Fort Bend Independent School District , also known as Fort Bend ISD or FBISD , is a school district based in Sugar Land, Texas . It operates 86 schools in Fort Bend County It is the 5th most diverse school district in Texas and is the 43rd largest district in the United States .
101-472: The district spans 170 square miles (440 km) covering almost all of the city of Sugar Land, the city of Meadows Place , the Fort Bend county portion of Missouri City , Arcola , small sections of Houston , small sections of Pearland (including some of Shadow Creek Ranch , which is attempting to secede from FBISD), the unincorporated communities of Clodine , Four Corners , Juliff , and Fresno , and
202-570: A 19–26 percent decrease in COVID-19 case growth 2.5 weeks following the enactment of those orders according to an analysis published in the National Bureau of Economic Research . The same analysis found that such orders in urbanized counties accounted for 90 percent of attenuated case growth in the state by May. A surge in new COVID-19 cases began in June with large increases in
303-609: A 90 percent compliance scenario would maintain hospitalizations within capacity through August 17. On April 17, Abbott announced the start of his plan to reopen the Texas economy, citing a "semi-flattened curve " of COVID-19 cases in the state. The reopening was outlined in three executive orders allowing for state parks to open under social distancing regulations on April 20, limiting nonessential surgeries at hospitals beginning after April 21, and product pickup at retail stores beginning April 24. The reopening process also established
404-475: A career based focus. Several academies are housed at different schools and are magnet programs that require an application. The district provides busing throughout the district for academy students, irrespective of which school they choose to attend, located at their zoned elementary campus (or another location deemed appropriate by staff/parents). A few of the academies were shut down due to low application and attendance rates. * The GSA and IBMA academies are under
505-614: A city of a similar name, Meadow, Texas . Meadows Place began as the Meadows Municipal Utility District, which had been established in 1967.The Meadows Place development farmland was purchased by Ayrshire Corporation. In 1968, the first houses were constructed by Ayrshire Corporation, a second-generation family-owned company founded in 1946. Ayrshire has developed mix use property throughout the United States and Australia. The Meadows place development
606-468: A female householder with no husband present, and 15.0% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.28. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
707-496: A large number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations. On August 26, the prohibition of proof of vaccination by state agencies was extended to any COVID-19 vaccine, even if approved by the FDA. In October 2021, Abbott issued Executive Order GA-40, which prohibits all entities in the state of Texas from "compel[ling] receipt" of a COVID-19 vaccine by any individual "who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on
808-571: A man in his 90s at the Matagorda Regional Medical Center; Matagorda County officials reported the death on March 15 and the DSHS confirmed it the following day. According to the DSHS, the state exceeded 100 total cases of COVID-19 by March 19 and 1,000 cases by March 26. By the end of March 2020, there were 3,266 known cases of COVID-19 and 41 fatalities in Texas, with nearly half of
909-494: A mask in public, as local governments were prohibited from doing so by the governor's order; the governor refused. Nelson Wolff , the Bexar County judge, found a loophole in the order, and on June 17 issued an order fining businesses for allowing in customers without a mask. Other counties and cities followed suit. In response, the governor said this had been the "plan all along", which some local officials doubted, and that
1010-487: A minimum 90 percent compliance from residents for the safety measures to be effective. In a July 15 press conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced 16 new COVID-19 related deaths as well as two new testing sites to handle the demand of residents seeking testing in response to the surging coronavirus cases, calling for a minimum 90 percent compliance from residents for the safety measures to be effective. On October 29, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged
1111-475: A minimum number of cases, and gatherings of more than 10 people without government approval would be prohibited. On September 17, capacity limits for businesses were raised to 75%. On March 2, 2021, as COVID-19 vaccines began to be administered throughout the country , Abbott announced the final phase of reopening. All remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Texas would be lifted effective March 10 via an executive order that supersedes all local orders. It only allowed
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#17327653025421212-578: A much earlier origin than previously thought. The first documented case of COVID-19 in Texas outside of evacuees at Lackland was confirmed on March 4 in Fort Bend County , and many of the state's largest cities recorded their first cases throughout March. The state recorded its first death associated with the disease on March 17 in Matagorda County . As of April 3, 2021 , Texas has the second-highest number of confirmed cases in
1313-637: A new high school opened at intervals no more than five years apart. The district became the fastest growing school district in the State of Texas. In August 1997 the district had over 14,000 students at its high schools, then numbering six. A portion of Stafford was formerly a part of Fort Bend ISD, but it broke away and formed the Stafford Municipal School District . In 1977, largely in response to district policy barring bussing for students living within two miles of their schools,
