Tag Archives: HISD Board of Trustees

Early voting for the November 2025 election begins tomorrow

From the inbox: The Harris County Clerk’s Office (HCCO) urges voters to take advantage of Early Voting, which starts Monday, October 20, and ends Friday, October 31. Ballot Items Include 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution 18th Congressional District Houston City Council At-Large Position … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Endorsement watch: For some change in HISD

The Chron makes their endorsements in the three contested HISD trustee races. It’s an odd election. It could even seem pointless. Right now, elected HISD trustees have little power, no vote and just a few minutes prioritized at the start … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Robbie McDonough

At the end of my HISD interview cycle, I noted that I had reached out to District V candidate Robbie McDonough but had not heard back from him. That happens sometimes, campaign-related email addresses are not always reliable. Well, McDonough … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Robbie McDonough

Interview with Michael McDonough

We finish up our week with HISD candidates with Michael McDonough, who is challenging incumbent Trustee Kendall Baker in District VI. McDonough recently retired after a 30+ year career at HISD, where he was a math teacher, a soccer coach, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Michael McDonough

Interview with Maria Benzon

The other open HISD seat is in District V, where two-term incumbent Sue Deigaard declined to run again. There are two candidates running to fill that seat, and today we will hear from Maria Benzon, a veteran educator with over … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Maria Benzon

Interview with Audrey Nath

Challenging incumbent Bridget Wade in District VII is Audrey Nath, one of many Mike Miles critics on the ballot that I noted in July. Nath is a pediatric neurologist, an MD/PhD from Rice and UT-Houston, and an HISD mom. She’s … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Audrey Nath

Interview with Bridget Wade

Continuing with our week of HISD Trustee race interviews, the next two days will be in District VII, where the incumbent is Bridget Wade, who defeated Anne Sung in 2021. Wade is the past President and longtime member of the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Bridget Wade

Interview with Felicity Pereyra

Welcome to the start of the 2025 interview season! I went into this early on thinking there wouldn’t be much, as there are no city of Houston elections, but with the special elections in CD18 and At Large #4 it … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Felicity Pereyra

The HISD and HCC lineups

The filing deadlines have passed for HISD and HCC, so this seems like as good a time as any to look at who is running for what. Note that the deadline for CD18 and Houston City Council is September 3, … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The HISD and HCC lineups

We get closer to school closures

Words from Mike Miles. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles announced Wednesday the district may borrow $180 million for a new career and technical education center, pending board approval. Miles, addressing hundreds of teachers at an annual teachers’ convocation, said … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ask questions, get booted

This is why the whole Board of Managers concept sucks. The four ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers sent the majority of the board’s formal requests for information to the district in the two years before the … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HISD says it has no F-rated schools

This is legitimately great. And it means we can officially start the Mike Miles Countdown Clock. Zero Houston ISD schools received an “F” in the Texas Education Agency’s A-F accountability ratings this year, while 18 received a “D,” according to preliminary … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

July 2025 campaign finance reports – HISD

We’re going to have to do this the hard way. With a fundraising haul of more than $75,000, incumbent Houston ISD trustee Bridget Wade has outraised all declared candidates who are running for the five trustee seats up for election. Houston voters … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on July 2025 campaign finance reports – HISD

An early look at who’s running for HISD Trustee

From the Chron, which notes that five seats are up for election this year and that until Mike Morath gives us back our power there won’t be that much for them to do. District I Felicity Pereyra Felicity Pereyra, a … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An early look at who’s running for HISD Trustee

That’s one way to boost STAAR scores

You may recall earlier stories about STAAR improvements at HISD, which Mike Miles has touted as proof that his plans are working and all of us malcontents should just shut up already. That’s all well and good, but as is … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A “home rule school district” inside HISD?

Today I Learned there is such a thing as a “home rule school district”, and some HISD parents want to form one. A small West Houston group wants to create its own charter-governed district within the state’s largest school district, … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A “home rule school district” inside HISD?

