Tag Archives: Texas Education Agency

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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Michelle Williams sues HISD for wrongful termination

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A teachers union leader filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Tuesday against Houston ISD’s state-appointed board and superintendent, as well as several district administrators and Lake Worth ISD’s new superintendent, after the district terminated her. The Houston Education Association president, Michelle Williams, … Continue reading →

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Where have the public school students gone?

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is worrisome. Roughly 76,000 fewer students enrolled in Texas public schools this academic year — the first non-pandemic decline in nearly four decades — with Hispanic students accounting for the overwhelming majority of the loss, according to a report released … Continue reading →

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More on the HISD special ed mess

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is from last week, I meant to get to it sooner, but you know how it goes. When Antonio Cruz Trejo opened his son’s backpack last Friday, he found a hand-painted Mother’s Day gift — a major milestone for … 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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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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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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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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From the “using a sledgehammer to swat a fly” department

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

LOL. The Texas Education Agency on Tuesday warned school districts that they could be taken over by the state if they help facilitate students walking out of class to attend protests. The agency released guidance after Gov. Greg Abbott directed Education Commissioner Mike Morath to … 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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