In anticipation of changing start and dismissal times for Fort Bend ISD schools, Missouri City City Council voted July 5 to amend the time periods when school zone speed limits are enforced around the city. On weekday mornings, reduced speed limits will be in effect from 7:15-8:15 a.m. around elementary schools, from 8-9 a.m. near middle schools and from 7-7:30 a.m. near high schools. Afternoon school zone speed limits will be in effect from 3:15-4 p.m., 4-4:30 p.m. and 2:30-3:15 p.m. around elementary, middle and high schools, respectively, according to council meeting documents. “This is a little bit different reason that we’re doing this [change] this year,” Scott Elmer, Missouri City assistant city manager, said. One exception is Progressive High School—located at 1555 Independence Blvd., Missouri City—which will utilize reduced speed limits from 7:30-8 a.m. and from 3:15-4 p.m. Cory Stottlemyer, media relations specialist for the city, said the school has a different start time than other FBISD high schools. He also said that $300 would be spent on replacing signage throughout the city. School zone speed limits are 15 mph below the posted speed limit for the road but no less than 20 mph, according to the ordinance approved by the council. FBISD‘s board of trustees voted in January to approve the 2016-17 school calendar with 20 additional instructional minutes in the school day. This was done to be compliant with House bill 2610, which passed in 2015 and states that districts must have at least 75,600 minutes of instructional time in the academic calendar. In April, FBISD reconsidered and decided instead to add only 15 additional minutes onto the school day due to transportation costs associated with altering school schedules further. Amanda Bubela, FBISD director of external communications and media relations, said the change did not require a board vote because the calendar did not change. Beginning fall, FBISD elementary schools will begin classes at 8:10 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m. Middle school classes will be in session from 8:55-4:10 p.m., and high schools will be in session from 7:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m., according to the district.

*This story originally described the school zone speed limits incorrectly.