Houston ISDโs teacher evaluation system offers on-the-spot training and evaluations, but is it making a difference?
As part of the Houston Independent School District's NES model, teachers are evaluated daily on their performance. We looked at this practice during our visit to Fleming Middle School to see if it was working. Here's what we discovered:
School board president, lawmaker clash over funding
Spring Branch ISD Board President Chris Earnest sharpened criticism against his State Senator, Paul Bettencourt. Tuesday night (Feb. 27, 2024) Bettencourt posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) sharing a recent opinion piece from the districtโs former superintendent questioning the districtโs recent funding shortfall.
Struggling to find teachers close to home, some Texas schools are looking overseas for help
Public schools got little help from lawmakers this year to address the stateโs chronic teacher shortage, so theyโve turned to other creative solutions โ like leaning on cultural exchange programs to recruit international teachers.
Gov. Abbott directs Texas schools to resources for teaching about Israel-Hamas war
As tensions have flared in the escalating conflict and protests have spread across Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Education Agency would provide resources to schools to counter misinformation and antisemitism.
Voucher proposal spurs mix of excitement, wariness in Texas home schooling community
Parents of Texasโ growing population of home-schooled students are split over whether education savings accounts would give them much-needed financial help or represent an unwanted government involvement in their kidsโ educations.
Support for Houston ISDโs Spanish speakers has dwindled under state-appointed leader, parents say
For one reading class, Superintendent Mike Miles said instruction would focus on English, even if it meant risking state funding for dual-language programs. Parents say it goes further than that, adding that their kids are receiving no assistance in Spanish at all.
Texas Education Agency delays release of annual school ratings
TEA said it needs to make adjustments to account for changes in studentsโ academic performance after the pandemic. The delay comes after several school districts sued to stop the agency from releasing school rankings produced under a new rating system.
School safety, tutoring and hair: These are some of the new education laws that go into effect this year
Lawmakers failed to pass legislation on school vouchers or teacher raises this year, but they approved other education-related laws like an $800 million investment in high-quality instructional materials and new rules for students found vaping or using marijuana.
Former HISD school board discusses upcoming changes within the district
Several ousted Houston ISD elected board members joined together virtually to speak with the community Tuesday. They say the purpose was to walk people through the proposed policy changes that Superintendent Mike Miles wants the new state-appointed board to approve.
Booksellers sue over Texas law requiring them to rate books for appropriateness
Two Texas bookstores and three national bookseller associations file suit over House Bill 900, which requires private booksellers to rate books on appropriateness, and bans โsexually explicitโ material from libraries.
New school safety laws seek to add armed guards, chaplains and mental health training. Hereโs what you need to know.
Experts say many of the changes will bolster school safety but some requirements may be challenging for public schools to implement by the upcoming school year with limited funding and staffing constraints.
No teacher raises. A failed school voucher push. Armed guards. Hereโs what changed for public education this legislative session.
Lawmakers sacrificed school funding to block school vouchers, but the issue could be debated again in a special session. Districts will get new funds for school safety, though Uvalde families were ultimately left disappointed with inaction on gun restrictions.
HISD Superintendent Millard House will serve last day with district following TEA takeover, Mayor Turner says
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Friday that Millard House will serve his last day as superintendent at Houston Independent School District following the Texas Education Agency takeover.
TEA takeover: Hereโs what we know about the agencyโs search for managers for Houston ISD
The TEA accepted applications for managers for HISD until April 6. Hundreds of Houstonians applied. Of those, fewer than half completed a governance training required to move forward in the application process, the agency confirmed.
Texas House votes to require panic buttons in every classroom and armed guards in every school
Lawmakers have said school safety is a priority this session, but it is still unclear whether theyโll listen to Uvalde families who want to raise the minimum age to purchase semi-automatic guns from 18 to 21.
At schools across Houston, students and parents protest Texas Education Agencyโs takeover of stateโs largest district
At one elementary school, protesters chanted as the school day was about to begin. Parents sought petition signatures at a high school. The demonstrations are planned throughout the day.
โTheyโre agitating Houston by not giving them the informationโ: HISD union, community members want to hear directly from TEA commissioner
In the two weeks since the Texas Education Agency announced plans to take over Houston Independent School District, nearly 30 people announced plans to leave the district, according to the union president.
TEA Takeover: Tensions rise at first community meeting as congresswoman addresses crowd, questions go unanswered
The Texas Education Agency is hosting its first of four community meetings Tuesday night, nearly a week after the state announced it would move forward with a takeover of its largest school district.
Houston Newsmakers: Congressman Al Green on HISD Takeover and concerns about removal of elected officials
Following the announcement of the Texas Education Agencyโs planned state takeover of Houston Independent School District, host Khambrel Marshall sits down with Congressman Al Green to discuss the takeover, banking stability, and calling to embrace what he calls the โConscience Agendaโ to honor those who were formerly enslaved.
Greater Houston Coalition Justice files lawsuit on behalf of Houston ISD against TEA for โdiscriminationโ
The Greater Houston Coalition Justice announced Thursday the filing of a lawsuit for discrimination against the Texas Education Agency on behalf of the Houston Independent School District following the agencyโs decision to take over the school district, according to a news release.
Houston ISD families blast the stateโs takeover of the district as an intervention that wonโt improve student learning
Parents and students of the Houston Independent School District decried the stateโs decision to take control of the school system. Despite the news, many questions remain about how it would affect them.
Texas families would get $8,000 in tax dollars to send students to private school in sweeping โparental rightsโ bill backed by Lt. Gov.
The bill, which has the blessing of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, will create new rules on how gender and sexual orientation is taught. It will face a tougher test in the House.
In audio, high-ranking TEA official admits public school funds could drop with voucher-like programs
โSchool districts, what they have to do if they lose a student, [is] be smart about how they allocate their resources and maybe thatโs one less fourth grade teacher,โ Steve Lecholop, a TEA deputy commissioner, said in a call with a parent that was secretly recorded.
Texas senators seem open to major change in stateโs public education funding formula
Senators in the finance committee asked questions Monday about the pros and cons of basing the amount of money that schools get per student on enrollment instead of attendance. Districts say the change could mean millions in additional funding.
Texas greenlighted a felon to train school board members. Now education officials are examining their rules.
Records show James Dunn was convicted twice for defrauding federal government agencies. He registered his school board training, which he described as an alternative to โwokeโ programs, with the Texas Education Agency this fall.
Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to allow stateโs education agency to oust Houston school board
Among other issues, the court will consider whether a law that updated the education code last year has any bearing on TEA Commissioner Mike Morathโs attempt to replace HISDโs board members over low academic scores.
High-poverty schools struggle to earn Texasโ highest rating. Some in the Rio Grande Valley break that trend.
The Texas Education Agency has dismissed the notion that the accountability ratings are a poverty rating. As evidence, they point to districts like those in the Rio Grande Valley, which have achieved high marks while serving a high number of economically disadvantaged students.