Tag Archives: Board of Managers

New teacher evaluation system approved by HISD

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it goes. Houston ISD’s state-appointed board unanimously approved a new teacher evaluation system Thursday that will go into effect for the next school year. The model, which will be used to evaluate the district’s roughly 11,000 teachers, … Continue reading →

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So how are all those schools doing now?

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I would like some answers, please. Overall, there have been 177 principal changes since the takeover began in June 2023. In most cases, the principal separated from the district voluntarily. Following that were transfers, to 27 other principal positions and … Continue reading →

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HISD’s looming school closures

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Boy is this going to be fun. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles plans in the coming months to propose closing an undisclosed number of schools in the summer of 2026, as the district faces a tight budget and enrollment losses. … Continue reading →

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TEA takes over South San Antonio ISD

Posted on February 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Following a state-mandated conservatorship and years of squabbling board members, the Texas Education Agency decided Wednesday to overhaul South San Antonio Independent School District’s entire board of trustees. The state also appointed Saul Hinojosa, a retired superintendent for … Continue reading →

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No Eid on the HISD calendar

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some folks would like it back. The Houston chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations — a local Muslim advocacy group — is calling on Houston ISD to add a school holiday back for Eid al-Fitr during the 2025-2026 school year. … Continue reading →

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HISD joins lawsuit against social media companies

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Houston ISD is set to join a nationwide lawsuit that argues several major social media companies fueled an “unprecedented mental health crisis” among young people — and should pay school districts for the fallout. HISD’s state-appointed board unanimously voted … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles gets graded

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Needs improvement”. State-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles lost several points in his annual performance evaluation from the board for failing to effectively communicate with community members and for not prioritizing a positive culture, according to recently released district records. … Continue reading →

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HISD teacher rating system 2.0

Posted on January 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how this one goes. Houston ISD’s new system for evaluating its roughly 11,000 teachers looks similar to its current one, maintaining a large emphasis on classroom observations and student test scores, but without a controversial student survey component … Continue reading →

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HISD approves those previously unapproved expenses

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Cleanup on Aisle 3! Houston ISD’s Board of Managers voted Thursday to retroactively approve up to $870 million in purchasing agreements after the state’s largest school district admitted to violating procurement policy for approximately 16 months. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles … Continue reading →

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Oh, who needs board approval anyway?

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Heck of a job, y’all. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration greenlit about $870 million in spending over the past 16 months without receiving required school board approval, breaking district policy and frustrating some board members. HISD administrators did not … Continue reading →

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A brief look ahead to when the HISD Board will contain elected members again

Posted on January 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This Q&A with elected HISD Trustee Plácido Gómez has some good insights, but I want to note these questions towards the end. Fast-forwarding, if you, in an imaginary world, became a voting member of the board tomorrow, how would you … Continue reading →

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The HISD Board doesn’t want to hear it

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Curious move. Houston ISD’s board of managers signaled early support Tuesday for limiting the public’s ability to speak freely about any topic during its monthly board meetings. Board members voted 8-1 to advance a policy proposal that would eliminate a … Continue reading →

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HISD may do more school name changes

Posted on December 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Much has changed in Houston ISD in the 70 years since the U.S. Supreme Court declared racial segregation in schools illegal. The district went through a years-long process to desegregate its campuses and, in recent decades, has … Continue reading →

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The HVAC and lighting effect

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

One of the main promises of the now-failed HISD bond referendum was funding to fix many issues with HVAC and lighting and other physical plant matters. In the aftermath of the bond’s failure, the Chron takes a look at the … Continue reading →

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Where that lack of trust in HISD comes from

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Exhibit A. Harvard Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Association welcomed its new principal, Sharon Pe Benito, and assistant principal, Molly Lashway, with cakes decorated in the school’s colors and “H” logo. The pair received gift cards to local restaurants as part of … Continue reading →

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Miles’ record on the HISD budget

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A closer look from the Houston Landing. In his first year, Houston ISD’s state-appointed superintendent, Mike Miles, ushered in several changes that sparked massive media attention and community pushback — but another important set of shake-ups took place largely behind … Continue reading →

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Can HISD pass the next bond?

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It depends. After Houston ISD’s historic bond failure in November, several parents, teachers and community members are wondering if or when the state’s largest school district will go back to voters to place another measure on the ballot. […] Some … Continue reading →

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A little self-reflection is good

Posted on November 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s best if it’s accompanied by a sincere effort to change one’s actions. But it’s a start regardless. During much of its first year and a half of service, Houston ISD’s state-appointed school board has endured criticism for what some … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles is disappointed in us

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

So sorry. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles called voters’ rejection of the district’s proposed $4.4 billion school bond — the largest school bond in Texas history — “unfortunate and wrong” in a statement Tuesday. Miles conceded the bond election after … Continue reading →

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Fundraising for the HISD bond

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been waiting for a story about the pro-bond campaign, and here one is. For Roland Garcia, voting in favor of Houston ISD’s proposed $4.4 billion bond is a no-brainer. Garcia, a grandparent of two students at Houston ISD’s Harvard … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The Chron gets on the “no trust, no bond” train

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The students of HISD shouldn’t have to worry if traces of lead are seeping into the water, past the district’s jerry-rigged mitigation efforts. Or whether a troubled individual with a semi-automatic can slip past a lack of fencing and … Continue reading →

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HISD cornucopia

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Too much news, too little time, so a-rounding up we go… Houston coalitions hold dueling press conferences to support, oppose HISD’s $4.4B school bond HISD parents, Houston’s NAACP branch, the Houston Federation of Teachers, the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor … Continue reading →

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The cost of the HISD bond

Posted on October 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like this would be getting less attention if it weren’t for Mike Miles. Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion school bond would add an estimated $8.9 billion in debt for the district over more than 30 years if approved by … Continue reading →

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Some tiny trimming of Miles’ wings

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t much, but I guess it’s something. Houston ISD has quietly published a new document draft that would reduce state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ authority in appointing members to the committee overseeing the potential $4.4 billion school bond if approved. According … Continue reading →

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HISD approves the bond referendum for November

Posted on August 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I expect there will be some vigorous campaigning over this. I’ll be very interested to see how much money gets raised and spent. Houston ISD will ask voters in November to pass the biggest school bond package in Texas history, … Continue reading →

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HISD reports significant drop in D and F-rated campuses

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is very good news. Houston ISD state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said Wednesday that the number of the district’s schools that earned a D or F rating in the Texas Education Agency’s accountability ratings dropped by about two-thirds compared to … 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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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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