Tag Archives: Mike Morath

HISD’s future financial hole

Posted on September 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

A deep dive from the Trib. About half of Houston ISD schools are like Fonville, adopting Miles’ expensive reform effort in a takeover where the state ousted the locally elected board and superintendent for appointees over chronic academic underperformance. Miles … Continue reading →

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What grade would you give Mike Morath?

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Probably not as good as the grade he’d give himself. Mike Morath set a goal 10 years ago to make Texas No. 1 in education, declaring then that “the future of the state is delivering great results for brown and Black kids … Continue reading →

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Can Austin ISD avoid being taken over?

Posted on September 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. This one trick might help. In an effort to keep the Austin school district independent, Mayor Kirk Watson is pushing to close two chronically-failing middle schools that triggered the state’s takeover law. He’ll need parents’ help to do it. … Continue reading →

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Spring ISD avoids takeover

Posted on August 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m happy for them. Spring ISD’s Dekaney High School vaulted from an F to a C in the state’s A-F accountability ratings for the 2025-26 school year, sparing the district from a potential state takeover. The high school had received … Continue reading →

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How much of those academic gains are a mirage?

Posted on August 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Damn. Two years into Houston ISD’s state takeover, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles touted a major achievement: state ratings showed there were no more F-rated schools in the district. Some of that jump, however, had little to do with Miles’ sweeping … Continue reading →

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Ten Commandments law challengers petition SCOTUS

Posted on August 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: More than two dozen Texas families are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to a state law that requires public schools to post a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. The request, … Continue reading →

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Austin ISD will probably be taken over

Posted on August 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

That sucks. Burnet and Webb middle schools received a fifth consecutive failing accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency, the Austin school district announced Thursday, triggering a state law that directs Education Commissioner Mike Morath to either close the schools … Continue reading →

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More on the Ten Commandments parents’ rights lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Courier Texas talks to one of the plaintiffs. Emily Roth never planned on teaching her six-year-old about the Ten Commandments. “It’s a belief system that we don’t follow as a religious doctrine,” Roth told Courier Texas. But that plan changed when … Continue reading →

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Initial request to block Ten Commandments law denied

Posted on August 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. A judge on Friday denied a request from three Houston mothers to temporarily stop Texas public school classrooms from displaying the Ten Commandments, in the first lawsuit to argue that it violates the state’s religious freedom law and a voter-approved parental … Continue reading →

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Parental rights lawsuit filed against Ten Commandment law

Posted on August 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this approach works better than the first one did. A lawsuit filed this week against the state-mandated Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms argues the requirement violates a parental rights amendment voters added to the Texas Constitution last November. The … Continue reading →

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More on Mike Miles’ AI obsession

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

There’s so much wrong with this, I’ll limit myself to my three main complaints. While many school districts across the country are reducing screen time for students, Houston ISD is going in the opposite direction with its educational technology, prompting … Continue reading →

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The public ed angle

Posted on June 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Gina Hinojosa is finding some new supporters with a tried and true issue. Gina Hinojosa’s recent campaign swing felt more like a public vent session than a conventional political tour. A teacher at her Richardson stop detailed his frustrations with … Continue reading →

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HISD accepts state’s bribe to adopt Bluebonnet curriculum

Posted on June 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Absolutely infuriating. Houston ISD’s state-appointed board of managers voted unanimously Thursday to adopt the state-developed Bluebonnet curriculum, which has drawn controversy for its inclusion of Bible teachings but could bring the district millions in new state funding. The move to … Continue reading →

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The rules don’t apply to Mike Miles

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

He’s just special. Houston ISD waited nearly a full school year to seek a state waiver, allowing appointed Superintendent Mike Miles to lead the district for 11 months without a required superintendent certification, state records show, even after the district’s … Continue reading →

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I am so sick of Mike Miles

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From Lisa Falkenberg’s latest: For months, I had written about other schools within Houston ISD, scrutinizing superintendent Mike Miles’ reforms in the state’s takeover, his closure of libraries and sidelining of storybooks, all the while harboring some relief that my own three kids’ campuses had been … Continue reading →

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A followup on Mike Miles’ moneymaker

Posted on June 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate the Chron looking into the potential consequences of Mike Miles’ earning outside consultant money while serving as HISD Superintendent, in violation of a recent state law. I’m skipping over the part of the story where they recapped the … Continue reading →

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Checking in on HISD’s status

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

What have we gained and lost after three school years of the TEA takeover of HISD? The Chron did a deep dive. Houston ISD’s state takeover began three years ago, when the Texas Education Agency ousted the elected leadership and … Continue reading →

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How Fort Worth ISD parents are responding to the takeover

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them all the best. It’s going to be a long ride. Zach Leonard, a parent to three Fort Worth Independent School District students, wants his children to be able to walk to a high-quality public school in their … Continue reading →

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Austin ISD is on takeover watch

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. Austin ISD’s effort to stave off a possible state takeover suffered a major setback Thursday after the Texas Education Agency rejected the district’s plan to hand three struggling middle schools to an external nonprofit operator. In a letter sent Thursday to Superintendent Matias Segura, … 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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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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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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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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Voucher deadline extended after hearing in Islamic schools’ lawsuit

Posted on March 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise, at least to me. Texas families now have two more weeks to apply to the state’s new voucher program after a federal judge the deadline extended to March 31, citing concerns that no Islamic schools have been … Continue reading →

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Second lawsuit filed over Muslim schools’ exclusion from voucher program

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. A group of Islamic schools and Muslim parents sued the Texas Comptroller’s office Wednesday, accusing state leaders of religious discrimination for blocking Islamic schools from Texas’ $1 billion private school voucher program. The case marks the second lawsuit this … Continue reading →

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The school district that didn’t get taken over

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Curious. Texas declined Thursday to take over the Wichita Falls school district, which had been at risk of receiving the state’s most severe form of intervention over years of academic underperformance. Kirby Middle School triggered the potential of a takeover. … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over Muslim schools’ exclusion from voucher program

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Yet another seemingly clear-cut First Amendment violation. It’s like it’s a habit around here. A Houston-area parent is suing state officials, accusing them of religious discrimination for barring Islamic schools from participating in Texas’ private school voucher program. The plaintiff, Mehdi Cherkaoui, … Continue reading →

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