Tag Archives: Texas Education Agency

HISD’s appeal of the Wheatley rating

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Not much there. You can read whatever you want into that. If Houston ISD trustees expected the district’s administration to make an impassioned, detailed appeal to the state for an accountability reprieve at Wheatley High School — a last-ditch effort to avoid … Continue reading →

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Why would you run for HISD Board of Trustees this year?

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a good question. As she campaigns door-to-door to become the newest member of Houston ISD’s school board, Reagan Flowers is encountering many confused voters. They ask whether school board elections matter this year, given the growing likelihood that state officials will … Continue reading →

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The TEA delivers its terms to HISD

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The Texas Education Commissioner has put the state’s largest school district on official notice that it could lose its locally-elected school board because of failing grades at one Houston high school. The commissioner, Mike Morath, notified Houston’s interim … Continue reading →

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HISD has a lawsuit against the TEA over that ethics investigation

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I missed the first act of this story, but that’s okay because this is where it gets interesting. Lawyers for Houston ISD’s school board are seeking to stop the Texas Education Agency from replacing the district’s elected trustees following a … Continue reading →

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We await HISD’s fate

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, I think we know what it’s going to be, but there are still some questions. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath came to and left the Greater Houston area Thursday without addressing one of the biggest issues on his agenda: the … Continue reading →

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HISD misses on accountability ratings

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

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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So what’s the goal of a TEA takeover of HISD?

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The history of TEA takeovers of school districts is mixed, so we ought to be clear about what the forthcoming takeover of HISD is supposed to do. In recent years, districts subject to state-appointed boards successfully have balanced budgets and … Continue reading →

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Initial reaction to the TEA action on HISD

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

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

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

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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How long will that TEA ethics investigation of HISD take?

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Could be months, but they don’t really know. The state investigation into allegations of Open Meetings Act and procurement violations by some Houston ISD trustees could last months, a top Texas Education Agency official said Saturday, potentially leaving the district … Continue reading →

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Achieve 180 schools showing progress

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I hope it’s enough. Houston ISD schools covered by the district’s $16 million campus turnaround plan saw modest improvements in the program’s first year — enough to outpace gains reported across the district, but not nearly enough to pull chronically … Continue reading →

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HISD conservator suspends superintendent search

Posted on March 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Halt! A state-appointed conservator ordered Houston ISD trustees on Monday to suspend their search for a permanent superintendent, an unprecedented intervention in the state’s largest school district. In a letter sent to HISD trustees, the conservator, Doris Delaney, said she … Continue reading →

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Superintendent search will continue

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

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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Orlando Sanchez files $1 million lawsuit against water-pourer

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good grief. The former Harris County treasurer has sued a man for $1 million after water was poured on his head during a news conference about HISD in December. Orlando Sanchez, who lost his re-election campaign in November, filed … Continue reading →

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How much more danger is HISD in of being taken over?

Posted on January 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to say for sure, but they’re not in a good place right now. The threat of state takeover has loomed over Houston ISD for months, largely due to chronically low-rated schools and mounting frustration with its much-criticized school board. … Continue reading →

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HISD back under scrutiny

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hope this turns out to be no big deal. The Texas Education Agency is investigating possible open meetings violations by some Houston ISD trustees last year when they engaged in private discussions that led to the abrupt ouster of … Continue reading →

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HISD’s last stand

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They have their work cut out for them. Houston ISD’s four Hispanic trustees took hold of the school board’s top officer positions Thursday, led by Trustee Diana Dávila winning election as president of the much-maligned governance team. Dávila, who has … Continue reading →

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The TEA could have already taken over HISD

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I had not known this. For more than a year, Houston ISD leaders have fretted over the possibility of a state takeover mandated under a recently passed law, known as HB 1842. The statute directs the Texas Education Agency to … Continue reading →

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Greg Abbott to HISD: Drop dead

