Tag Archives: HISD Board of Trustees

HISD gets ready to roll out bus ads

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Last year, I noted that the HISD Board of Trustees had approved a plan to allow advertising on its school buses. They are now finally ready to get this going. HISD has partnered with Steep Creek Media to offer advertising … Continue reading →

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HISD redistricting on the horizon

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is likely to be a lot less contentious than other map-drawing exercises we’ve seen, but no redistricting exercise is ever completely bloodless. Gene Locke of Andrews Kurth told [HISD] trustees they should have a plan to submit to the … Continue reading →

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HISD contemplates different start and end times for school days

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you have kids in HISD schools, you should check this out. That dropoff and pickup schedule you’re used to may be different next fall. Nothing has been voted on yet, so take a look and give your feedback to … Continue reading →

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Feeling the Love

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good news for at least one previously endangered school in HISD. Four elementary schools in the Houston Independent School District could close under a proposal Superintendent Terry Grier revealed this morning. Under the plan, which the school board must approve, … Continue reading →

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HISD lays off teachers, discusses school closures

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We knew this was coming. There may yet be more of it to come. Officials with the Houston Independent School District announced Tuesday that about 730 teachers have been notified they won’t have jobs next year — because of budget … Continue reading →

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HISD cuts 277 jobs

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There will be more of this to follow. The Houston school district will have fewer bus drivers, construction workers, finance employees and other staff next year under budget cuts the board approved on Thursday. Trustees, expecting a severe shortfall in … Continue reading →

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HIDS community conversations about possible school closures

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the HISD news page: HISD has scheduled a series of community conversations to discuss the possibility of closing four small elementary schools. The district administration is faced with making some difficult budget decisions to cover an expected $171 million … Continue reading →

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Smaller cuts from the Senate

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Trail Blazers: The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday adopted a school funding plan for the next two years that would cut basic funding for school districts by nearly 6 percent – or $2 billion a year – to handle a … Continue reading →

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Should we do away with school police forces?

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Grits makes the case. If public school budgets will be radically cut in Texas, a prospect which for the moment appears all but inevitable, which employees should be eliminated first? Judging from the ongoing debate, maybe campus cops. Jason Embry … Continue reading →

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Hamilton Middle School still designated as magnet

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly of interest to folks in my neck of the woods, but worth noting that after receiving a lot of feedback from parents in the community, HISD has announced that it will keep Hamilton Middle School as a Vanguard program … Continue reading →

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HISD starts cutting

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

HISD’s board of trustees began the budget cutting process on Thursday in anticipation of cuts to public education funding in the Legislature. Barring some really good news from the Lege, there will be much more of this to come. The … Continue reading →

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1200 teachers at risk in HISD

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That’s a lot of jobs. The Houston school board is scheduled to vote Thursday on Superintendent Terry Grier’s plan to reduce the amount of money the district doles out to each school, paving the way for layoffs in light of … Continue reading →

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More on magnet schools

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Some further information about the proposed changes to HISD’s magnet school program made by Superintendent Terry Grier at Thursday’s public meeting. Funding would drop at 69 schools and increase at 53 under Grier’s preliminary plan. In all, the district would … Continue reading →

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HISD’s budget and magnet meeting

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A whole lot happened on Thursday evening with HISD. Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier proposed a major shake-up Thursday night to the district’s popular magnet program, calling for 25 schools to lose the special status and for funding increases or … Continue reading →

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HISD meeting to discuss budget

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars for this Thursday, March 3, at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 West 18th Street, at 6PM for an HISD board meeting that will include a discussion of the 2011-2012 budget as well as a … Continue reading →

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HISD’s opening thoughts on dealing with budget cuts

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not going to be pretty, no matter how you slice it. Fewer police officers would patrol school hallways, property taxes would rise, several campuses would close and about 300 central office jobs would be cut next year under HISD … Continue reading →

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HISD may raise tax rate

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The state of Texas may not be considering any revenue enhancements to deal with its budget shortage, but that doesn’t mean that other taxing entities, such as school districts, won’t consider them. Melinda Garrett, HISD’s chief financial officer, said the … Continue reading →

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The state of HISD

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

HISD SUperintendent Terry Grier gave his state of the school district speech this week. Houston ISD Superintendent Terry Grier announced plans Thursday to toughen the district’s curriculum and to expand access to college-caliber courses despite tight financial times. Grier, in … Continue reading →

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Get your HISD budget questions answered

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: HISD to Host Live Television Show to Focus on State Budget and its Effects on HISD Viewers can call in, email, and tweet their comments and questions about the district’s budget review and planning process What: “HISD … Continue reading →

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Still more on magnet schools

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So what do we know about HISD’s magnet schools and that consultant’s report that recommended some hefty changes to them? Well, other than the consultants themselves, no one likes the report very much. The message was clear at Lamar High … Continue reading →

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What school districts may do to respond to the budget cuts

Posted on January 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

They may raise taxes: Some school officials also are considering even more unpopular options – increasing property tax rates or eliminating special tax breaks. In some cases, even those moves aren’t expected to raise enough money to plug the worst-case … Continue reading →

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More on the magnet schools report

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I guess it’s just as well that I never made it all the way through that audit on HISD’s magnet schools, because it seems that neither Superintendent Terry Grier nor the Board of Trustees are all that wedded to it. … Continue reading →

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Too many tickets

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Texas Appleseed, via Grits. Class C Ticketing, Arrest of Youth at School is Introducing Thousands to Justice System, Says New Appleseed Report Schools Should Follow Lead of Juvenile Justice Agencies: Restrict Pepper Spray, Taser Use Austin, TX. – A … Continue reading →

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The audit on HISD’s magnet programs

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The long-awaited audit has arrived. Students in Houston ISD’s prestigious magnet schools could find themselves shopping for new campuses if district leaders act on a critical audit that suggests eliminating nearly half the programs. The long-awaited audit, released on Friday, … Continue reading →

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A very early look at the 2011 elections

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas on the Potomac lists 11 national races of interest for 2011. Well, of interest to some – outside of the Dallas Mayoral race, none of these mean much to me, and that’s only if incumbent Tom Leppart leaves to … Continue reading →

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Will HISD close low-enrollment schools?

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As if there weren’t enough politically charged agenda items out there for next year. Like dozens of campuses in the Houston Independent School District, Jones is losing students and brimming with empty seats. HISD trustees must make politically tough choices … Continue reading →

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Stipeche wins HISD Trustee runoff

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From School Zone: Juliet Stipeche has won the Houston ISD District VIII school board runoff election by 48 votes, according to the unofficial results. Stipeche, an attorney, beat Judith Cruz, a stay-at-home mom and former HISD teacher, with 51 percent … Continue reading →

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Runoff Day in HISD VIII

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the day of the runoff election for HISD Trustee in District VIII between Judith Cruz and Juliet Stipeche. According to School Zone, only about 1000 votes were cast during early voting, so if you live in this district, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Runoff reiteration

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reiterates its endorsement of Judith Cruz in the HISD Trustee runoff. To a large degree, the solution to the United States’ education problems is being worked out here in Houston. We’re the birthplace of some of the nation’s … Continue reading →

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Early voting information for the HISD VIII runoff

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

One more election to go this year, the runoff for the open HISD Trustee seat in District VIII. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, early voting begins tomorrow and runs through next Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know from the … Continue reading →

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Overview of the HISD Trustee race

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron overview of the HISD Trustee special election in District 8. There are five candidates actually running, though there is a sixth on the ballot: Roberto Centeno, 61, lives in Museum District Judith Cruz, 35, lives in Eastwood … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The HISD Trustee race

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Judith Cruz in the HISD Trustee special election. Cruz firmly supports the Waiting for Superman brand of school reform: She believes that urban schools can do a much better job of educating our kids than they do … Continue reading →

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Reviewing magnet schools

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be lively. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier is starting to tread in the most politically delicate territory he’s tackled since coming to Houston: the beloved magnet program. Starting this week, the district is holding town hall meetings to … Continue reading →

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HISD versus Prop 1

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This would be a tough obstacle to overcome. HISD Board President Greg Meyers on Wednesday raised the specter of teacher layoffs if the school system is forced to pay an estimated $2.5 million to $3.5 million a year in drainage … Continue reading →

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