Miles given five-year contract extension

This is some bullshit. With no public discussion, Houston ISD’s Board of Managers on Thursday approved a five-year contract extension for state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. The five-year term will ensure that Houston ISD “can continue its transformation for the duration … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Miles given five-year contract extension

HISD enters its AI slop era

Ugh. The Harlem Renaissance produced a rich tapestry of poems, novels and paintings of Black life in the early 20th century, all expressing the artistry and brilliance of people whose equal citizenship and full humanity had long been denied. Yet … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD enters its AI slop era

A former Board Manager speaks

Who knows why he and three others were streeted. But we can speculate. Adam Rivon, one of the four recently ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers, won’t speculate on why he was suddenly removed from his role … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A former Board Manager speaks

Morath replaces half the Board of Managers

For reasons. The Texas Education Agency has removed and replaced four of the appointed members of Houston ISD’s Board of Managers two years into the state takeover. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath wrote that he removed board Vice President Audrey Momanaee, … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Morath replaces half the Board of Managers

January 2025 campaign finance reports – HISD and HCC

PREVIOUSLY: Harris County offices City of Houston Senate and Congress State officeholders Right now, as we await the DaSean Jones election do-over appeal and ponder the likelihood of not having another HISD bond referendum anytime soon, the only elections for … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HISD’s looming school closures

Boy is this going to be fun. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles plans in the coming months to propose closing an undisclosed number of schools in the summer of 2026, as the district faces a tight budget and enrollment losses. … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

HISD approves those previously unapproved expenses

Cleanup on Aisle 3! Houston ISD’s Board of Managers voted Thursday to retroactively approve up to $870 million in purchasing agreements after the state’s largest school district admitted to violating procurement policy for approximately 16 months. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Oh, who needs board approval anyway?

Heck of a job, y’all. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration greenlit about $870 million in spending over the past 16 months without receiving required school board approval, breaking district policy and frustrating some board members. HISD administrators did not … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A brief look ahead to when the HISD Board will contain elected members again

This Q&A with elected HISD Trustee Plácido Gómez has some good insights, but I want to note these questions towards the end. Fast-forwarding, if you, in an imaginary world, became a voting member of the board tomorrow, how would you … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Are we really gonna take this show on the road?

Color me skeptical. The seismic changes seen by Monsiváis’ son and the 180,000-plus students throughout HISD this school year are the result of the most dramatic state takeover of a school district in American history, a grand experiment that could … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Board of Managers passes Mike Miles’ budget

It was a close vote, but as we kids used to say, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. In their most divided vote taken to date, members of Houston ISD’s state-appointed school board on Thursday narrowly approved a … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Board of Managers passes Mike Miles’ budget

HISD reports improvements on high school end of course exams

Good. More Houston ISD students met or exceeded grade level on the English I, English II, Algebra I and biology end-of-course exams that are required for high school graduation, according to figures released by the district. HISD saw a 3 … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

One year of the HISD takeover

It’s been a year since HISD was officially taken over. Where do we stand on the things that matter, the schools’ and students’ performances? Early data is mostly positive, with a lot of caveats. According to early data, HISD appears … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A holiday weekend HISD roundup

This will be a basic linkdump. I’ll start here. The Houston ISD Board of Managers appears to have moved forward late Thursday with the termination of Herod Elementary School Principal Jessica Berry, who declined to resign in the district’s recent … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Is anyone still defending Mike Miles?

Anna Eastman is out. As a former Houston ISD parent and school board member, I initially encouraged Houstonians to be open to the state takeover and its potential benefits for our kids. I know firsthand that many things in HISD … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

First look at the HISD budget

We’re up to $500 million in cuts. But we still don’t have any details. The multibillion-dollar question of how Houston ISD intends to balance its budget went largely unanswered Thursday night, with district administrators revealing few specifics about job or … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on First look at the HISD budget

HISD Board approve District of Innovation plan

No suspense there. Houston ISD will be allowed to extend the school year and begin it earlier after the district’s state-appointed board of managers unanimously approved a “District of Innovation” plan Thursday, marking the end of a process that began … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HISD’s continued enrollment decline

It’s not great. Houston ISD saw its steepest enrollment decline this year since the first full school year of the pandemic, losing roughly 6,000 students, according to preliminary data obtained by the Houston Landing. Some 183,884 students now attend HISD … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment