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KHOU 11 back-to-school special

From finances to teachers to security, KHOU 11 has you covered in this back-to-school special report

HOUSTON — KHOU 11 is your education station and we're getting you ready for the start of the new school year. 

First, thank you to everyone who’s filled out our back-to-school survey. You shared your questions, which helps us get you answers. You can still fill it out if you haven't already.

Here’s what we’ve learned so far from those who completed the survey: They’re concerned about safety and security; teacher turnover, retention and loss; curriculum; and financial impact.

In this article, we're covering all these back-to-school issues, starting with money. With inflation, it feels like we have less and less, but schools are asking you to buy more and more. Tiffany Craig shares how parents are dealing here.

So you missed tax-free weekend for back-to-school supplies, but you still want to save money. What now? Brandi Smith shopped around to see how sales stack up.

Some kids are truly in need and KHOU 11 is partnering with the Houston Food Bank’s Backpack Buddy Program to help make sure students get fed outside of school. Ron Trevino explains the need and what you can do to help.

Parents aren’t the only ones struggling to keep up with expenses. Melissa Correa shows us teachers are too.

According to our survey results, even more than money, parents are worried about curriculum. The pandemic has had major impacts on learning over the past couple of years. Some parents are starting to notice their kids have speech delays. Stephanie Whitfield shares the signs to look for and what you can do to help your child catch up.

RELATED: KHOU 11 is taking your questions to Houston-area superintendents

One of the key metrics the state uses to gauge how students are learning is with the STAAR test and this year, it will be done entirely online. That’s not the only change. The Texas Education Agency announced a test redesign that moves away from multiple choice. Starting this school year, no more than 75 percent of the test can be multiple choice questions. The standalone writing assessments for grades fourth through seventh have also been eliminated. You can learn more about the new version of the STAAR test here.

Where kids learn can have a big impact on how they learn. Some of Alief ISD's youngest students get to attend two of the district’s newest campuses. Michelle Choi gives us a behind-the-scenes tour.

As cool as those new buildings are, they’re rendered almost useless if they’re not staffed. The greater Houston area is dealing with a significant teacher shortage. As of last week, more than 2,200 positions were still open in our area’s five largest districts. Jason Miles reports that’s a shortage one group saw coming and predicts won’t be going away soon.

A new survey shows many of the teachers still on the job are considering leaving the profession. Lauren Talarico breaks down that survey’s results.

RELATED: Back-to-school survey for parents: What are your questions/concerns?

While districts try to deal with shortages in the classroom getting students to school may be challenging as well. HISD and other large districts are looking to recruit new bus drivers. They’ve spent the summer hosting job fairs and offering on-site training and incentives to bring new drivers on board. Adjusting bell schedules and routes are ways they're trying to make the most of those they do have behind the wheel. We have an article about that here

Now let’s address the No. 1 concern from people who filled out our KHOU 11 back-to-school survey: Safety and security. Last school year ended a week after the school shooting in Uvalde and in the months since we’ve been working to get you answers about how districts plan to keep your kids safe. Jason Miles checks out the changes in Cy-Fair ISD.

In Fort Bend ISD, law enforcement agencies beyond just district police will conduct random checks. That means walking around campuses, checking doors and adding an extra layer of protection. 

"I don't want our schools to be a soft target anymore," said Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan.

He added that law enforcement officers are trained to rush in and neutralize a gunman as soon as possible. Learn more about Fort Bend's new school safety plan here.

KHOU 11 anchor Mia Gradney is hosting a number of town hall conversations with the leaders of local school districts. She’s getting your questions answered. You can watch the full videos on KHOU 11's YouTube channel

Perhaps no local community knows the anxiety of returning to school after a tragedy more than Santa Fe. After a mass shooting at the high school four years ago, teachers there are facing their fears and learning how to respond smarter to safety issues. Investigative reporter Cheryl Mercedes went inside with some of those teachers.

Connect with KHOU 11 by texting us at 713-526-1111.

You can text keywords, such as SCHOOL, WEATHER and TRAFFIC, and we'll send you related links back. You can also text us questions, concerns and comments any time.

Texting us at 713-526-1111 is the best way to share your KHOU Celebrates suggestions with us. Just send us a picture with the person’s name, what they’re celebrating and when they’re celebrating it.

The KHOU 11 news app is another easy way to connect. You can download it for free to get get the latest headlines and you can set up what kind of notifications you want (think severe weather or breaking news). You can also use the Near Me feature to send photos or videos of news in your neighborhood.

Here’s to a safe and amazing school year for all the students, teachers and parents out there!

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