Is Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy a good school?

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy ranks 1275 th of 4675 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 401 students attended Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy?

Students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy are 45% Hispanic, 22% African American, 15% White, 10% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Summary:

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the diverse city of Pearland, Texas. The school has shown mixed academic performance, with strengths in serving certain student subgroups but struggles with the performance of Hispanic and low-income students.

Academically, Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy has had fluctuating STAAR assessment scores, ranking between 1,275 and 2,592 out of 4,675 Texas elementary schools in recent years. The school has performed well for English Language Learners and Special Education students, ranking in the top 30% and top 25% of Texas elementary schools, respectively. However, the school has struggled with the performance of Hispanic and Low Socioeconomic Status students, ranking in the bottom 25% and bottom 15% of Texas elementary schools. Compared to nearby Magnolia Elementary, Shadycrest Elementary, and Barbara Cockrell Elementary, Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy's academic performance is generally lower.

Despite its academic challenges, Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of minority and low-income students compared to the nearby Pearland Independent School District schools. The school's spending per student has decreased in recent years, and its student-teacher ratio has increased, which may impact its ability to provide individualized attention to students. Overall, Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy is a unique public charter school in the Pearland area, offering a diverse learning environment but facing academic performance challenges.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

2319 N Grand Blvd
Pearland, TX 77581

(281) 485-2500

District: Horizon Montessori Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1275^th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,707

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 401

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.1%

African American:

22.4%

White:

14.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.8%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy ranks better than 72.7% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks first among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Horizon Montessori Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.38. (See more...)

Compare Details Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy ranks better than 58.1% of middle schools in Texas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.3. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy has the largest elementary school student body size in the Horizon Montessori Public Schools District. Student population at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (45.1%), African American (22.4%), White (14.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Horizon Montessori Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy is 15.4, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Horizon Montessori Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy employs 25.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy is $9,707, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 elementary schools in the Horizon Montessori Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy 1275^th of 4675 Texas public elementary schools. (See Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy 989^th of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Horizon Montessori Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Horizon Montessori Public Schools 436^th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	45.67	2261^st	4578	50.6%
2022	26.88	3552^nd	4581	22.5%
2023	43.21	2592^nd	4647	44.2%
2024	66.38	1275^th	4675	72.7%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	30.75	2721^st	3487	22.0%
2023	59.75	1173^rd	3556	67.0%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	63.57	937^th	4086	77.1%
2024	69.46	824^th	4261	80.7%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	34.29	3092^nd	4451	30.5%
2022	22.73	3910^th	4477	12.7%
2024	69.23	957^th	4560	79.0%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	46.09	2242^nd	4499	50.2%
2022	27.81	3568^th	4561	21.8%
2023	40.85	2736^th	4588	40.4%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school At Risk students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	33.20	3294^th	4461	26.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	38.60	2632^nd	4498	41.5%
2022	32.89	3210^th	4563	29.7%
2023	46.29	2369^th	4585	48.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	63.35	663^rd	2421	72.6%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	28.25	3353^rd	4329	22.5%
2022	6.65	4347^th	4376	0.7%
2023	47.49	2233^rd	4401	49.3%
2024	61.19	1383^rd	4431	68.8%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile
2021	46.64	1113^th	2252	50.6%
2022	28.17	1698^th	2254	24.7%
2023	37.02	1495^th	2330	35.8%
2024	52.30	989^th	2361	58.1%

See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	19.09	2003^rd	2220	9.8%
2024	43.30	1201^st	2224	46.0%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	29.49	1655^th	2221	25.5%
2023	37.76	1428^th	2241	36.3%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school At Risk students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	31.33	1632^nd	2182	25.2%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	32.21	1560^th	2228	30.0%
2023	37.48	1406^th	2245	37.4%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	52.90	482^nd	1271	62.1%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	TX State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.03	1322^nd	2116	37.5%

See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Texas Education Agency

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2020	13	6	5	29	0	4	57
2021	43	37	26	76	0	13	195
2022	65	60	33	119	7	9	293
2023	74	69	45	184	6	22	400
2024	59	90	39	181	5	27	401

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	57	4.6	12.2	42.1
2021	195	13.8	14.1	47.2
2022	293	17.3	16.8	60.4
2023	400	20.7	19.2	61.8
2024	401	25.9	15.4	65.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	57	4.6	12.2	42.1
2021	195	13.8	14.1	47.2
2022	293	17.3	16.8	60.4
2023	400	20.7	19.2	61.8
2024	401	25.9	15.4	65.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$1,045 (6.3%)	$15,564 (93.7%)	$16,609
2021	$1,591 (16.4%)	$8,116 (83.6%)	$9,707

Data source: Texas Department of Education

Schools Near Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2024)		STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2024)		STAAR Reading (2024)						STAAR Mathematics (2024)						STAAR Science (2024)		STAAR Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Science 5th Grade	STAAR Science 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2319 N Grand Blvd	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	Horizon Montessori Public Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(281) 485-2500	401	26	15.4	65.8%	59 (14.7%)	90 (22.4%)	181 (45.1%)	39 (9.7%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.7%)	66.4	1275^th of 4675 public elementary schools	72.7%		43.2	2592^nd of 4647 public elementary schools	44.2%	1317					58.6	56.5	81.0	85.0	40.0	60.0	55.2	34.8	52.4	40.0	40.0	26.7	14.3	33.3	13.3	$9,707	$1,591	$8,116
C J Harris Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2314 Schleider Dr	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(281) 485-4024	593	37	15.8	49.7%	173 (29.2%)	111 (18.7%)	250 (42.2%)	37 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.7%)	57.4	1714^th of 4675 public elementary schools	63.3%		79.6	779^th of 4647 public elementary schools	83.2%	935					53.5	57.9					37.7	40.6								$10,271	$1,057	$9,213
Barbara Cockrell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	3500 McHard Rd	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(832) 736-6600	767	49	15.5	43.5%	178 (23.2%)	49 (6.4%)	431 (56.2%)	83 (10.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.3%)	87.1	491^st of 4675 public elementary schools	89.5%		93.1	259^th of 4647 public elementary schools	94.4%	232					61.7	71.4					55.0	75.5								$9,291	$989	$8,302
Magnolia Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	5350 Magnolia	Pearland	77584	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(281) 727-1750	676	46	14.6	34.5%	236 (34.9%)	59 (8.7%)	283 (41.9%)	51 (7.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.8%)	88.4	430^th of 4675 public elementary schools	90.8%		91.7	318^th of 4647 public elementary schools	93.2%	112					70.2	77.7					50.4	73.9								$9,642	$999	$8,644
Iltexas Pearland Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	2468 Broadway St	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	International Leadership Of Texas (Iltexas)	Yes	No	(n/a)	No	(972) 479-9078	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Shadycrest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2405 Shady Bend Dr	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(281) 412-1404	584	34	16.9	26.0%	303 (51.9%)	38 (6.5%)	186 (31.8%)	29 (5.0%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.1%)	93.3	242^nd of 4675 public elementary schools	94.8%		93.6	235^th of 4647 public elementary schools	94.9%	7					70.3	80.6					64.0	72.1								$9,718	$1,137	$8,582
H C Carleston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	3010 Harkey Rd	Pearland	77584	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(281) 412-1412	764	55	13.8	67.7%	90 (11.8%)	189 (24.7%)	441 (57.7%)	21 (2.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (2.7%)	41.4	2735^th of 4675 public elementary schools	41.5%		37.2	2967^th of 4647 public elementary schools	36.2%	232	17.7	14.3	5.6	0.0	44.4	42.3					30.8	41.7								$10,520	$1,410	$9,109
South Belt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1801 Riverstone Ranch Rd	Houston	77089	Harris County	Pasadena Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 740-5276	689	46	14.9	55.7%	74 (10.7%)	106 (15.4%)	380 (55.2%)	116 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	10 (1.5%)	76.6	876^th of 4675 public elementary schools	81.3%		72.1	1073^rd of 4647 public elementary schools	76.9%	197					54.1	65.8					50.0	61.9								$9,797	$1,191	$8,606
E A Lawhon Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	5810 Brookside Rd	Pearland	77581	Brazoria County	Pearland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(281) 412-1445	814	55	14.7	63.5%	128 (15.7%)	80 (9.8%)	514 (63.1%)	58 (7.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (3.9%)	79.4	779^th of 4675 public elementary schools	83.3%		72.1	1070^th of 4647 public elementary schools	77.0%	291	14.3	0.0	0.0		59.5	67.4					50.3	61.2								$9,826	$1,241	$8,585
Mitchell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8050 Springtime Ln	Houston	77075	Harris County	Houston Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(713) 991-8190	565	30	18.8	99.1%	15 (2.7%)	152 (26.9%)	380 (67.3%)	11 (1.9%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	30	3433^rd of 4675 public elementary schools	26.6%		14.9	4283^rd of 4647 public elementary schools	7.8%	850	0.0	41.7	14.3	28.6	34.6	29.5	36.5				27.5	31.8	54.0				14.3			$9,982	$1,059	$8,923

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Horizon Montessori Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for all elementary school students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school At Risk students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school Female students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school At Risk students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school African American students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Enrollment information for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Schools Near Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy

Rate Horizon Montessori Pearland - Stem Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!