Tag Archives: schools

Many more school districts are feeling the pinch

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not just HISD. Not by a long shot. For eight-straight years, Cypress-Fairbanks and Conroe ISDs earned the Texas Smart Schools Award, bestowed on school districts with prudent financial practices and high academic achievement. Now, Cypress-Fairbanks faces a $50 million deficit … Continue reading →

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Harvey-affected schools may get a break on the STAAR test

Posted on April 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas school districts hit hard by Hurricane Harvey may not have to worry as much about how well their students fare in this year’s standardized tests, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath announced Wednesday at a meeting of the … Continue reading →

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A clean separation

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Former Houston ISD superintendent Richard Carranza’s resignation from the district involved no financial settlements, and the two sides agreed not to sue each other following the separation, according to documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle. A written agreement … Continue reading →

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HISD will not change its funding mechanism

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not this year, at least. Houston ISD officials have abandoned plans to overhaul the way the district funds its schools, opting to keep HISD’s long-standing financing system as they work to fill a $115 million budget deficit. Schools will continue … Continue reading →

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What role might the city have in HISD?

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The possibility that the city could have any role at all with HISD is itself interesting. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he has been asked to get “very, very, very involved” in Houston ISD as it faces potentially severe state … Continue reading →

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HISD chooses partnerships for low-performing schools

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In the same story as the one with the news about interim HISD Superintendent Grenita Lathan, we get this news as well: HISD administrators are recommending the district temporarily surrender significant control over 10 chronically underperforming schools as part of … Continue reading →

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HISD names an interim Superintendent

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations! Houston ISD trustees unanimously appointed Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent late Thursday, elevating the district’s chief academic officer about two weeks after Richard Carranza announced he’s stepping down. Lathan, 48, will serve as acting superintendent starting Friday, then become … Continue reading →

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There should be plenty of interest in the HISD Superintendent job

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what the Board is prepping for. HISD trustees likely will have no shortage of potential candidates from the across the country willing to take over for Superintendent Richard Carranza, who announced last Monday that he will leave the district … Continue reading →

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Carranza departs

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This sure came as a surprise. As Houston ISD officials wrestle with how to fill a $115 million budget shortfall, stave off a potential state takeover and work to recover after Hurricane Harvey, Superintendent Richard Carranza announced Monday he would … Continue reading →

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HISD’s budget deficit is a little smaller

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of good news. Houston ISD administrators do not expect to cut magnet programs or re-open the magnet application process ahead of the 2018-19 school year, an announcement likely to ease fears among parents who send their children to … Continue reading →

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HISD working on a bond issue

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be quite the year for HISD. Voters living in Houston ISD could be asked to approve a new school bond totaling at least $1.2 billion as early as November, according to a recently unveiled district financial plan. … Continue reading →

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HISD’s plan to avoid state takeover

Posted on January 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how this works. As we know, the stakes are quite high. Houston ISD administrators have proposed dramatic changes to 15 low-performing schools that, if approved, could temporarily prevent the state from taking over the district’s Board of Trustees … Continue reading →

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HISD faces major changes

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is a very big story, but a key component to it is not discussed here. Houston ISD officials said Saturday the district will need to cut about $200 million from its 2018-19 budget to bring spending in line with … Continue reading →

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Extra school days may be coming

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Darn that crazy weather. School districts across greater Houston are working to determine if they need to add extra days to their academic calendars or extra minutes to their school days to make up two days missed this week due … Continue reading →

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Who’s to blame for the special education limits

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege gets a finger pointed at it. After a federal report blasted Texas for failing kids with disabilities, educators and public education advocates are pointing the finger directly at state legislators who, they argue, first suggested capping special education … Continue reading →

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HISD to standardize start times

Posted on January 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This had been talked about for some time. HISD will implement standardized school start times for the 2018-19 school year to better deliver efficient, reliable, and affordable transportation to our students. Currently, HISD manages 67 different school start times – … Continue reading →

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One small piece of relief for Harvey-affected school districts

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not much, but it’s something. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath is not changing state standardized test dates for students affected by Hurricane Harvey, but he is waiving some requirements for certain students, his agency said Thursday. Students across the … Continue reading →

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HISD proposes to rebuild four schools damaged by Harvey

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems reasonable. Students at four storm-damaged Houston ISD elementary schools wouldn’t return to their home campuses until at least 2020 under a district proposal for replacing the structures announced Monday. The $126-million plan calls for the four campuses — Braeburn, … Continue reading →

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What will we do with the hardest hit schools?

