate payment to avoid an arrest. Large amounts of money were remitted via a payment app that is irrevocable.
Scammers consistently impersonate authority or trusted figures, such as a government official or family member. In the recent reports, a legitimate FBCSO employee name was mentioned by the scammer to create a fake emergency and sense of urgency. The scammer mentioned the warrant was issued for a failure of the citizen to appear for a federal jury summons. To avoid the arrest, the citizen was directed to pay via Paypal.
Employees of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, including warrant officers, do not call to collect warrant fees or to collect money for any type of state or fed-
Asian residents reported fewer unhealthy days (2.7) than Black (3.8) and Hispanic (4.1) residents.
“One finding that stood out was the persistent and growing concern regarding access to prenatal care in underserved areas of the county; disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes remain evident,” said Gale-Lowe. “Additionally, the increase in mental health needs, especially among youth and older adults, was more pronounced than expected.”
Physical fitness also lagged for many. Nearly a third of residents rated their fitness as “poor” or “fair,” and 17% reported doing no moderate or vigorous physical activity in a typical week.
“More than half of residents said they worry about not having enough money to pay for their housing, and nearly 3 in 10 residents reported having either low or very low food security,” said Potter. “Additionally, 1 in 8 residents rated their mental health as poor or fair, and more than half of residents had at least one chronic health condition. There are health needs that exist in the Fort Bend community, and so with this information some of the public dialogue can hopefully shift to asking what can be done
eral jury summons. Employees do not conduct authorized business through wire transfers, payment apps such as PayPal, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
"We have seen a growing number of scams targeting our community, and we urge everyone to stay alert — if something feels off, it probably is," said
“
about it.
Chronic conditions on the rise
The survey revealed high rates of chronic illness. Hypertension and high cholesterol topped the list, affecting 25% and 24% of respondents respectively. Diabetes and obesity were each reported by 12% of residents, and 11% reported a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety. In total, more than half of Fort Bend residents live with at least one chronic condition.
Sheriff Eric Fagan. “Protect yourself by staying informed and always double-check before giving out personal information."
To prevent being victimized by a scammer, the sheriff's office offers the following advice.
Be cautious with unexpected calls from persons who create a sense of urgency and persuade
you to send money to get out of a dilemma, help a family member, or even show willingness to invest money to get a prize or a grant.
Scammers attempt to obtain your financial information, such as bank account details, social security number, driver’s license, or other personally identifiable information and will pretend to be an authority figure or trusted family member in distress.
Scammers prey on a person’s willingness to help others or to stay out of trouble.
Scammers also exploit your personally identifiable information to commit identity theft, and obtain credit in your name, including loans, grants, and bank cards.
If a caller or recording such as an AI voice asks questions (Yes/ No), uses high-pressure tactics, or makes you feel rushed, it is likely a scammer.
Some scammers also “spoof” legitimate numbers. Be skeptical and don’t trust caller ID completely. Be wary of urgency or callers who create a sense of immediate danger.
Do not give out information and hang up if you suspect the call is a scam.
A county of contrasts Fort Bend County is home to soaring affluence and growing hardship. By participating in the ongoing Greater Houston Community Panel, residents will continue providing feedback to help local leaders track needs over time. The community-specific data can guide local policy and public health programs, helping them design targeted interventions, Gale-Lowe said. For residents, the findings aim to improve access to services and provide more
responsive support systems. Longer-term challenges, such as improving public transportation access, will require more extensive planning, said Potter, but addressing the shorter-term needs can create momentum for broader improvements.
“The Greater Houston Community Panel is in Fort Bend for the foreseeable future, and we are eager to continue to learn from residents of the community about their experiences and circumstances, as well as attitudes
and preferences,” Potter said. Fort Bend County residents were included in the 44th annual Kinder Houston Area Survey, the results of which can be found at kinder.rice.edu/index.php/ research/kinder-houston-areasurvey-2025-results. Additional research will continue to be published from this study, and can be found at kinder.rice.edu/ research. Varma is a freelance writer. She can be reached at juhi.varma@gmail.com.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Many Fort Bend residents continue to struggle with basic health needs, according to a new study by Rice University’s Kinder Institute and UTHealth Houston.
Winners of library-card design contest announced
the
Reports
Community
Fort Bend County Libraries has announced the winning entries for first-ever LibraryCard Design Contest. Library users were invited to showcase their creativity by designing a unique library card that would be featured as official, limited-edition library cards for Library Card Sign-Up Month in September.
Winning designs portraying the theme “Our Stories, Our Community” were selected from three categories: Child (ages 0-12 years), Teen (ages 13-17), and Adult (ages 18+)
Artists were challenged to create original, non-computer-generated artwork that reflected the joy of reading, the Fort Bend County community, what the library means to people, or the evolution of libraries past, present, and future.
Entries were judged on their creativity, relevance to the theme, visual impact, readability, and use of space.
More than 175 phenomenal entries were received from throughout the county, and the competition was fierce. After careful deliberation, committee members -- consisting of library staff from different departments throughout the library system -- selected the following winners.
Winning the Child category (ages 0-12 years) is Hayden Kinder, age 11, from the Cinco Ranch Branch Library. Hayden’s entry, “Books Build the World,” stood out from more than 100 excellent entries in the Child category.
Zoha Azim, from the Sienna Branch Library, won the Teen category for her design titled “A Community Built on Knowledge.”
For the Adult category, Nguyen Nguyen from the Cinco Ranch Branch Library, won for their entry titled “Immersed in Other Worlds.”
“All three entries have a universal appeal that will resonate with a broad range of Fort Bend County residents,” Library Director Roosevelt Weeks said. “We truly have some phenomenal talent in Fort Bend County! I think library-card holders will have a hard time choosing between these limited-edition cards!” These limited-edition cards will be available at all FBCL locations in September, while supplies last.
Fort Bend County library cards are free to all Texas residents who do not already have an FBCL card. To apply for a library card, please visit any FBCL location during business hours. You MUST provide a valid photo ID that is not expired (governmentissued photo ID, passports from any country, or any state driver license) and a document showing a current address if it is not shown on the photo ID. For Fort Bend County Libraries visitors who already have an FBCL library card –but would like to obtain one of
the limited-edition cards – a replacement fee of $2 will be charged for the new card. For more information, see the Fort Bend County Libraries website (www.fortbendlibraries.gov) or call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).
Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries Hayden Kinder, age 11, won the Child category for his entry, “Books Build the World.”
Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
Nguyen Nguyen won in
Adult Category in the Library-Card Design Contest for their entry titled “Immersed in Other Worlds.”
Courtesy Fort Bend County Libraries
Zoha Azim won the Teen category for her design titled “A Community Built on Knowledge.”
LEADER PUZZLER SOLUTIONS
Deadline is noon every Friday. Limit entries to the “5 Ws” Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Email to editor@fortbendstar.com FOR
RICHMOND/ROSENBERG ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING
Please join us on Thursday, September 4, at 7:00 p.m. for our monthly meeting. We will be meeting in Room 105, the Gathering Room, at St. John’s UMC in Richmond. St. John’s is located at 400 Jackson Street. We are looking forward to an open discussion this meeting. Caregivers, please feel free to bring your ideas to discuss with the group. Support groups create a safe, confidential, supportive community and a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships. They educate and inform participants about dementia and help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. These support groups give caregivers and others impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia a place to connect and share with one another. The Richmond/ Rosenberg Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group is for caregivers only. There are online support groups for people who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. You can contact alz.org to learn more about those particular support groups.
Questions may be sent to: gallowkj@earthlink.net
ONGOING
EARTH KIND KIDS CAMP REGISTRATION OPEN
Youths in grades 3-5 can have fun this summer learning about gardening by attending Earth Kind Kids Camp, sponsored by Fort Bend County Master Gardeners.
The July 21-24 day camp will cover the topics of gardening, horticulture and environmental science through different high-energy projects that help the youths learn about seeds, plants, rain and other topics between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.
Registration is open for the camp, which will be in Building D at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, 4310 Texas 36 in Rosenberg. The camp is limited to the first 25 paid participants. Register at https://agrilife.org/ftbend4h/event/2025earthkindkidscamp/ The fee is $85. Registration includes all materials, snacks and a T-shirt. For more information, contact Brandy Rader at Brandy.Rader@ag.tamu.edu
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES AT GPBC
In conjunction with the Literacy Council of Fort Bend Bend County, Grand Parkway Baptist Church will offer ESL classes on Tuesday nights from mid-August 2025 through May 2026. We are located at 12000 FM 1464, Richmond, across from Austin High School. Our students speak several languages and encompass many faiths, all are welcome. For more information call 281-277-2200 and ask for ESL information. You may also email ESL@grandparkway.org
EMMY-NOMINATED FORT BEND BOYS CHOIR HOLDING AUDITIONS
AMERICAN LEGION POST 942
311 Ulrich Street, Sugar Land meets the fourth Tuesday of each Month at 7:00 pm. All Veterans are welcome.
LOVING FRIENDS IS A GROUP OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO ARE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS THAT MEET MONTHLY FOR LUNCH, FRIENDSHIP, AND SOCIALIZATION
Lunches. are planned for the fourth Tuesday of the month at various local restaurants. Please contact Bobbie Tomlin at {281} 967-0718
For more information about us and to learn about this month’s planned lunch. We hope to meet you soon.
QUAIL
VALLEY GARDEN CLUB
The Quail Valley Garden Club is very busy, not only with meetings, but with some fun “stuff” for our members and the community. Please find our fall schedule of events that the QVGC will be involved with this fall leading up to the holidays.
FBJSL IS ACCEPTING CAF GRANT APPLICATIONS
We provide grants of up to $5,000.00 to charitable causes serving Fort Bend County with requests to fund a critical need, pilot a program, or expand a significant service to the community. If your agency or organization is interested in applying for a CAF grant, please visit the Request Support page of the FBJSL website (www.fbjsl.org/request-support). All applications should be submitted via e-mail to brccom@fbjsl.com.
THE SANCTUARY FOSTER CARE SERVICES
We are a child placing agency that provides wrap around care support for foster children and foster families. We provide free therapy services, 24 hr. crisis intervention, respite/alternative care services and community-based support. For more info, www.sanctuaryfostercare.org
ALIEF AARP CHAPTER 3264
Meets the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at Salvation Army Church, 7920 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072. Educational Program/Entertainment at each meeting. Bus Trips every month. Seniors 50 and above invited. Call 281785-7372 for more information.
SUGAR LAND ROTARY CLUB
Sugar Land Rotary Club, the nation’s oldest community service organization, wants you to be its guest at a meeting that could turn out to be the best fit for getting involved with a local, non-political, humanitarian service organization with a global presence to satisfy your passion. We’re on a quest for new members! Call or email Dean Clark, 832-987-4193, sugarlandrotaryclub5890@gmail.com We just started a new evening club also. Contact me for more info.
The Fort Bend Boys Choir is seeking talented young boys who like music and singing. If know of one, encourage him to audition for our award-winning and Emmy-Nominated Fort Bend Boys Choir! No experience is necessary and boys should be around eight years of age or older with an unchanged voice. Auditions are by special appointment at the First United Methodist Church Missouri City, 3900 Lexington Blvd., Missouri City, TX. Visit the Fort Bend Boys Choir’s webpage at www.fbbctx.org or call (281) 240-3800 for more details about auditions. Benefits as a choir member include greater self-esteem and self-confidence, better work ethic and a sense of belonging and community. A boy’s voice has an expiration date so it is important to audition when boys’ voices are still unchanged. Auditions are free!
FT. BEND ACCORDION CLUB
Meets on the 4th Sunday of every month from 2:pm - 4:pm at: CHRIST CHURCH
SUGAR LAND (in the Chapel) 3300 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479 FREE and Open to the Public! We welcome everybody! If you play accordion, beginners to professional and would like to play Call, Text or email: Vince Ramos Cell: 281-204-7716 vincer.music@gmail.com.
LITERACY COUNCIL OF FORT BEND COUNTY
We enhance lives and strengthen communities by teaching adults to
We need your help. Literacy Council is actively recruiting
to provide instruction for English as a Second Language (ESL) Levels 0-5, three hours a week. For more information, call 281-240-8181 or visit our website www.ftbendliteracy.org.
GIVE A GIFT OF HOPE
Give a Gift of Hope one-time or monthly. Your help provides access to therapies and services children with autism might otherwise go without. Please consider Hope For Three in your Estate, Planned, or Year-End Giving. Register now, or learn more about exciting events: www.hopeforthree.org/events.
DVD-BASED ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS WITH NO HOMEWORK REQUIRED
Weekly class designed to help you understand and appreciate the Bible by giving you a better sense of the land and culture from which it sprang. The class meets at 9:30 am every Sunday at First Presbyterian of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd.). For more information call 281-240-3195.
EXCHANGE
EXCHANGE, America’s Service Club, always welcomes guests and is in search of new members! Various Fort Bend clubs exist and can accommodate early morning (7 a.m.), noon and evening meeting time desires. For more info, contact Mike Reichek, Regional Vice President, 281-575-1145 or mike@reichekfinancial. com We would love to have you join us and see what we are all about!
MISSOURI CITY AARP CHAPTER 3801
Meets the second Monday of every month at 11:30 a.m., at 2701 Cypress Point Dr., Missouri City Rec Center. Lunch, education, and entertainment. All seniors over 50 invited. For more information, call 713-859-5920 or 281-499-3345.
COMPREHENSIVE CARE FOR NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS Close to Home
At Houston Methodist Neuroscience & Spine Center at Sugar Land, we provide comprehensive, expert care for mild to severe neurological conditions. With innovative and advanced treatment options, our doctors collaborate across specialties to meet each patient’s unique needs — from diagnosis and treatment through recovery.
Our team of experts treats a variety of conditions, including:
• Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Aneurysms
• Brain tumors
• Headaches and migraines
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Neuropathy
• Parkinson’s disease and tremors
• Sleep disorders
• Spinal disorders
• Stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA)
To schedule an appointment, scan the QR code, visit houstonmethodist.org/neuro-sl or call 281.276.8999
