Exclusive: Online courses inflated Houston ISD’s ratings. Without them, some schools would have Fs. www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

Exclusive: HISD touted gains. Ratings leaned on courses Texas deemed ineffective

HISD's school accountability ratings have soared under the state takeover, but exclusive data show college-prep courses masked Ds and Fs at some schools.

houstonchronicle.com

The state takeover of Houston ISD should end “relatively soon,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Friday. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD's state takeover could end 'relatively soon,' Mike Morath says

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said special education is the main issue left for the district to address.

houstonchronicle.com

Austin ISD is the *only* district in Texas to trigger a potential state takeover under the 2026 A-F accountability ratings. The district also has the most F-rated campuses of any district in the state. www.statesman.com/projects/202...

Expolore the data: How Austin ISD schools performed on TEA's accountability ratings

Austin ISD had 20 F-rated campuses, making it the district with the most failing schools in the state.

statesman.com

Houston ISD reports four elementary schools earning an F: - Benavidez ES (earned D in 2025) - Foster ES (earned C in 2025) - Highland Heights ES (earned B in 2025) - Mading ES (earned B in 2025) Community Services, an alternative HISD program, also earned an F.

I’m excited to join @texastribune.org as its new K-12 reporter as it invests in coverage of education and the Houston area. If you’re a student, parent, teacher, lawmaker or state employee and have thoughts about K-12 education, I’d love to chat with you. www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/t...

The Texas Tribune is investing in coverage of education and Houston

One of the state’s most important topics and one of its most important regions will get more attention.

texastribune.org

After three years, I’ve had my last day at @houstonchronicle.com, I'm beyond excited to be starting as @texastribune.org’s Houston-based K-12 education reporter next week. I’ll be reporting on news affecting millions of Texas students, including state takeovers, #txlege and more.

Texas' largest school district will launch a pilot program in two schools using "personalized" Alpha School learning modules for students who earn high scores on reading and math assessments. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD will use 'AI-powered education' Alpha platform at 2 elementary schools

Houston ISD will use Alpha School's AI platform at two elementary schools.

houstonchronicle.com

NEW: A Texas Education Agency investigation found Houston ISD violated federal requirements for students with disabilities. The agency has ordered HISD to review IEPs for affected students before it overhauls special education. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

TEA threatens state action if HISD does not amend new special education plans

In a response to a parent complaint, the TEA said HISD cannot "unilaterally" change a student's individualized education program and ordered the district to make systemwide corrections.

houstonchronicle.com

Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles wrote a book titled "By Design: How to Transform School Systems" advising other leaders on how to reform their school districts. The paperback is available on Amazon for $28.99. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Mike Miles publishes book advising leaders how to reform their school districts

Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles has published "By Design: How to Transform School Systems," a 200-page book advising other leaders on how to reform their school districts.

houstonchronicle.com

Houston ISD expects to spend: - $8,459 per student at NES schools - $6,265 per student at non-NES schools The board expects to vote on the $2 billion budget on June 25. via @nusaiba.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

5 things to know as HISD delays $2B budget vote for 2026-27

Houston ISD projected a 4,000-student enrollment for the upcoming school year while planning its $2 billion budget.

houstonchronicle.com

HoustonISD high school STAAR takeaways: - YOY improvement in every exam except history - HISD exceeds state passing averages in biology - Some NES schools see double-digit gains in passing rates - HISD English I results see largest YOY gains, but still trail statewide averages

Democratic governor candidate Gina Hinojosa vows to end state takeovers of Texas school districts if elected. “It is never the right answer to struggling schools to take power away from parents and communities.” www.statesman.com/news/educati...

Governor candidate Hinojosa vows to end Texas takeovers of school districts

In her bid for the governor's seat, Rep. Gina Hinojosa is advocating against school closures and school district takeovers.

statesman.com

Superintendent Mike Miles has drastically reshaped Houston ISD's classrooms with his comprehensive reform model. Now, that approach is extending far beyond Houston, influencing how struggling schools are run across the state. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Mike Miles' HISD reforms are spreading through Texas schools. Here's how.

The expansion comes three years after the state installed Miles to lead HISD, the state’s largest school district.

houstonchronicle.com

Houston ISD student Geremy Arteaga Cruz was on the verge of a successful asylum claim. Then, in January, he was detained by ICE agents. "I’ve missed a lot of school days, a lot of lessons and tests." www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

An HISD student nearly completed his U.S. asylum process. Then ICE detained him

A Lamar High School student nearing completion of his asylum claim was detained by ICE and has been in custody since January.

houstonchronicle.com

another successful texas journalist meetup !!! can’t believe this is year four of our unofficial caucus at the @edwriters.bsky.social conference.

From Yates to Heights, 11 Houston ISD schools are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Here's a look at the campuses that have persisted through segregation, school closures and a century of upheaval. www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

11 HISD schools reflect Houston’s history as they celebrate 100 years

At least 11 HISD schools have persisted through segregation, school closures, and a century of upheaval to celebrate their 100th anniversary this school year.

houstonchronicle.com

Texas' new $1 billion school voucher program triggered a surge in special education evaluations at public schools as thousands of new families sought to show their children had disabilities. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texas voucher program fuels special education testing surge

Hundreds more private school families across the Houston-area requested special education testing to apply for school vouchers, sending public schools scrambling to complete them before the...

houstonchronicle.com

In tears, Houston ISD parents pleaded with the district not to proceed with special education changes in the 2026-27 year. Despite a federal investigation, HISD's top leaders defended the plans at Thursday's board meeting. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD leaders defend special education changes despite federal investigation

Despite a federal investigation, HISD leaders defended plans at May's board meeting to move thousands of special education students to different campuses in the 2026-27 school year.

houstonchronicle.com

Houston ISD's comment: "Any review will show that all special education updates for the 2026–27 school year focus on increasing access to services in the least restrictive environment, strengthening systems to improve the quality of instruction, and improving student outcomes."

Megan Menchaca@meganmenchaca.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Breaking: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Houston ISD’s special education plans. “The allegations described here are alarming. The Trump Administration will fully investigate this situation.” www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Breaking: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Houston ISD’s special education plans. “The allegations described here are alarming. The Trump Administration will fully investigate this situation.” www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD under federal investigation over plans for special education services

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is opening an investigation into Houston ISD after it overhauled its special education department.

houstonchronicle.com

NEW: The TEA did not find any district-level wrongdoing in an investigation ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott into whether Houston ISD employees at Bellaire High School violated parents’ rights, records show www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

TEA releases findings in Bellaire High School pronoun controversy

The investigation’s closure comes nearly a year after Texas lawmakers banned teachers from using students’ preferred names and pronouns at school if they don’t conform with a student’s sex at...

houstonchronicle.com

What exactly does Houston ISD superintendent Mike Miles do with his time leading the state’s largest district? We published his yearly calendar to give readers more insight into who he meets with & his priorities for the year. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

See HISD Superintendent Mike Miles entire calendar for the 2024-25 school year

Here's a look at Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles' calendar, which shows how he spent his time during the 2024-25 school year.

houstonchronicle.com

A Houston ISD appointed board member questions Superintendent Miles' vision for school autonomy with SB 1882. "I don't see how that's setting us up for success. ... Where does it stop? And have we now then created a monster that a board cannot manage?" www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

'A monster': HISD board member questions Mike Miles' vision for school autonomy

Mike Miles said that HISD schools can apply to leave his New Education System after receiving three consecutive 'A' ratings.

houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston ISD's Superintendent wants to convert 100 of the district's NES schools to AI-focused "Future 2" schools by July 2031. The schools will train students for a future where artificial intelligence "will be ubiquitous." www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD's Mike Miles pushes for more AI-focused schools, with goal for 100 by 2031

State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has said that these "Future 2" schools are meant to train students for a future where artificial intelligence "will be ubiquitous."

houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston ISD quietly closed an alternative disciplinary campus serving about 120 students in late 2025. The district did not announce the closure publicly. It only has done so now after @partainclaire.bsky.social's questions. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD quietly closes alternative disciplinary campus for high school students

The district closed the campus in November, moving all of its students and some staff to its secondary disciplinary alternative campus near Houston's Fifth Ward.

houstonchronicle.com

Texas public school teacher pay recently dropped. Here's how much a Texas teacher earned on average. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Here's how much a Texas teacher earns on average, according to UH report

The University of Houston found that the average pay of a Texas public school teacher dropped about $5,000 in the last decade to nearly $63,000.

houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston ISD is considering expanding Superintendent Mike Miles’ New Education System model to more schools. HISD says today that at least nine school leaders have “voluntarily expressed interest” in opting into the controversial reform model. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

9 more HISD schools may opt into Mike Miles' NES model, district says

Schools in the New Education System have standardized curriculum, higher pay for educators, additional support staff for teachers, and significantly less autonomy compared to other HISD schools.

houstonchronicle.com

whenever they call houston on the artemis II launch live stream

"She carries Post-Its in her pocket as she walks around campus, ready to jot down students' favorite books after asking them in classrooms and the cafeteria." This Houston-area librarian won state librarian of the year, despite staffing changes, book bans. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Despite book bans, staffing changes, this HISD librarian wins statewide award

Pin Oak Middle School librarian Brooke Corso has implemented 'living libraries' at her Houston campus since she joined in 2018.

houstonchronicle.com

In 55 years, Houston ISD has grown Kinder HSPVA from the district's first magnet school to one of the nation's top public fine arts campuses. Starting in the 2026-27 year, HISD will be handing over control of the day-to-day of the school to HSPVA Friends. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD’s famed arts magnet HSPVA enters a new era. Will its equity mission endure?

Houston arts magnet HSPVA began to help desegregate HISD and grew to educate many actors and musicians, like Chandra Wilson of "Grey's Anatomy" and Beyoncé.

houstonchronicle.com