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston area was inundated by floods during Harvey. As bad as that was and is, we weren’t affected by the wind. The coastal region is dealing with that, and it’s a very tough road they have ahead of them. … Continue reading →

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Ruby Polanco

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This happened late last month, and kind of got lost in the Harvey fallout. A year after Ruby Polanco first noticed that the San Antonio Independent School District’s non-discrimination statement for students and employees didn’t mention gender identity, gender expression … Continue reading →

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Some schools will have longer days

Posted on September 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a reasonable approach, all things considered. School days will grow longer for students at 11 Houston Independent School District campuses after the Board of Education voted Thursday night to extend school days to stay in compliance with state … Continue reading →

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More on recapture and the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There are some conditions that have to be met to get our recapture money back. Houston Independent School District won’t have to hand millions of dollars to the state to spend at other schools if HISD needs that money to … Continue reading →

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House to study Harvey-related issues

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. House Speaker Joe Straus is asking three House committees to wade into issues related to Hurricane Harvey, including how the state can maximize federal funds and whether to rethink how to grade schools affected by the storm … Continue reading →

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Don’t expect any STAAR slack

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, kids. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Wednesday morning that the state was not likely to let students displaced by Hurricane Harvey delay a required state test this school year — or to change the way school districts are … Continue reading →

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What will this school year be like?

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

School has finally started for most of HISD and many surrounding districts, but with the devastation and disruption of Harvey, what can we expect from this academic year? Many students in Houston ISD lost everything – their homes, their school … Continue reading →

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Most but not all HISD schools will open Monday

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the latest. Nine storm-damaged Houston ISD campuses will remain temporarily closed when many district students return to classes for the fall following a two-week delay caused by Hurricane Harvey, Superintendent Richard Carranza said Thursday. Meanwhile, students at nearly 80 … Continue reading →

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The case for calling a Harvey special session

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Gene Wu disagrees with Greg Abbott’s decision. The historic level of damage and suffering caused by Harvey requires that we tap into our state’s Rainy Day Fund. Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to not call a special session of the … Continue reading →

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Many schools were damaged by Harvey

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This will add so much more disruption to the Harvey recovery efforts. More than 10,000 Houston Independent School District students are expected to start classes in temporary quarters as officials work to repair hundreds of campuses damaged by Hurricane Harvey, … Continue reading →

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HISD will begin classes on September 11

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another week off for students. As Houston ISD continues to sort out which of its schools were damaged in Tropical Storm Harvey, school officials are postponing the start of the school year until Sept. 11, two weeks after school was … Continue reading →

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HISD cancels classes for a week

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another effect of Harvey. Houston Independent School District schools and offices will be closed all week, from Monday, Aug. 28 through Friday, Sept. 1, due to widespread damage from Tropical Storm Harvey. HISD officials have been closely monitoring the forecast … Continue reading →

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HISD gets some improvements, needs some more

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly good news. State school ratings released Tuesday showed academic gains across Houston ISD this year, but enthusiasm over the results was tempered by 10 struggling campuses again falling short of state standards, leaving the district under threat of state … Continue reading →

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HISD and the TEA

Posted on August 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Still catching up on things. Texas education officials are warning that Houston ISD could be placed under the jurisdiction of state-appointed managers as early as next year if 13 district schools don’t show improvement. The warning was issued during a … Continue reading →

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House passes school finance bills

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I doubt they’ll meet a different fate than they did in the regular session, but kudos anyway. The Texas House on Friday passed a package of bills that would put $1.8 billion into public schools and help out struggling small, … Continue reading →

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Halfway through the session

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The House is doing House things, and that’s fine. Brushing aside concerns that they are not moving swiftly enough to enact Gov. Greg Abbott’s 20-point agenda, Texas House members opened the second half of the special session Wednesday with a … Continue reading →

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