Tag Archives: STAAR

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 , , , , , , , | 3 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Miles whines about criticism

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 , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD releases its accountability ratings

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 , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 , , , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , | 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 , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The STAAR test will be graded by AI this year

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Surely something like this was inevitable. Students sitting for their STAAR exams this week will be part of a new method of evaluating Texas schools: Their written answers on the state’s standardized tests will be graded automatically by computers. The … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A couple of thoughts as the HISD school year starts

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorial board has them, and so do I. So, in the spirit of the first day, we are setting out three of our own classroom expectations and concerns. We’ll skip the niceties too. Miles needs to control the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A couple of thoughts as the HISD school year starts

I still don’t get how Mike Miles is going to do what he says

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the big plans that appointed HISD Superintendent Mike Miles is touting. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles unveiled a dramatically expanded plan for the district at a Thursday board meeting, announcing 150 schools will see “wholesale systemic reform” … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

A look at how the TEA trains Board of Managers wannabes

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the Observer: Since mid-March this year, when the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced it would be taking over the Houston Independent School District, the state agency has demurred when asked about the district’s future, saying decisions will be made … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Abbott threatens special session if he doesn’t get his voucher bill passed

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not the Lege these days without a special session threat. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said he would veto a toned-down version of a bill to offer school vouchers in Texas, and threatened to call legislators back for special … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott threatens special session if he doesn’t get his voucher bill passed

Math test scores took a hit during the pandemic

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The decline started before the pandemic, but kept on going from there. Students in Houston and across the nation showed “appalling and unacceptable” declines on the 2022 Nation’s Report Card, adding to mounting evidence that the pandemic impacted young people … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Math test scores took a hit during the pandemic

First school ratings since 2019 released

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

All in all, not too bad. But for poorer schools and school districts, it remains a very hard go. The Texas Education Agency on Monday released its first public school ratings in three years and despite pandemic interruptions, the number … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on First school ratings since 2019 released

The STAAR is back

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this last week. For the first time since the pandemic began, Texas public schools will be rated based on how students score on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness — more commonly known as the annual STAAR … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The STAAR is back

Superintendent House has arrived

Posted on July 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He’s got a lot of work in front of him. When Millard House II officially [started] as the new superintendent of Houston ISD on Thursday, he [had] a stack of challenges awaiting his attention. Some students fell further behind during … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

And the STAAR results ain’t great either

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Oof. The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to undo years of improvement for Texas students meeting grade requirements in reading and math, with students who did most of their schooling remotely suffering “significant declines” compared to those who attended in person, according … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The pandemic was hard on math

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Math scores on the end-of-course algebra exams, in particular. Texas’ first trove of 2021 state standardized test scores offers early confirmation of what many educators feared: students fell dramatically behind in math during the coronavirus pandemic. Results from spring algebra … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The pandemic was hard on math

HISD may have a reprieve

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For one year, if this bill passes as is and if the Supreme Court doesn’t intervene. The Texas House advanced a meaty education bill Tuesday that dramatically reduces the stakes of state standardized tests in 2021-22 and gives Houston ISD … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD may have a reprieve

Where HISD stands today

Posted on April 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In a holding pattern, waiting for direction. In the winter of 2019, two committees composed of Houston ISD employees, parents and advocates issued recommendations for how the district should tackle two of its thorniest issues: campus funding practices and access … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Where HISD stands today

Taking the STAAR online

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

If we’re going to have the thing, then this makes sense. Texas education officials want all public school students to take state-required standardized tests digitally by 2022, an effort that could cost school districts millions more collectively each year, according … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Taking the STAAR online

STAAR yes, school ratings no

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like this is where we were always headed. Texas public school students will still take the STAAR test this spring, but the state will not rate schools and districts based on their results, the Texas Education Agency announced Thursday. … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Not everyone wants to skip the STAAR

Posted on November 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

There are no kids in this group. Fourteen Texas school superintendents, including those leading Dallas, Fort Worth and Aldine ISDs, joined with several business and education advocacy organizations Thursday to voice support for continuing to give standardized tests to students … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Legislators call for no STAAR test this year

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me, and very fine by my kids. A bipartisan group of 68 Texas House representatives signed a letter calling on the Texas Education Agency to cancel the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam or at minimum … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

No school accountability ratings this year

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. Texas public school districts and campuses will not receive accountability ratings in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, state education officials said late Thursday. The announcement is a mere formality after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last month … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No school accountability ratings this year

STAAR testing waived

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This had to happen, given everything else. In an unprecedented move, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday he would waive testing requirements for this year’s STAAR exam, as many schools expect to be closed at least through the April testing window, … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on STAAR testing waived

Schools could be closed for the rest of the academic year

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of school-related news on Monday. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told school superintendents and lawmakers Sunday to be prepared for long-term school district closures, potentially through the end of the school year, especially in areas where the new coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

School could be out for awhile

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We got the news on Thursday that HISD schools were going to be closed until March 31 due to coronavirus. (This week is spring break, so the kids got an extra day off before the start of break, then a … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TEA announces its takeover intent

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. In a move that is unprecedented in scope, Texas state officials announced Wednesday they plan on taking over the state’s largest school district, yanking power from Houston Independent School District’s elected school board members to “prevent imminent … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TEA recommends HISD takeover

Posted on October 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Not finalized yet, but you can see the way it’s going to go. The Texas Education Agency is recommending that the state take over Houston Independent School District — the state’s largest public school system — due to its elected … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments