Houston ISD should allow more time for family and community engagement when it holds a school bond election, according to a recent report from a Houston public relations firm on the district’s failed $4.4 billion proposed bond.
HISD hired Outreach Strategists to support the development of the school bond, including “providing strategic direction, marketing support, and comprehensive implementation services” before the Nov. 5 election. It paid at least $730,000 to the firm for bond research and strategy, according to district records.
Despite the marketing efforts, the bond measure failed after a successful campaign by critics of the district’s leaders, who encouraged voters to reject the measure due to the state takeover and a lack of community trust in state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles and the Board of Managers.
In its closing written report, Outreach Strategists shared several key recommendations with the district and the school board largely addressing community engagement or infrastructure, as well as lessons learned after about 58% of voters rejected both bond propositions.
“The electoral margins for the two bond proposals indicate there are no easy fixes to passing a bond in the future,” the report said. “The community research did show a path to passage, but it would have required robust advocacy, which the district cannot legally perform.”
After sharing the report with the board and district leadership, HISD provided the 16-page report to the Chronicle in response to an open records request.
“HISD is not currently in the planning process for another bond proposal,” a district spokesperson said. “If the district does move forward with a bond in the future we will, of course, consider these recommendations and other input we have received.”
You can see a copy of the report here. I had thought at one time that the district might try again this year, maybe even in May, with a smaller bond, but as the story makes clear, that’s not on the table. I guess this at least gives them the time to try to address some of the points made in the report. I don’t think there’s much there that wasn’t apparent before the bond went down in flames, but maybe Mike Miles just needed to hear it from someone he doesn’t consider beneath him.
On that note, Outreach Strategists is owned by Mustafa Tameez, who I’ve known for a long time and consider a friend. I can tell you he was passionately in favor of the bond referendum, and is a firm believer that Miles has done great and necessary work in improving the performance of a lot of students that the district had failed for a long time. You can feel however you want to feel about that, I’m just illustrating that this report is a message to Mike Miles from the friendliest possible messenger. If he doesn’t take it to heart, that’s on him.
Lawyers advocate for the people who pay them; it would not surprise me that many other professions do likewise.