Tag Archives: HISD

US Department of Education investigating HISD over special ed changes

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Houston ISD after the state’s largest district began to centralize its special education department. HISD announced Wednesday that students in some special education programs would … Continue reading →

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It’s Mike Miles all the way down

Posted on May 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The pattern couldn’t be clearer. Texas officials again tapped a Houston schools administrator to helm a state takeover, this time for Beaumont ISD. Sandi Massey is the new state-appointed superintendent of Beaumont ISD as the district has struggled with years … Continue reading →

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This Fort Worth ISD takeover is going to give me PTSD

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Where have I heard this before? Fort Worth ISD families say sweeping restructuring could weaken the tailored support their students — from English learners to college-bound seniors and kids in speech therapy — depend on. International Newcomer Academy teacher Whitney … Continue reading →

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Morath names the new Lake Worth ISD superintendent

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Lake Worth ISD has new leadership after Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath on April 23 appointed a new superintendent and five-member board of managers who are tasked with overseeing improving student outcomes for the 3,200-student district. … Continue reading →

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Unelected HISD Board votes to fire HISD union leader

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

What the hell are we doing here? Houston ISD’s appointed board of managers voted Thursday to terminate a teacher union leader even though an independent hearing examiner initially recommended that the district reinstate the longtime educator. All six members who … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit allows Ten Commandments law to be enforced

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

They do what they always do. Texas can enforce a state law requiring public schools to display posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. A 9-8 majority of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles wants to foist a bunch of AI on us

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I missed this originally, but now that I’ve seen it I must say, WTF? Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles will convert four more schools into AI-focused “Future 2” schools, up from two previously announced kindergarten-to-eighth-grade schools. But according to … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles’ money maker

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff from the Observer. Houston ISD pays its state-appointed superintendent, Mike Miles, a base salary of $462,000, and the district also gave him a bonus of $173,660 approved by its state-appointed board in September. Yet, all along, the leader … Continue reading →

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The takeover biz has been good for Mike Miles

Posted on April 8, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Just raking it in. As more Texas school districts face the threat of a state takeover, they are turning to a charter network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles to try to avoid it. At least seven school districts — Edgewood, Everman, Hempstead, Killeen, San … Continue reading →

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Schools in flood zones

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t good. Nearly 400 Harris County schools could move to higher-risk flood zones, according to new maps released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The new maps dramatically expand Harris County’s 100-year and 500-year floodplains, moving hundreds of schools and other … Continue reading →

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The new Fort Worth ISD Superintendent speaks

Posted on March 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying to hear how he differs from Mike Miles. I’m still thinking about it. “It’s going to take a while to correct the system,” [appointed Superintendent Peter] Licata said Friday as he walked around Morningside, a campus slated for … Continue reading →

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Four HISD schools achieve some separation from Mike Miles

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This seems like a good thing. They all wanted it, I don’t see any quotes from opponents in the story. Am I missing something? Four of Houston ISD’s most prestigious magnet high schools will have new outside managers, after the … Continue reading →

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One hint about where FWISD might be going

Posted on March 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not from the naming of the new Superintendent, but by the hiring of his deputy. A top Houston ISD official is joining Fort Worth ISD as second-in-command as the Texas Education Agency prepares to take over the North Texas school district. Daniel Soliz, … Continue reading →

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Morath names the new Fort Worth ISD Superintendent

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I wish him well, but more than that I wish the students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders of Fort Worth ISD well. A Floridian who briefly led one of the nation’s largest school districts will captain Fort Worth ISD while … Continue reading →

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Spring ISD hoping to avoid HISD’s fate

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck, y’all. Spring ISD has just a few more months to turn around a struggling high school or risk a state takeover of the entire district — but school leaders are optimistic that early test scores show improvements. After four … Continue reading →

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Board of Managers approves HISD school closures

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

They wasted no time. Houston ISD’s Board of Managers voted Thursday to close 12 schools next school year, despite emotional pushback from parents and public officials who begged for more time and warned the move would destabilize communities and harm students. The vote came … Continue reading →

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The TEA falls into a familiar pattern

