Tag Archives: HISD

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Duncan Klussmann, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, schools | 4 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Board of Managers, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, schools | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Board of Managers, budget, deficit, Greg Abbott, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, schools, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, vouchers | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged Barack Obama, Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Election 2012, Election 2024, Election 2025, Harris County, HISD, Houston, Judith Cruz, Kamala Harris, Mike Miles, precinct analysis, Texas Education Agency | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Audrey Momanaee, Board of Managers, bond referendum, Cassandra Bandy, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, schools | Comments Off

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 →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, schools | 3 Comments

Well, that sucked

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about 10:30 PM as I write this, and I don’t care to stay up any longer. The national situation looks dicey, but it’s not yet clear what will happen. I’ll put that off for now. It was bad here … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged abortion, Amarillo, Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance, bond referendum, CD34, Colin Allred, Congress, Donald Trump, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2024, Harris County, Harris County Sheriff, HISD, judicial races, Kamala Harris, President, SBOE, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas, The Lege, Vicente Gonzalez | 22 Comments

A brief list of things I’ll be watching for today

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

In no particular order… 1. I don’t expect Democrats to win statewide in Texas. It would be great, it would do a world of good, but I’d be setting myself up for disappointment if I start there. What I want … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged abortion, Amarillo, Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance, bond referendum, bonds, Brazoria County, CD03, CD15, CD21, CD24, CD38, Colin Allred, Collin County, Comal County, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Harris County, HD108, HD112, HD118, HD121, HD37, HD80, HISD, Houston, Kamala Harris, Montgomery County, President, Senate, Tarrant County, Ted Cruz, Texas, The Lege, turnout | 3 Comments

Teacher certification cheating ring busted

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Yikes. Three Houston ISD employees are among the five people charged in connection with a scheme to help hundreds of people cheat on state teacher certification tests, Harris County prosecutors said Monday. Prosecutors said longtime Booker T. Washington High School … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged District Attorney, HISD, Houston, Kim Ogg, Texas, Texas Education Agency | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, fundraising, HISD, Houston, Houstonians for Great Public Schools, Houstonians for Safe and Healthy Schools, Mike Miles | 5 Comments

Crowdsourcing HISD exit interviews

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is one of those cool ideas that falls in the bucket of “it would be so much better if it weren’t needed in the first place”. With little data available regarding why employees were quitting their jobs in the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Becky Seabrook, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, schools | Comments Off

TEA clears Third Future Schools

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news for Mike Miles. The Texas Education Agency’s investigation into alleged misuse of state funds concluded Third Future Schools — a Colorado-based charter school network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles — did not violate any Texas laws. The investigation also … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged charter schools, Colorado, deficit, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, New Education System, schools, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, Third Future Schools | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, endorsements, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged AFL-CIO, Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Children at Risk, Chris Brown, Community Voices for Public Education, Election 2024, HCDP, HFT, HISD, Houston, Houston Food Bank, Mike Miles, NAACP, New Education System, schools, Texas Education Agency, Wendell Robbins | 5 Comments

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 →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles | 18 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles | Comments Off

HCDP opposes the HISD bond

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea where they’re going to get the votes for this thing. Both the Harris County Democratic and Republican Party executive committees have unanimously voted in favor of resolutions opposing the largest school bond in state history, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged bond referendum, bonds, Community Voices for Public Education, Dani Hernandez, Election 2024, Greater Houston Partnership, Harris County, HCDP, HFT, HGLBT Political Caucus, HISD, Houston, Houstonians for Great Public Schools, LULAC, NAACP, Placido Gomez, Republican Party, Ruth Kravetz, schools | 3 Comments

The students are leaving and they’re not coming back

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Down, down, down… Houston ISD is on track in 2024-25 to see its largest single-year enrollment loss since the pandemic, with the majority of student departures coming from campuses overhauled under a controversial new model implemented by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. Records … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged budget, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, schools, STAAR, Texas Education Agency | 3 Comments

Interview with Ruth Kravetz

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

On Monday you heard the case for the HISD bond referendum. It’s fair to say there’s a lit of loud opposition to the referendum, with most of that opposition coming from people and organizations that are normally big boosters of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged bond referendum, Community Voices for Public Education, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, interviews, Ruth Kravetz | Comments Off

The yarn-based activists against the HISD bond

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how big this group is, but they are visible. Jessica Catrett sat cross-legged on the grass beside Sophie Grace-Rojas, a Project Chrysalis Middle School student, with bundles of yarn on a breezy Sunday morning outside the Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Houston Stitching Together, Mike Miles, schools, yarn bombing | 1 Comment

Interview with Plácido Gómez and Dani Hernandez

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This week we are talking about the HISD bond referendum. We’ve already had plenty to say about this referendum, whose level of public support is unclear because of the questionable polling that’s been done so far. There are plenty of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged bond referendum, Dani Hernandez, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, interviews, Placido Gomez | 4 Comments

