Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
At a Jan. 29 special meeting, parents, students and Trustee Maria Benzon urged Houston ISD to slow adoption of SB 1882 innovation partnerships for magnet schools and demanded stronger contract protections and audit controls, while speakers cited falling enrollment, teacher shortages and a low sense of student belonging.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
At a Jan. 29 special meeting, the board accepted Tawara Petrie Whitfield's resignation and dismissed the TEA appeal as moot; after a closed session the board reconvened and voted to terminate the employment of Deontay Ford, a Thomas Middle School teacher.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
The Houston ISD board voted to approve programming changes that shift certain career and technical education (CTE) pathways from neighborhood high schools to the Barbara Jordan CTE Center after an extensive public comment period raising concerns about engagement, transportation and special-education impacts.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
Superintendent Mike Miles and staff reported a Winter Family Sentiment Survey showing high favorability among respondents and outlined 'Accelerate Houston' and 'Future 2' pilot schools to prepare students for an AI-influenced workforce while flagging a $50–$72 million annual revenue hole tied to enrollment declines.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
Houston ISD officials proposed centralizing many high-cost CTE programs at the Barbara Jordan Career Center; students, parents and teachers urged the board to keep magnet and CTE offerings on their home campuses, warning that busing and program removals would reduce access and destabilize schools.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
After a lengthy public-comment period and staff reports, the Houston ISD board approved personnel terminations/nonrenewals and adopted resolutions authorizing the sale of multiple district properties, including the Harper School site.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
District officials told the board that special education students showed rising MAP/NWEA percentiles and median growth in many grades; staff outlined five strategic priorities including instruction quality, compliance, data systems and enhanced parent communications.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
Superintendent Mike Miles told the board that the district reduced Individual Graduation Committee diplomas to 5% of graduates, raised the overall graduation rate to 86.6% in 2024 and is retaining a high share of its top-rated teachers, while acknowledging remaining campus-level work.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
Seventy-one registered speakers at the Houston ISD board meeting urged changes to curriculum and staffing practices, raising complaints about scripted lesson plans, a rise in uncertified teachers, lost librarians and cuts to special-education supports.
Texas / School Districts / HOUSTON ISD
District staff told the board that the percent of 10th–12th graders on track to complete a CTE program rose to 51% at the end of 2024–25 and that the number of students on track increased by about 5,500 since 2022–23.