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We feel your pain, Fort Worth ISD. Nearly 300 people want a seat on the Texas-appointed board replacing FWISD’s nine locally elected trustees, but none of their names are publicly known. The Fort Worth Report requested the list of applicants … Continue reading →

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Another DEI ban knocked down

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, I say good. A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction Friday to block three Texas school districts, including Katy and Houston, from enforcing a new state law that bans diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at public schools. The law, Senate Bill … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit allows Lousiana’s Ten Commandments law to go into effect

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not great, but not the end of the line. A U.S. appeals court has cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms to take effect. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court … Continue reading →

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The race and poverty factor in school district takeovers

Posted on February 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

A deep dive by the Trib. The Texas Education Agency last year launched plans to take over four school districts due to low academic performance, confiscating decision-making power from elected leaders based on state-issued F grades at six campuses. All … Continue reading →

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HISD parents upset about sudden school closure announcement

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t blame ’em. As Houston ISD families returned to school Tuesday after the holiday weekend, many said they were shocked by the district’s plan to close or consolidate 12 campuses next year. Some rallied, and many demanded answers, especially about … Continue reading →

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HISD talking school closures again

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready, there’s no way this isn’t super messy. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles recommended Thursday that the district close 12 schools next fall, as it comes to terms with a decade-long enrollment decline and aging facilities. While Miles … Continue reading →

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Fort Worth ISD loses its appeal

Posted on February 9, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The takeover is now official. Fort Worth ISD trustees lost their legal fight to stop the state takeover of the district Thursday, clearing the way for Texas’ education commissioner to install new leadership over the city’s largest school system. A state administrative court … Continue reading →

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Fort Worth ISD takes its own lessons from the HISD experience

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The data has a lot to say. Houston is not destiny for Fort Worth, according to three University of Houston professors researching the impact Texas taking control of schools has had on enrollment and teachers in the state’s largest city. … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit hears Ten Commandments appeal

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves…From the inbox: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sitting en banc, heard oral arguments in two cases challenging state laws in Texas and Louisiana that require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. … Continue reading →

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Put Spring ISD on the TEA takeover watch

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t see this coming. Dekaney High School is one failing accountability grade away from a state takeover of Spring ISD, and district leaders told trustees Tuesday that they are pursuing aggressive turnaround efforts at the north Harris County campus. The … Continue reading →

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Falkenberg says what we all know about Mike Miles

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a terrible leader, and as a result the changes he’s implemented will probably not last beyond his tenure. Something clicked as I listened to former Louisiana state schools superintendent John White talk about how he built support for his … Continue reading →

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What the Fort Worth Chambers of Commerce learned from visiting HISD

Posted on December 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They could have gotten more out of the experience if you ask me. With Fort Worth ISD preparing for a state takeover, some of the city’s business leaders recently came to Houston to learn how its own state intervention has … Continue reading →

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Hearing for the school DEI ban lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s legitimately hard to keep track of all the crappy laws our Legislature passes and the lawsuits filed to block them. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas asked a federal judge Thursday to put a preliminary injunction on a … Continue reading →

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TEA takes over three more districts

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Mike Morath sure is busy. The Texas Education Agency is replacing the elected school boards of the Beaumont, Connally and Lake Worth school districts, Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced Thursday. State law allows Morath to either close a campus or … Continue reading →

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Class action lawsuit filed over the Ten Commandments law

Posted on December 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

About time. After receiving two favorable rulings from judges, a coalition of advocacy groups filed their third lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new state law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom in Texas. The new … Continue reading →

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What would you tell Fort Worth’s Chamber of Commerce about the TEA takeover?

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some folks will get the chance. Business leaders will get a closer look at school district takeovers this week when the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce tours Houston schools. The Fort Worth team wants to learn how the state’s 2023 … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues Galveston ISD over Ten Commandments display

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We need some real guidance here. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Galveston Independent School District on Friday for not following a new state law requiring schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms while the legislation is challenged in … Continue reading →

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Tuesday was a good day for school boards

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I refer you once again to Franklin Strong and his much-valued Book-Loving Texans’ Guide to the school board elections. There weren’t that many school board races on the ballot in November – May is a more common month for these … Continue reading →

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