Tag Archives: New Education System

Crowdsourcing HISD exit interviews

This is one of those cool ideas that falls in the bucket of “it would be so much better if it weren’t needed in the first place”. With little data available regarding why employees were quitting their jobs in the … Continue reading

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TEA clears Third Future Schools

Some good news for Mike Miles. The Texas Education Agency’s investigation into alleged misuse of state funds concluded Third Future Schools — a Colorado-based charter school network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles — did not violate any Texas laws. The investigation also … Continue reading

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HISD cornucopia

Too much news, too little time, so a-rounding up we go… Houston coalitions hold dueling press conferences to support, oppose HISD’s $4.4B school bond HISD parents, Houston’s NAACP branch, the Houston Federation of Teachers, the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor … Continue reading

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Different HISD bond referendum poll, different result

Not a big surprise, but that doesn’t mean one is right and the other is wrong. Just days apart, two polls related to Houston ISD’s proposed $4.4 billion school bond forecast clashing results, with a new survey released Tuesday suggesting … Continue reading

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That “poll” of the HISD bond referendum

I’m sorry, but this doesn’t tell us anything. Houston ISD voters are overwhelmingly willing to support a school bond package to upgrade campuses throughout the district, according to polling released Thursday, though questions remain about whether residents will back a … Continue reading

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HISD releases its accountability ratings

Here they are. About half of Houston ISD schools saw their state-issued accountability rating jump by one or more letter grades this year, a dramatic improvement in scores following a turbulent first year under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. HISD released … Continue reading

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Bond spending so far

HISD is presumably going to spend some amount of money to get its bond passed. It has already spent some money putting the bond package together. Houston ISD has spent at least $700,000 developing and promoting its $4.4 school bond … Continue reading

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More on “No trust, no bond”

I’m still inclined to vote for the HISD bond, but I’m listening to the opposition and am very interested in seeing what traction they can get. Several HISD teachers, parents and community members say they are planning to cast their … Continue reading

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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

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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

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Miles to decimate wraparound services

This is a bad idea. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said social work services for students will be provided by a trimmer team of wraparound specialists who will each serve multiple campuses and refer students to off-campus support centers. Houston ISD … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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More on the improper use of funds allegations against Mike Miles

Other outlets are on this now. A state lawmaker and Houston teachers are calling for Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles to be investigated after a Spectrum News report revealed that millions in Texas public school tax dollars may … Continue reading

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A “WTF, HISD?” roundup

Expect more protests later this week. Houston ISD families plan to protest Saturday morning near City Hall as word of forced principal and teacher departures rip through campuses as the end of the first year since state takeover approaches. Community … Continue reading

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Multiple schools protest Mike Miles

The people are angry. Roughly 200 parents and students started their day protesting in front of Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, one of many Houston ISD campuses sent into turmoil last week with news that their principal was … Continue reading

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More on the coming HISD cuts

I repeat, this is going to suck. An undisclosed number of Houston ISD teachers and principals received notices this week that they will be out of a job, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said Thursday. Miles said principals have begun making … Continue reading

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HISD budget cuts coming

This is going to get ugly. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said Friday afternoon that the school district is facing an estimated $450 million gap in funding that will largely be made up by staff reductions as federal pandemic … Continue reading

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Several Dem legislators want to investigate HISD

We’ll see if this goes anywhere. Several Houston-area Democratic legislators are calling for a formal hearing to address “potential violations of state law” in Houston ISD in the aftermath of the Texas Education Agency stripping elected leaders from the school … Continue reading

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HISD’s current goals

They have ’em. Some I totally agree with. Others, well, we’ll see. Houston ISD is expected to expand several of its controversial reforms during the 2024-25 school year, according to a preliminary version of the district’s plans shared earlier this … Continue reading

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Miles backtracks on firing principals

Good. In a major reversal, Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said early Friday that the district’s principal proficiency screener ratings will not be used “in any adverse employment decisions” for campus administrators for the current academic year. As part … Continue reading

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More on Miles and the principals

I never know what to make of what this guy says. Houston ISD’s appointed Superintendent Mike Miles defended the results of his controversial principal screenings on Monday after nearly half of the district’s principals were notified that they had not … Continue reading

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Mike Miles versus the principals

I don’t even know, man. Houston ISD’s appointed Superintendent Mike Miles put about half of the district’s principals on notice Thursday evening after receiving results of their midyear proficiency screenings, informing them that they must undergo a second assessment this … Continue reading

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HISD kids still not getting the Internet access they lost

Just another thing by the wayside. Houston ISD has not provided at-home internet service to the vast majority of students who relied on a free Verizon program that the district canceled three months ago, leaving some of Houston’s most vulnerable … Continue reading

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The Mike Miles “efficiency report”

I’m going to reserve judgment on this for now, but it is fair to say that I start out with a nontrivial amount of skepticism. Nearly a year into the state takeover, appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles says he … Continue reading

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More NES schools coming

Not a surprise, in fact entirely expected, but I do have a question. As many as 40 schools will be added to Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ New Education System in the 2024-25 school year, the district announced Tuesday, bringing … Continue reading

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Whitmire’s approach to HISD

It’s on brand, I’ll say that. Mayor John Whitmire met Monday with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to reaffirm his support for Houston ISD’s appointed leadership, signaling a new approach from City Hall toward the state’s stewardship of the district … Continue reading

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Would you please fix that Verizon debacle, HISD?

It sure would be nice. Twelve state legislators representing the Houston ISD area sent a letter to Superintendent Mike Miles on Monday asking him to reconsider a decision to end a program that provided free Verizon internet access to tens … Continue reading

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PragerU videos? Seriously?

Once again I have to ask, what the hell is going on at HISD? A Friday lesson intended to teach students at dozens of Houston ISD schools how to think objectively included a video that mocked the idea of human-caused … Continue reading

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The Mike Miles effect so far

A couple of explainers from the Chron. First up, this one about what has actually happened so far in HISD since Mike Miles took over. Superintendent Mike Miles has made sweeping changes in Houston ISD since he was appointed by … Continue reading

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Who still wants to teach at HISD?

This is bad, right? Perelman is one of 137 teachers who left Houston ISD during the first month of school this year, all but five of them of their own volition, according to public records obtained by the Houston Chronicle. … Continue reading

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Another HISD threefer

Once again, too much news and too little time… HISD special ed teachers say new instructional model under Miles is too rigid to support children. Brian Tucker started getting help for a speech impairment and learning disability in second grade … Continue reading

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DeBakey students finally get an AP Physics teacher

Better late than never and all that, but sheesh. AP Physics students at the DeBakey High School for Health Professions had a new teacher Wednesday after Houston ISD lifted a hiring freeze that had kept the position vacant since the … Continue reading

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