Tag Archives: HISD

The principal shuffle

Posted on August 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a lot. Since Mike Miles was appointed as HISD superintendent in June 2023, there has been widespread principal turnover across the district. The Houston Chronicle has been tracking the leadership changes at HISD campuses through a series of … Continue reading →

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Another Friday Beryl roundup

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Still lots to keep up on, so let’s get to it. CenterPoint spent $800M on mobile generators. Where are they post-Hurricane Beryl? Over the last three years, CenterPoint Energy – the company in charge of delivering power to millions of … Continue reading →

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Still discussing the HISD bond proposal

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There could still be changes, if the Board of Managers decides to do something other than be the usual rubber stamp. About three weeks before its potential vote, Houston ISD’s Board of Managers held a special meeting Tuesday to question … Continue reading →

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Saturday Beryl roundup

Posted on July 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We need better outage data. Meanwhile, the system that once fed CenterPoint’s map – which has quietly continued to report data under the hood of the utility’s website – became overwhelmed almost immediately after Beryl reached the greater Houston area. … Continue reading →

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Bond spending so far

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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The HISD bond committee has some feedback

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t we all. Houston ISD should provide more communication and transparency around its $4.4 billion school bond proposal, including plans for pre-K expansion and co-locations of several campuses, before a potential vote in November, according to a recent advisory committee … Continue reading →

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More on “No trust, no bond”

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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?

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on June 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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On the bonds and closing or not closing schools

Posted on June 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a very complicated issue. Two decades ago, children crowded the halls of Houston ISD’s Attucks and Cullen middle schools, historic campuses located two miles apart on the city’s south side. Since then, hundreds of families have fled the … Continue reading →

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Miles to decimate wraparound services

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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It’s Greg Abbott’s fault if your school district is facing a budget crunch

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Houston-area school districts brace for big budget cuts. Staring down a $100 million deficit budget, even after deciding to close three campuses in February, Aldine ISD trustees have a difficult decision to make this week. Voting on … Continue reading →

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A closer look at the HISD bond proposal

Posted on June 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the Houston Landing, which put together five highlights from the proposal. 1. Elementary and middle schools to see the biggest upgrades All schools will see some level of investment under the bond plan, but elementary and middle schools will … Continue reading →

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HISD reports improvements on high school end of course exams

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. More Houston ISD students met or exceeded grade level on the English I, English II, Algebra I and biology end-of-course exams that are required for high school graduation, according to figures released by the district. HISD saw a 3 … Continue reading →

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One year of the HISD takeover

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s been a year since HISD was officially taken over. Where do we stand on the things that matter, the schools’ and students’ performances? Early data is mostly positive, with a lot of caveats. According to early data, HISD appears … Continue reading →

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HISD asks for $4.4 billion in bonds

Posted on June 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That sure is a lot. Houston ISD unveiled a $4.4 billion bond proposal, the largest in HISD history and likely the largest package any Texas school district has taken to voters. Much of the bond, $2.05 billion, would go to … Continue reading →

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A holiday weekend HISD roundup

Posted on May 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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?

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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City Council versus HISD

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I doubt they can do anything, but I’m happy to watch them try. One year after the state takeover of Houston Independent School District, some City Council members are urging Mayor John Whitmire to take a more proactive approach in … Continue reading →

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Power by Wednesday?

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As of 5 PM Saturday, CenterPoint said that 447K customers were still without power, which is about half of the original total from Thursday night. The hope is that 90% of all customers will have power by Wednesday. Which, given … Continue reading →

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First look at the HISD budget

Posted on May 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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HISD school outage report

Posted on May 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Your school may or may not be open on Monday. Check for updates before you head out. Houston ISD reported that nearly half of its campuses are without power as of Friday and dozens have sustained wind and tree damage … Continue reading →

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More on the improper use of funds allegations against Mike Miles

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on May 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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HFT leaders vote “no confidence” on Mike Miles

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hardly a shock. The leaders of Houston’s largest teachers union approved a resolution of no confidence in Houston ISD’s Superintendent Mike Miles on Tuesday, in a strong but ultimately symbolic rebuke of the state-appointed superintendent’s leadership. The union’s resolution calls … Continue reading →

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A brief history of May elections in Harris County

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As previously noted, early voting begins today for the special HCAD and SD15 elections. I have said before that we are not used to voting in May in Harris County and that because of that and because of the annoyingly … Continue reading →

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So what is HISD going to do with this bond proposal?

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea. I’m not sure they have any idea, either. Houston ISD officials are considering asking taxpayers to approve a multibillion-dollar bond in November, but Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration has yet to go through a widely used process … Continue reading →

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Several Dem legislators want to investigate HISD

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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 discouraging STAAR test prep

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Why must Mike Miles fold, spindle, and mutilate my brain like this? As Houston ISD students prepare to take the STAAR in less than two weeks, appointed Superintendent Mike Miles is instructing schools to avoid direct test preparation, instead telling … Continue reading →

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HISD’s current goals

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

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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