1414-444: A phased timetable, via executive orders superseding all local health orders, the process was paused on June 25 due to a surge of cases, and Abbott rolled back some of the orders the next day, including reducing restaurant capacity to 50%, closing bars, and prohibiting unapproved gatherings of more than 100 people. On July 2, Abbott announced that the wearing of face masks would be mandated in enclosed public spaces in counties with
1515-470: A religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19." On March 2, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County both declared a "local state of disaster and a public health emergency" after an individual was mistakenly released from quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio by the CDC before a third test for coronavirus returned a positive result. The city subsequently petitioned
1616-556: A resurgence of drive-in theaters was seen particularly in the Greater Austin and Greater San Antonio areas. A survey conducted by KPRC-TV found an increase in homicide and car theft . In Houston the murder rate went up 39%. Law enforcement officials report a rise in fraud and identity theft as well and say they have been receiving more phone calls for assault, domestic violence , mental health related complaints and drug use . Police and psychologists have attributed
1717-814: A transition period to Travis HS. C.O '19 ( + ) for both academies are at Travis In 1999 a bond to build a new stadium was approved. The stadium was to be placed adjacent to Hightower High. The stadium had Sugar Land High School American football player Ken Hall as a namesake, and an adjacent field house had teacher and coach Buddy Hopson as a namesake. See also: List of companies in Houston See: List of colleges and universities in Houston [REDACTED] Category [REDACTED] Texas portal 29°35′20″N 95°37′22″W / 29.5888°N 95.6229°W / 29.5888; -95.6229 Meadows Place, Texas Meadows Place
1818-778: A two-week shutdown of nonessential businesses ordered by El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego. El Paso had daily case counts of over 1,000 per day, and hospitals were overwhelmed, with 44% of patients under treatment for COVID-19. H-E-B , in January 2020, activated a comprehensive pandemic emergency management plan first conceived in 2009 in response to concerns over H1N1 . Other essential businesses collectively began limiting operational hours, providing previously in-store experiences in palatable to-go forms, restricting points of entry, and requiring use of sanitizer or face masks for all customers. Many restaurants began offering pre-prepared ingredients to recreate their experiences at home, and
1919-492: Is 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of Houston's Beltway 8 . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 4,767 people, 1,775 households, and 1,274 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,912 people, 1,598 households, and 1,358 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,247.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,026.2/km ). There were 1,616 housing units at an average density of 1,726.5 per square mile (666.6/km ). The racial makeup of
2020-482: Is Dr. Marc Smith, who was chosen by the Board of Trustees on December 15, 2023. He was succeeded by Dr. Christie Whitbeck after her retirement was voted on by the Board of Trustees December 4, 2023. FBISD is served by a Board of Trustees who are periodically elected. Each trustee represents one of the seven regions in the school district. Fort Bend ISD opened several magnet programs to foster small learning communities with
2121-500: Is a city located in Fort Bend County in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census , the city population was 4,767. Meadows Place was part of Stafford 's extraterritorial jurisdiction prior to incorporation on November 14, 1983. Meadows Place was incorporated as Meadows , but this was changed to "Meadows Place" in 1997 due to postal conflicts with
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#17327653025422222-405: Is a part of the ongoing viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The state of Texas confirmed its first case on February 13, 2020, among U.S. nationals evacuated from China to Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland beginning in early February; however, retrospective analyses have suggested
2323-510: Is in HCC. Meadows Place has six parks within the city: Mark McGrath Municipal Park, Jim McDonald Park, Brighton Lane Park, Meadow Glen Park, Meadow Valley Park, and Kangaroo Court Park. The city also has a Discovery & Nature Center, that offers up-close experiences with several different species of animals. The center is open to residents and non-residents for a fee. It can also be rented for birthday parties and special occasions. In addition,
2424-720: Is in Meadows Place. It was founded in 1969, as the Sharpstown Christian School. Community college facilities in proximity to Meadows Place are Houston Community College facilities and the Wharton County Junior College (HCC) facilities. Colleges and universities in proximity to Meadows Place include Houston Baptist University and the University of Houston Sugar Land campus. The Texas Legislature specifies that
2525-426: Is representative of their development capabilities. Meadows incorporated on November 14, 1983, to avoid being annexed by Houston . In 1990, the city had 4,606 residents. The population in 2010 was listed as 4,660 residents. In June 2012, Meadows Place received an award from Keep Texas Beautiful for a water reuse project that culminated in a beautiful new lake in the center of the city which, in addition to recreation,
2626-599: Is used as source of water for irrigation of city parks, saving the city money on subsidence fees. This project was recognized as the number two top environmental project in the State of Texas by Keep Texas Beautiful in 2012 and has had visitors from around the country. For a complete listing, see list of cities and towns in Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land MSA COVID-19 pandemic in Texas The COVID-19 pandemic in Texas
2727-483: Is used for irrigation of most of the city's parks land and baseball complex. So dramatic was the transformation, Meadows Place was asked to make a poster presentation at the 28th annual Water ReUse Symposium in Denver , Colorado. The presentation—"No City is Too Small to Receive Benefits from Water Reuse"—met with such acclaim they were invited to share their story at an international water convention. Hundreds of people from
2828-516: The Runge Independent School District temporarily closed its schools due to 10 reported COVID-19 cases among its staff members. As of May 19, University of Texas at Austin disclosed that they were rolling out a series of "financial mitigation measures" to alleviate employee furloughs and other economic distress from COVID-19, even after receiving government grants. On May 20, it was announced that UT-Austin would open
2929-456: The South by Southwest festival was closed, many bar owners on Sixth Street boarded their windows to protect the stock they had amassed in preparation for the cancelled event. A street art campaign decorated the boarded businesses with art capturing the mood of lockdown. In mid-June 2020, some county officials requested that the governor grant them the power to fine individuals for not wearing
3030-646: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported a presumptive positive test result for COVID-19 from a resident of Fort Bend County in the Houston area. A man in his 70s was the first known positive case of the disease in Texas outside of those evacuated from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The patient had recently traveled to Egypt and was hospitalized. On March 5, at least eight cumulative cases, including both positive and presumptive positive cases, were identified in
3131-500: The United States , behind California , and the 26th highest number of confirmed cases per capita. It has the third-highest number of deaths related to the virus, behind New York and California , and the 24th-highest count of deaths per capita. Although Texas had a higher concentration of cases, it had fewer deaths. As of late May 2021, there were 50,198 COVID-19 related deaths reported in that state. The death rate in Texas
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3232-478: The poverty line , including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over. Meadows Place has a mayor- alderman form of government. The city council consists of the mayor and five aldermen. Fort Bend County does not have a hospital district . OakBend Medical Center serves as the county's charity hospital which the county contracts with. The City of Meadows Place operates its own water system consisting of three water wells around
3333-515: The 2019–20 school year for public grade schools on March 16. On March 19, Abbott issued an executive order that closed schools statewide until at least April 3. On March 31, the Governor announced that schools in the state will continue to stay closed until May 4. On April 17, Abbott said that Texas public schools would be closed for the remainder of the 2019–20 school year and that schools will continue to offer distance learning. As of July 16,
3434-670: The DSHS surpassed 10. That same day, a resident in his 30s of Frisco , a suburb of Dallas in Collin County , received a presumptive positive test for the virus, having recently traveled to Silicon Valley in California. He was the first case identified in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. On March 11, local health officials reported a positive test for COVID-19 in Montgomery County and identified as
3535-593: The FBISD portions of the city of Stafford voted to leave FBISD for the Stafford MSD . Several rounds of legal litigation ensued, largely stemming from concerns that the secession would impede on FBISD's desegregation process and worries that it would inspire others to leave the district (most notably in Sugar Land, where a sizable number of parents did seek to leave and carve their own school district). Ultimately,
3636-680: The Fort Bend County portion of Mission Bend . Fort Bend Independent School District was created by the consolidation of the Sugar Land ISD and Missouri City ISD in 1959. The school district is the seventh-largest public school system in the state of Texas and third largest within the Houston–Sugar ; Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area . The school district is currently the largest employer in Fort Bend County with more than 11,000 district employees, and encompasses some of
3737-793: The HCC boundary includes "the part of the Fort Bend Independent School District that is not located in the service area of the Wharton County Junior College District and that is adjacent to the Houston Community College System District." Wharton College's boundary within FBISD is defined only as the City of Sugar Land and the ETJ of Sugar Land, Meadows Place is in neither location. Meadows Place
3838-719: The Houston area and Alvarado Independent School District in the Dallas area were the first two public school districts in Texas to temporarily close classes over COVID-19, affecting approximately 12,400 students across 17 schools. On March 13, Governor Abbott declared a state of disaster for all counties in Texas, invoking emergency powers for his administration, and ordered state employees to remote work . Day cares, nursing homes, and prisons were asked to limit visitations. The state's first mobile testing center for COVID-19 opened in San Antonio. Colleges and universities throughout
3939-725: The Houston area. All individuals with confirmed cases were part of a group that traveled to Egypt in February, including the first confirmed case in Fort Bend County. The travel group rode aboard the Nile River cruise ship MS A'sara . Additional individuals were also investigated as possible carriers in the Houston area in connection with the Egypt trip. The state announced six public health laboratories within its Laboratory Response Network capable of testing for COVID-19. On March 8, JBSA–Lackland received approximately 100 evacuees from
4040-561: The Strike Force to Open Texas, an advisory panel to Abbott for reopening economy. The panel was led by James Huffines with Mike Toomey as chief operating officer; its consulting members are all members of the Republican Party . The panel also consisted of a medical team and a special advisory council. Abbott also called for public schools to remain closed for the rest of the 2019–2020 academic year. Ten days later, pursuant to
4141-667: The Top 2011 High Schools in the Nation. Fort Bend ISD was formed when Sugar Land ISD and Missouri City ISD merged after an election on April 18, 1959. The first superintendent was Louis P. Rodgers, who had been the Missouri City ISD superintendent upon the merger. The Sugar Land ISD superintendent Edward Mercer, became the assistant superintendent. Missouri City ISD was formed from Missouri City Common School, House Common School, and Mustang Common School (Fresno area). Sugar Land ISD
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4242-588: The Town Square and First Colony Mall. There is also the FBISD Annex, which contains an auditorium/banquet hall for FBISD, as well as a shop for teachers of FBISD. When the district was first created Sugar Land Junior High School had the administrative offices. However, there was no tax assessor-collector in Sugar Land, so the taxation office was in Missouri City as that municipality did have one. In
4343-456: The US, Canada, Mexico, even Sweden and Norway, have come to see how a small city with limited resources could bring such a project to fruition. Meadows Place is located along the northeast border of Fort Bend County at 29°38′59″N 95°35′19″W / 29.64972°N 95.58861°W / 29.64972; -95.58861 (29.649599, –95.588747). It is bordered by the city of Sugar Land to
4444-479: The best athletic teams in Houston. All 11 high schools contain 2 gyms, Tennis Courts, a football/soccer/track field, a softball field, and with 1 exception, a baseball field, each fitted with LED scoreboards. FBISD also manages 2 athletic complexes, complete with turf and Video/LED scoreboards from NEVCO: Louis P. Rodgers Memorial Auditorium in Dulles High School was built in 1969. Seventy percent of
4545-504: The campus for the Fall semester of 2020, but would conduct all classes and tests remotely after Thanksgiving break. They later announced on June 3 that classrooms would be kept at 40 percent capacity, and that around 2,100 classes (about a fifth of all available classes) will be conducted online during the fall. On June 8, both UT-Austin and Texas A&M University announced that wearing masks will be required when inside campus buildings during
4646-406: The city has a community center, community swimming pool, tennis courts, pickleball courts, baseball fields, splash pad, walking trails, and a running path. Both the community center and swimming pool are available for rental. In 2011, the city built a lake complex in the middle of their park using Type 1 reclaimed water. This facility is used for fishing, hiking, and birdwatching year round. The lake
4747-404: The city was 71.82% White , 6.09% African American , 0.22% Native American , 15.72% Asian , 0.10% Pacific Islander , 3.24% from other races , and 2.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.46% of the population. There were 1,598 households, out of which 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.9% were married couples living together, 10.8% had
4848-696: The city. Meadows Place residents are within the Fort Bend Independent School District . Children attend Meadows Elementary School (located in the city of Meadows Place), Dulles Middle School (in Sugar Land ), and Dulles High School (also in Sugar Land). Dulles Junior and Dulles High School were already built as Meadows Place opened. Meadows Elementary was occupied in August 1973. Dulles Junior High School reopened and
4949-551: The county as having reached the highest threat level, indicating a "severe and uncontrolled level of COVID-19", and called for the reinstatement of a stay-at-home order for the county in addition to prohibiting outdoor gatherings with more than 100 people in unincorporated parts of the county. On July 2, Abbott mandated the wearing of face coverings in public spaces, with fines for non-first time offenders. Counties with 20 or fewer active cases, children under 10, and persons with interfering medical conditions were allowed to opt-out of
5050-422: The cruise ship Grand Princess following a localized outbreak on board. Rice University became the first university in the state to enact significant cancellations, suspending in-person classes and undergraduate labs during the week in response to an employee testing positive in connection with the viral cluster that traveled to Egypt. The next day, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Texas reported by
5151-713: The cumulative case count. Abbott paused the reopening of the businesses in the state as hospitalizations deaths and new COVID-19 cases begin to quickly rise, though prior relaxations of COVID-19 restrictions remained in place. On June 26, Abbott began rolling back some of the lifted restrictions from his earlier state reopening plan, issuing an executive order that promptly closed bars except for takeout and curbside pickup and closed rafting and tubing businesses in addition to restricting indoor dining at restaurants to 50 percent capacity. The order also required most outdoor gatherings with at least 100 people to seek approval by local governments. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo evaluated
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#17327653025425252-507: The cumulative number of confirmed cases in Texas exceeded 1,000, and Abbott mandated visitors flying from Connecticut , New Jersey , New York , and New Orleans, Louisiana , to self-quarantine for 14 days. A team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin projected that the healthcare capacity of Greater Austin would be exceeded if "extensive social distancing measures" were not implemented. Their findings indicadte that
5353-531: The desegregation process via adopting a plan calling for freedom of choice for attending high schools. The plan was rejected by the commissioner of education for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , and the following year on May 10, 1965, it was amended to mandate full desegregation and create zones based on equal ethnic distribution. The desegregation process went into effect in September 1965; in
5454-471: The district board voted 4–3 to reverse its stance and require masks. The Fort Bend ISD Police Department is headquartered in Stafford . Its current headquarters was the former FBISD Administration Building located off FM1092 which was later converted into a vehicle maintenance facility after the administration HQ was moved to Sugar Land. FBISD's current administration building is located in Sugar Land, near
5555-767: The district's campuses received an Exemplary or Recognized rating from the Texas Education Agency in 2002. That same year, the district was named a Recognized District by the Texas Education Agency for the second consecutive year, making it one of the largest public school districts in Texas to receive that rating. Currently the district is ranked "academically acceptable" and has been for the last several years. Austin High School and Clements High School , both in Sugar Land , have been recognized by Texas Monthly magazine in its list of
5656-459: The evacuees quarantined at JBSA–Lackland from China and the Diamond Princess cruise ship, was reported by the DSHS on March 4 and involved a resident of Fort Bend County . The patient was a man in his 70s and had traveled on the Nile River cruise ship MS A'sara in Egypt. A total of 12 positive test results were reported in Fort Bend and Harris counties from travelers aboard
5757-575: The executive order establishing the Strike Force to Open Texas, Abbott released the Texas Governor's Report to Open Texas , putting forth a phased approach to reopen the state's economy. On May 5, Abbott modified his earlier reopening timetable, allowing barbershops, hairdressers, and nail salons to begin reopening on May 8 while maintaining social distancing. Gyms and exercise facilities were allowed to reopen beginning May 18 while operating at quarter occupancy. On May 18, Texas entered Phase 2 of
5858-690: The federal government to extend the quarantine of US nationals at Joint Base San Antonio; the petition was denied by Judge Xavier Rodriguez in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas . Both the city of Dallas and Dallas County have declared a "local disaster of public health emergency". Abbott left the decision to local governments to set stricter guidelines. Two hours later, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins ordered residents of Dallas County to shelter in place beginning 11:59 p.m. on
5959-565: The fifth wave of infections in August 2021, demand for ICU beds in at least 50 Texas hospitals reached or exceeded 100% of ICU capacity. A surge in hospitalizations among children caused Houston and Dallas to run out of pediatric ICU beds, with Houston resorting to an air lift evacuation in one case. On August 17, 2021, it was announced that Governor Abbott had tested positive for COVID-19. He had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and began taking Regeneron's monoclonal antibodies . The first positive test result for COVID-19 in Texas, outside of
6060-415: The first major water park in the state to reopen in mid-June. The two Texas Six Flags parks will reopen the parks on June 19. On March 14, H-E-B announced that all of their stores across the state will reduce open hours, to help restock items. This also includes their pharmacies and Central Market locations. The announcement comes a day after the company announced that its Houston area stores would be
6161-495: The first official COVID-19 fatality in Texas. The Texas National Guard was activated, making Texas the 21st U.S. state to activate its National Guard; the security force was not yet deployed. Abbott granted waivers to hospitals to bolster unused bed capacity without applying or paying added fees. Abbott also asked the Small Business Administration to declare an Economic Injury Disaster Declaration for
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#17327653025426262-630: The first possible case of community spread —not directly related to travel or known contact with positive travelers—in Texas and in the Houston area. The patient's attendance of a barbecue at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on February 28 was reported as a possible but unconfirmed source of the virus. The city of Houston ordered the Houston Livestock Show and Radio to close after announcing an emergency health declaration. Montgomery Independent School District in
6363-628: The following day. A day later on March 23, Bell , Bexar , Brazos , Cameron , Hunt , McLennan , Stephens counties and the city of Forney , issued a shelter in place for their communities. Collin , Galveston , Harris , Travis , and Williamson counties issued same measures on March 24. However, Collin County had more relaxed guidelines for their shelter in place order. Collin County's order stated that all businesses are essential and would be allowed to remain open as long as they followed physical distancing guidelines. In Austin, where
6464-430: The governor's reopening plan. On June 3, Texas enters Phase 3 of Abbott's reopening plan. On June 23, the state reported more than 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day for the first time, documenting 5,489. Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 also reached a record high with 4,092. Abbott gave approval for mayors and county judges to enact restrictions on outdoor gatherings with more than 100 people, reducing
6565-448: The judge "finally figured that out". This angered some people in areas where people had been dying of COVID-19. Nacogdoches County sheriff Jason Bridges announced he would not be enforcing the statewide mask order, because it was "borderline infringing on some ... constitutional rights", even though legal experts agree such measures are constitutional under the state's police power . Bridges said enforcing public health measures during
6666-685: The lifting of all restrictions, the state government imposed further restrictions on COVID-19-related public health measures; in April, Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from issuing " vaccine passports " or requiring proof of vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines that are currently administered pursuant to Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). In July, a bill was signed prohibiting private businesses from requesting proof of vaccination from their customers. Later that month, despite rising cases, Abbott strictly prohibited counties from imposing capacity restrictions on businesses, even if they have
6767-407: The month of March, until the end of the month; these include the two Texas parks, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags Over Texas . On March 30, the closure was extended to all of their properties. Sea World San Antonio announced plans to close from March 16 to April 1, along with all Schlitterbahn waterparks, the parks have delayed the closure. Both Schlitterbahn waterparks announced they'd be
6868-507: The move was found to be constitutional in 1981. Residents in Stafford's ETJ are served by Fort Bend ISD, not Stafford MSD. In February 1984 Rodney E. LeBoeuf became superintendent. LeBouef left in March 1991 and Raj K. Chopra became superintendent in August of that year. Chopra left on July 20, 1994. The next superintendent, Don W. Hooper, assumed power on February 15, 1995. Circa 1997 FBISD
6969-546: The only locations to implement changes to their operations. A month later, H-E-B expanded their store hours across the state (closer to normal store hours), as supply availability has improved. As of May 26, KVUE reported that "The Texas Restaurant Association estimates that 6% of restaurants in Austin have shut down for good during the pandemic, and that number is estimated to be at 12% statewide". A number of these restaurants that closed had been famous and well-established in
7070-716: The order, as well as people attending church, voting at polling places, or exercising outdoors. Austin Mayor Adler issued an executive order restricting gatherings with more than 10 people outside of child-care services, religious gatherings, and recreational sports. On August 11, 2020, Texas became the third state in the U.S. after California and Florida to exceed 500,000 in total number of reported cases. By October 29, 2020, larger hospitals in Amarillo, Lubbock, and El Paso did not have space available to accept transfers of seriously ill COVID patients from rural areas. During
7171-511: The pandemic "is not something we have time to be doing", despite health experts' agreement that mask wearing reduces transmission significantly. During a July 14 press conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner along with Dr. David Persse and Houston Fire Department Chief Sam Pena announced that the Army medical task force arrived Monday July 13 to help ramp up the city's response to COVID-19 with plans to open more facilities as medical resorts. Over
7272-520: The pandemic. Several Texas bar owners filed a $ 10 million federal lawsuit stating that Abbott's order violates their constitutional rights; the order impacted restaurants with high alcohol sales as well, with the Texas Restaurant Association estimating that at least 1,500 restaurants that serve alcohol were forced to close, which displaced more than 35,000 employees. For the first time in the event's history, South by Southwest
7373-469: The post-desegregation period Dulles was the district's sole high school until Willowridge High School opened in 1979. Desegregation was officially dismantled in FBISD in 1968. Rodgers died in May 1967 so Mercer became superintendent. Lawrence Elkins succeeded Mercer after the latter retired in August 1974. In 1969 the school district had 1,000 students, and its enrollment was increasing. Between 1979 and 1997,
7474-505: The reinstatement of restrictions on businesses in counties where COVID hospitalizations accounted for more than 15% of their local bed capacity for at least seven days. However, business capacity could not be lowered below 50%. In addition, all mask mandates were lifted, and all jurisdictions are prohibited from enforcing mask mandates. Abbott stated that residents had " "mastered the daily habits to avoid getting COVID", and thus enforceable public health orders were no longer necessary. The action
7575-704: The rise in crime to changes in behavior brought on by the extreme stress and anxiety of the pandemic. Some police officers blame bond reform too likening it to a "catch and release system". Police reported increased cooperation on investigating groups of individuals who travel from city to city committing robberies and other property crimes. Some jurisdictions have seen more cases of purse snatchings and people being followed from ATMs. On March 13, Six Flags (based in Texas) suspended operations to all twelve of their properties nationwide as well as in Mexico, that were operating in
7676-408: The same ship. The first case of possible community spread—where the source of infection is unknown—was reported by public health officials on March 11, involving a man in his 40s in Montgomery County ; he had recently attended a barbecue at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on February 28. The first death in Texas identified in connection with COVID-19 occurred on March 14 from
7777-500: The size limit from 500. Abbott also indicated that respirator enforcement was within the purview of local officials. Abbott ordered the HHSC to reinstate COVID-19 health and safety standards at child care centers, reversing the agency's lifting of those requirements on June 12. Two days later, a record-high number of new COVID-19 cases, 5,996, was set for the third consecutive day in Texas; the three days contribute over 17,000 cases to
