A school bus struck and dragged a Clear Lake High School junior about 30 feet during dismissal on Oct. 16.

Jakxon Kessler, 16, was riding his bicycle home when a bus exiting the campus hit him, according to KHOU, which first reported the story. He suffered spinal fractures, broken shoulder blades and a partially torn ear. Clear Creek ISD confirmed the crash and said the Houston Police Department (HPD) is leading the investigation.

Jakxon's mother, Brandie Kessler, told KHOU she learned about the crash through a phone call that afternoon.

"The bus didn't see him and kind of hit him, and then he got pulled under the wheel well and dragged about 30 feet," Brandie Kessler said.

Jakxon was taken to UTMB Health's Clear Lake Campus. He spent the weekend in intensive care. His mother said he underwent multiple surgeries and blood transfusions. She described his injuries as including both shoulder blades broken and multiple fractures down his spine.

His family said he is making progress but remains hospitalized and will need physical therapy.

Andy Kessler, Jakxon's father, told KHOU the family is grateful their son survived. Both parents are now calling on CCISD to add staff supervision at bus departure zones during arrival and dismissal at Clear Lake High School.

Brandie Kessler told KHOU there should be someone at the school managing the congestion during those times.

CCISD said in a statement to KHOU that school and emergency personnel responded immediately and that the student was transported to the hospital. The district cited federal privacy laws in declining to discuss Jakxon's medical condition. Whether CCISD plans any changes to dismissal procedures at Clear Lake High School is not clear from available public statements.

The crash comes days before a separate KHOU investigation, published Oct. 20, found that nine Houston-area school districts failed to report bus crashes to the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Bus Accident Reporting System. CCISD was not among the nine districts named. The investigation found 214 bus crashes in TxDOT police records that did not appear in those districts' TEA filings over three school years.

CCISD's Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 30 new school buses for up to $4.9 million at its May 18 meeting, according to board minutes. At the same meeting, the board determined that budget and warranty limitations do not permit the district to equip buses with three-point seat belts under Texas Transportation Code.

HPD has not announced any findings in the Oct. 16 crash.