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. A post sent from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Twitter account Thursday lambasted Houston ISD’s leadership as “a disaster” that has failed children in the state’s largest school district — a rare public … Continue reading →

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Orlando Sanchez’s bizarre press conference

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What a weird thing. It was an absolutely wild afternoon for Harris County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez. He planned to have a news conference across the street from the HISD administration building, but things didn’t go as planned. Protestors showed up … Continue reading →

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Recapture reinterpretation lawsuit update

Posted on December 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is a bit in the weeds, so bear with me. Houston ISD likely will keep an additional tens of millions of dollars more in property tax revenues each year following a widely expected Texas appeals court decision Friday. Judges … Continue reading →

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It really is all or nothing for HISD

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I hope we’re ready for this. Barring a change to the sanctions law, litigation or a change of heart by the board of trustees — none of which are expected — HISD will learn in August whether the district will … Continue reading →

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HISD rejects partnership idea

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The die is cast. Houston ISD trustees narrowly voted Thursday to not seek proposals from outside organizations to run long-struggling schools, a decision that keeps those campuses under local control but sets the stage for a possible state takeover of … Continue reading →

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Mayor moves forward with city-led school partnership

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. A nonprofit formed by city of Houston leaders may seek temporary control of up to 15 Houston ISD campuses in neighborhoods with historically low-performing schools, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday. The nonprofit, created by Turner’s education … Continue reading →

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City tries again with non-profit charter for HISD

Posted on December 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody seems to like this idea. The city of Houston’s education czar and three well-connected, civically engaged residents plan in the coming weeks to seek control of some long-struggling Houston ISD schools in a bid to improve academic outcomes and … Continue reading →

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TEA offers to lend HISD a hand

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Could be a decent deal. A top Texas Education Agency official offered Tuesday to intensively work with Houston ISD’s much-maligned school board to dramatically overhaul its approach to governance, shifting focus toward student outcomes and away from distracting personal agendas. … Continue reading →

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HISD still trying to figure out what to do with the four schools that didn’t meet standards

Posted on November 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t take too long on this. After months with little public discussion about whether to temporarily surrender control over four long-struggling schools, Houston ISD officials are expected to start ramping up talks about any such plans as state-mandated deadlines quickly … Continue reading →

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Trustees apologize for Saavedra/Lathan mess

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Houston ISD trustees on Monday offered a public apology to students, parents and teachers for their behavior the past 10 months, particularly the chaotic meeting last week when a faction of the board surprised their colleagues and … Continue reading →

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Saavedra out

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Whiplash. Trustees are expected to announce Monday that interim superintendent Grenita Lathan will remain at the helm of the Houston Independent School District, an attempt to diffuse fallout from a contentious 5-4 vote last Thursday that was preceded by shouting … Continue reading →

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Saavedra 2.0

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. In a raucous school board meeting filled with shouting and accusations lobbed by trustees against each other, the Houston Independent School District’s board of trustees late Thursday replaced interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan with former HISD Superintendent Abelardo … Continue reading →

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Property tax revenue up, school funding down

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to Texas. An early projection has Texas decreasing state funding to public education, and largely using local taxes to fill the gap. In its preliminary budget request ahead of next year’s legislative session, the Texas Education Agency projected a … Continue reading →

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The state of special education at HISD

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Still a lot of work to be done. Houston ISD’s quality of special education services remains in “grave” shape due to inadequate staffing, confusion among employees and a lack of accountability, according to a district-appointed committee reviewing the quality of … Continue reading →

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Looking beyond HISD’s one year reprieve

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, HISD has been in danger of sanctions from the TEA, which could include a state takeover of the district, because of several schools that had rated as “improvement needed” for multiple years in a row. They managed … Continue reading →

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HISD avoids sanctions for this year

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Big sigh of relief. Houston ISD will avoid major state sanctions for at least one year after four of its longest-struggling schools met state academic standards this year, according to preliminary results released Wednesday. The announcement ensures the Texas Education … Continue reading →

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