7878-469: The state extended spring breaks with some transitioning to online instruction, including Baylor University , the University of Houston , the University of North Texas , the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University , and Texas Tech University. School districts also announced temporary suspensions of classes statewide. On March 17, DSHS reported that a man in his 90s in Matagorda County died of COVID-19 after being hospitalized, becoming
7979-404: The state for decades. Some notable ones include Highland Park Cafeteria, a Dallas restaurant that had served comfort food for 95 years, and Threadgill's , an 81-year old tavern that was the first post- Prohibition Austin business with a beer license before becoming a restaurant in 1981 ( Janis Joplin started her music career here). Abbott's plans to lift the stay-at-home order and reopen Texas
8080-420: The state had still not established concrete rules for school reopenings in the Fall, but the latest word from Abbott on July 14 was that districts can expect more flexibility on opening classrooms, with state education officials agreeing to continue to fund school districts who choose to stay virtual if mandated by local health officials. Houston Independent School District , the state's largest school district,
8181-593: The state remained extremely limited until after the first recorded cases were announced. Research from Austin Public Health conducted in May 2020 found 68 COVID-19 patients in Central Texas who began reporting symptoms dating back to around the beginning of March. On March 2, San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg issued a public health emergency after an individual positive for the virus was mistakenly released from quarantine at JBSA–Lackland. Two days later,
8282-527: The state's counties reporting at least one case. An analysis of the first month of COVID-19's spread in Texas, published in the Journal of Community Health , found that while the total case counts were highest in the state's metropolitan areas , the highest incidence rates of the disease per capita occurred in Donley County , with 353.5 cases per 100,000 people. The case fatality rate (CFR)
8383-1026: The state's major cities and within a younger population compared to the beginning of the pandemic. The government of Texas did not have a coordinated, statewide response to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, relying mostly on local policies. Governor Abbott declared a state of disaster on March 13, 2020, giving him powers to order state-wide public health measures, and prohibited large social gatherings and dine-in service at bars and restaurants on March 19. On March 31, Abbott issued an executive order requiring all residents to remain at their homes unless conducting essential activities , and to minimize gatherings with people from outside of their immediate household. Abbott specifically avoided use of terms such as "shelter-in-place" or "stay-at-home order", as he felt that they did not adequately reflect his goals. A suspension of elective medical procedures faced legal disputes for effectively prohibiting abortions . In May 2020, Texas began to lift its initial restrictions via
8484-651: The state, with eligibility granted three days later. On March 19, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Texas reported by the DSHS surpassed 100. The DSHS declared a public health disaster, marking the first such declaration since 1901. Abbott issued four executive orders to ban gatherings of more than 10 people; discourage eating and drinking at bars, food courts restaurants, and visiting gyms (and close bars and restaurant dining rooms); proscribe visitation of nursing homes, retirement centers, and long-term care facilities with exception of providing critical care; and temporarily close all Texas schools. On March 26,
8585-409: The summer of 1961 the district opened the first dedicated headquarters. In October 1985 the current district headquarters opened. In 2019 the FBISD administration stated that it was considering changing the class ranking system so that students are ranked according to the school's attendance zones in which they reside instead of the schools which they actually attend. FBISD is known for having some of
8686-425: The top 10 high schools in the state of Texas. In addition, Clements, Austin, and Elkins high schools ranked 313th, 626th, and 702nd, respectively, among the top 1000 schools in the United States by Newsweek . Fort Bend ISD has been named one of the top 100 School Districts in the Nation for a Fine Arts Education , according to a nationwide survey of public and private school programs. The current Superintendent
8787-676: The wealthiest locales in the State of Texas. Fort Bend ISD is distinguished by its honors. In 2010, the school district was rated "recognized]]" by the Texas Education Agency . The district is the only school district in the nation to be named a 2011 National School District of Character by the National Schools of Character Program in Washington DC—and only one of two districts in Texas to be honored with this designation. The Washington Post ranked Clements, Austin, Kempner, Travis, Dulles, Hightower, and Elkins High Schools as seven of
8888-422: The weekend prior, Turner said he proposed a two-week shutdown to Abbott to help curb the soaring rates; Hidalgo, an early proponent of extending the shutdown, voiced support for another shut down. During a July 15 press conference, Turner announced 16 new COVID-19 related deaths as well as two new testing sites to handle the demand of residents seeking testing in response to the surging coronavirus cases, calling for
8989-658: The west, Stafford to the south, and Houston to the northeast in Harris County . Downtown Houston is 16 miles (26 km) to the northeast via Interstate 69 , the Southwest Freeway. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km ), all land. The city is located between West Bellfort Avenue, U.S. Route 59 /I-69, Dairy Ashford Road, and West Airport Boulevard. Meadows Place
9090-619: Was 10.3 percent in Comal County ; high CFR counties had "a higher proportion of non-Hispanic Black residents, adults aged 65 and older, and adults smoking, but lower number of ICU beds per 100,000 population, and number of primary care physicians per 1000 population." The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases confirmed by the DSHS reached 10,000 on April 9 and 100,000 on June 19. The number of confirmed fatalities eclipsed 100 on April 4 and 1,000 on May 9. Counties that adopted shelter-in-place orders early showed
9191-937: Was 175 for every 100,000 people, while national COVID-19 death rate was 179 per 100,000. As of April 3, 2021, vaccination in Texas lagged behind the US average, with rates lower than in three of four neighboring states, having administered 12,565,129 COVID-19 vaccine doses, equivalent to 43,334 doses per-100,000 of the state's population. Sources: "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)" . Texas Department of State Health Services . , "Texas Case Counts | COVID-19" . Texas Department of State Health Services . Notes: The initial origin of community spread in Texas remains unclear, but numerous anecdotal accounts by those later confirmed have included onset dates as early as December 28, 2019, in Point Venture , and retrospective analyses have found unexplained statistical increases in deaths during this time. Testing capacity across
9292-406: Was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 73,180, and the median income for a family was $ 75,708. Males had a median income of $ 51,173 versus $ 35,929 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 27,134. About 1.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below
9393-570: Was 77,632, with 73,433 of the visitors went to the "World Championship Barb-B-Que Contest," where that person attended. The FIRST Championship , slated to occur in Houston around mid-April, was canceled due to the Coronavirus, along with all the other FIRST competitions in Texas. After the announcement of the ban of gatherings of over 500 people on March 13 (in San Antonio), Fiesta San Antonio postponed their event to November 2020, that
9494-518: Was among dozens of school districts extending their spring break, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The closures were not without precedent, as many schools closed for two weeks during the 2009 H1N1 flu when Houston experienced a major outbreak. The CDC issued guidelines for K-12 school administrators to help "protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of students, teachers, other school staff, their families, and communities" as they prepare to return to school in fall 2020. In August 2023,
9595-450: Was cancelled as a result of local health concerns about the coronavirus pandemic . The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cancelled the rest of the event on March 11, that was slated to run until March 22. It was confirmed that a resident from Montgomery County, Texas that was tested positive, attended the BBQ cook off at the rodeo on February 28. The attendance for the rodeo on February 28,
9696-548: Was considered premature by President Joe Biden and other health experts. The city of Austin continued to enforce its mask mandate, resulting in a threat of legal action by the Texas Attorney General . On March 26, District Judge Lora Livingston blocked a request by the AG for a temporary injunction against a retaliatory lawsuit filed by Austin, thus allowing the enforceable mandate to remain in force. Following
9797-405: Was followed by a spike in coronavirus cases reaching 50,000 new cases by Memorial Day weekend. The number rose consistently pushing Texas to chart at the top of cases nationwide and hospitals in the state's largest cities reaching near or full ICU capacity. In response to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Abbott issued an executive order shutting down bars for a second time since the beginning of
9898-434: Was formed in 1918 and was expanded by adding Sartartia Common School and Clodine Common School in 1948. Originally FBISD was racially segregated, with white high school students attending the consolidated Dulles High School , with its permanent campus in Sugar Land, and black high school students attending M.R. Wood School in Sugar Land. In 1963, FBISD had 600 students. On June 23, 1964, the board of trustees for FBISD began
9999-551: Was originally slated for mid-April and eventually cancelled to April 2021, and then later pushed to June 2021. Austin City Limits Music Festival , originally scheduled for October 2020, was cancelled on July 1; its organizers describing the cancellation as "the only responsible solution." Among the closures of school districts and universities across the state, Abbott waived all State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing for
10100-410: Was reoccupied in 1983. In 2018 the FBISD administration proposed closing Meadows Elementary. In response parents from the community advocated for keeping the school open. An area resident quoted by KTRK-TV , stated that the members of the community believed that if Meadows Elementary was shut down, their property values would decline. Sugar Grove Christian School, a preschool and elementary school,
10201-534: Was the fastest-growing school district in Texas, with new comprehensive high schools opening in increments of fewer than five years. Hooper's retirement was scheduled for June 2002. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas , the district administration chose not to make masks mandatory even though the Fort Bend county judge , KP George, issued a mask mandate. Governor of Texas Greg Abbott had prohibited local governments from issuing mask mandates. In August
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