Tag Archives: Sue Deigaard

HISD Board approve District of Innovation plan

No suspense there. Houston ISD will be allowed to extend the school year and begin it earlier after the district’s state-appointed board of managers unanimously approved a “District of Innovation” plan Thursday, marking the end of a process that began … Continue reading

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An HISD roundup

So much news, sometimes all you can do is link ’em up… The HISD Board of Managers had its second meeting on Thursday. It was mostly calm and quiet in the auditorium as new Houston ISD board members listened to a presentation about … Continue reading

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TEA takeover approved by trustees

That was a formality and will be noted later in the post, but first there was this. Members of the Houston ISD board of trustees peppered a Texas Education Agency representative with questions about the upcoming takeover at a public … Continue reading

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Should the HISD Board bother doing anything right now?

There’s a good case for No, and if that’s their thinking then they’re already on the way. Houston ISD board members expressed concern Thursday about making budget cuts to campuses right before the district is taken over by the Texas … Continue reading

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January 2023 campaign finance reports: HISD

Previously: City of Houston, Harris County. While I did July reports for Harris County and the city of Houston, I last rounded up HISD finance reports a year ago. As with the city it is now election season, so let’s … Continue reading

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The proposed HISD charter partnership policy change

I don’t have a lot of time to dig into this, but there are a couple of things I wanted to touch on. Parents, education advocates and a group of Houston elected officials including three Houston ISD trustees on Monday … Continue reading

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January 2022 campaign finance reports: HISD

Previously: City of Houston HISD campaign finance reports are almost always less sexy than city of Houston reports, but we just had some expensive races last year, so let’s see where all the current Trustees are with their finances. Elizabeth … Continue reading

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2021 runoff results

Here are the vote totals, and here’s an early Chron story which has the results right but was just before the last batch came in. To summarize: – Sue Deigaard had the only easy night – she led by 30+ … Continue reading

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It’s 2021 Runoff Day

. Have you got your #IVoted sticker? Ballot box with ballot Ballots include runoffs for HISD, HCC, City of Bellaire and Missouri City. ⌚ Election Day is Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mobile phone with rightwards arrow at … Continue reading

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Final 2021 runoff early voting totals

The last day of early voting is always the busiest. (Well, other than the 2020 election, but you get the idea.) Early voting for four Houston ISD board seats and local council races ended Tuesday with 21,732 ballots cast, according … Continue reading

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2021 runoff early voting report: Just checking in

I haven’t been following the daily early voting reports for the runoffs very closely. Only a small portion of the populace is voting, so comparisons to the November EV totals don’t mean anything. But we’re most of the way through … Continue reading

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Early voting starts today for the 2021 runoffs

You know the drill – It’s runoff time for the 2021 elections, and early voting starts today. There are nine early voting locations, which you will find in the various districts that have runoffs – HISD districts I, V, VI, … Continue reading

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Re-endorsement watch: This time it’s Anne

Time to start thinking about those HISD and HCC runoffs, kids. The Chron has started thinking about them, because they have issued their endorsements for the runoffs. Of the four HISD runoffs, three involve candidates they endorsed the first time … Continue reading

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Runoffs will be on December 11

As is usually the case, the second Sunday in December for municipal and school board/community college runoffs. Runoff elections will be held Dec. 11, the Harris County Elections Department announced Friday. Four Houston ISD board seats, and individual council races … Continue reading

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More on the November 2021 election results

Here’s the Chron story on the Tuesday election results. It is mostly a straight recording of the individual races, including those I covered yesterday and others that I didn’t. Of the most interest to me is this: Results were delayed … Continue reading

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8 day campaign finance reports: HISD

I don’t often go to the 8-day finance reports, mostly because there’s too little time to squeeze everything in, but HISD is the main story this year, so let’s have a look. The 30-day report summaries can be found here, … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Deigaard and Guidry

We are in the last week before early voting begins for the 2021 election, and that means it’s time for Chronicle endorsements. This would be waaaaaaaay late in a more normal year, but as we know there aren’t that many … Continue reading

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30 day campaign finance reports: HISD