Whitmire plays his greatest hits

Posted on September 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor John Whitmire gave his first State of the City address this week. Here’s the preview story for what we were to expect. Mayor John Whitmire will lay out his administration’s priorities during his inaugural State of the City address … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged bond referendum, budget, deficit, derecho, FEMA, HFD, HISD, Houston, Houston City Council, HPD, Hurricane Beryl, John Whitmire, property taxes, revenue cap, Sallie Alcorn | 2 Comments

That sure sounds like a lot of uncertified teachers

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some more context would be nice. Houston ISD has 2,097 uncertified teachers out of more than 10,000 teachers for 2024-25, according to district records first provided to and reported by ABC13 KTRK. About 1 in 5 teachers, out of a … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged HFT, HISD, Houston, Jackie Anderson, Mike Miles, schools, Texas Education Agency | Comments Off

Different HISD bond referendum poll, different result

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not a big surprise, but that doesn’t mean one is right and the other is wrong. Just days apart, two polls related to Houston ISD’s proposed $4.4 billion school bond forecast clashing results, with a new survey released Tuesday suggesting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, HFT, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, polls, property taxes, schools, Texas AFT | 3 Comments

That “poll” of the HISD bond referendum

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry, but this doesn’t tell us anything. Houston ISD voters are overwhelmingly willing to support a school bond package to upgrade campuses throughout the district, according to polling released Thursday, though questions remain about whether residents will back a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged bond referendum, bonds, Election 2007, Election 2012, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, New Education System, polls, schools | 2 Comments

Miles whines about criticism

Posted on August 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Oh good Lord. State-appointed Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles responded to recent criticism from several Democratic state lawmakers by sending a letter telling them to “lead, follow, or get out of the way.” The letter calls for lawmakers … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Ana Hernandez, Carol Alvarado, charter schools, Christina Morales, Colorado, Gene Wu, HISD, Houston, Hubert Vo, Jarvis Johnson, Jolanda Jones, Jon Rosenthal, Mike Miles, Molly Cook, STAAR, standardized testing, Texas, Third Future Schools | Comments Off

Asking the fox to audit the henhouse

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure if that’s the best metaphor, but it’s what I came up with when I read this. Houston Democrats asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Monday to investigate a charter school network founded by Houston ISD Superintendent Mike … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged Ana Hernandez, Attorney General, Carol Alvarado, charter schools, Christina Morales, Colorado, Gene Wu, HISD, Houston, Hubert Vo, Jarvis Johnson, Jolanda Jones, Jon Rosenthal, Ken Paxton, Mike Miles, Molly Cook, Texas, Third Future Schools | 1 Comment

HISD releases its accountability ratings

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are. About half of Houston ISD schools saw their state-issued accountability rating jump by one or more letter grades this year, a dramatic improvement in scores following a turbulent first year under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. HISD released … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged HISD, lawsuit, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, New Education System, schools, STAAR, standardized testing, Texas, Texas Education Agency | Comments Off

The Miles exodus continues

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Brutal. Sarah Malik used to think Houston ISD’s Lantrip Elementary School was a great fit for her daughter. But after the state takeover of the district in June 2023, Malik said the environmental science magnet school in Eastwood, which they … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, schools, STAAR, Texas Education Agency | 1 Comment

Anti-endorsement watch: Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, LULAC Council to oppose HISD bond

Posted on August 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s officially campaign season here now. The Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and the League of United Latin American Citizens Council 60 are both urging voters to reject Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion school bond proposal in November. In separate, recent statements, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged bond referendum, bonds, Election 2024, endorsements, HGLBT Political Caucus, HISD, Houston, LULAC, Mike Miles, NAACP, Texas Education Agency | Comments Off

Accountability ratings release halted

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. A Travis County judge has blocked the Texas Education Agency from releasing its ratings of the state’s school districts and campuses for a second year in a row. Judge Karin Crump on Monday issued a temporary restraining order after … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, School days | Tagged HISD, lawsuit, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, STAAR, standardized testing, Texas, Texas Education Agency, The Lege, Travis County | 1 Comment

So many teachers gone

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I just can’t see how this is a good thing. More than 4,000 employees left Houston ISD in June, bringing the total departures since the state takeover to over 10,000. The record number is three times higher than the June … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged HFT, HISD, Houston, Jackie Anderson, Mike Miles, schools, STAAR, Texas Education Agency | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged Board of Managers, bond referendum, bonds, Community Voices for Public Education, CTE centers, Election 2024, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, Rolando Martinez, Texas Education Agency | 3 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged Board of Managers, HISD, Houston, Mike Miles, Mike Morath, schools, STAAR, standardized testing, Texas Education Agency | 12 Comments

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