HISD and HCC elections are the main event this November, and as we approach the start of early voting, we can now look at the 30-day campaign finance reports for the candidates. Here’s what things look like in HISD. Elizabeth … Continue reading

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Interview with Sue Deigaard

Hey, remember how there are elections this fall? It’s true! Not for the city of Houston, but for HISD and HCC, and you know what that means – candidate interviews. As you may imagine, there are a few topics of … Continue reading

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July 2021 campaign finance reports: HISD

PREVIOUSLY: Congress, Harris County, Houston Elizabeth Santos – Dist I Kathy Bluefod-Daniels – Dist II Dani Hernandez – Dist III Patricia Allen – Dist IV Sue Deigaard – Dist V Holly Flynn Vilaseca – Dist VI Anne Sung – Dist … Continue reading

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Magnet school change proposals put off again

Not a surprise. Houston ISD’s administration has dropped plans to revamp the district’s prized magnet program before the next school year, a response to multiple concerns raised in recent weeks by school board members, district leaders confirmed [last] week. The … Continue reading

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HISD Board declines to hire Lathan permanently

A national search will be conducted, with still-interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan encouraged to apply. Houston ISD trustees voted Thursday against committing to Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan as the district’s long-term leader, opting instead to launch a national search before filling … Continue reading

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HISD to consider hiring Lathan permanently

Interesting. Houston ISD trustees are scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to name Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan as the lone finalist to lead the district, an unanticipated development amid ongoing litigation over the state’s effort to oust HISD’s elected board … Continue reading

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HISD being investigated over special education

Flagging this for later discussion. Texas Education Agency officials are deep into a wide-ranging investigation of Houston ISD’s special education department, examining whether district staff violated numerous federal laws and state rules that help ensure students with disabilities get vital … Continue reading

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HISD passes its budget

And had their own debate about police funding. Houston ISD trustees Thursday approved a $2 billion spending plan for the 2020-21 school year that includes small raises and bonuses for nearly all employees, a compromise between board members and the … Continue reading

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Don’t forget about school police

Maybe we can take another crack at breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. Several social justice organizations called Monday for Houston ISD to eliminate its police department and contract with local law enforcement agencies, whose officers would respond only to emergency situations … Continue reading

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Meanwhile, the HISD Board of Trustees is still a thing

Meet the new Board, not the same as the old Board. Hours after Houston ISD’s four recently elected trustees took office, enshrining the district’s first all-female school board, the new-look governing team on Thursday made its first big decision. Trustees … Continue reading

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HISD misses on accountability ratings

There’s now a second reason for the TEA to step in and take over HISD. Houston ISD moved a major step closer to temporarily losing local control over its school board Thursday, as long-awaited state academic accountability ratings showed one … Continue reading

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Initial reaction to the TEA action on HISD

Lots of wait and see so far. Houston-area political and community leaders offered muted response Thursday to a state recommendation issued this week to replace Houston ISD’s school board, reserving judgment until more details are known about a Texas Education … Continue reading

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It looks like we’re getting a new school board

What a mess. Texas Education Agency officials have recommended that a state-appointed governing team replace Houston ISD’s locally elected school board after a six-month investigation found several instances of alleged misconduct by some trustees, including violations of the Texas Open … Continue reading

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Superintendent search will continue

For the time being, at least. Houston ISD’s pursuit of a permanent superintendent will continue after trustees rejected a motion Thursday to suspend the search amid a recently launched state investigation into potential violations of open meetings laws. Trustees voted … Continue reading

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July 2018 campaign finance reports: HISD

Every level of government requires finance reports in January and June, whether or not there is an active election cycle in that year. That includes HISD and HCC, which are the last two groups I’ll be examining. I didn’t get … Continue reading

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HISD begins prep on a 2019 bond issue

Wait till next year. Administrators on Thursday recommended Houston ISD seek voter approval for a $1.7 billion capital projects bond in May 2019, charging forward with long-term spending plans even as the district faces uncertainty about its leadership and ability … Continue reading

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Santos calls on Skillern-Jones to step down as HISD President

This happened last week. I’ve been waiting to see if there will be anything more to it. Houston ISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos on Thursday called for school board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, to “immediately step down” from her position in light … Continue reading

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