Tag Archives: Mike Miles

Put Spring ISD on the TEA takeover watch

Posted on January 19, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t see this coming. Dekaney High School is one failing accountability grade away from a state takeover of Spring ISD, and district leaders told trustees Tuesday that they are pursuing aggressive turnaround efforts at the north Harris County campus. The … Continue reading →

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Falkenberg says what we all know about Mike Miles

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a terrible leader, and as a result the changes he’s implemented will probably not last beyond his tenure. Something clicked as I listened to former Louisiana state schools superintendent John White talk about how he built support for his … Continue reading →

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What the Fort Worth Chambers of Commerce learned from visiting HISD

Posted on December 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They could have gotten more out of the experience if you ask me. With Fort Worth ISD preparing for a state takeover, some of the city’s business leaders recently came to Houston to learn how its own state intervention has … Continue reading →

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What would you tell Fort Worth’s Chamber of Commerce about the TEA takeover?

Posted on December 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some folks will get the chance. Business leaders will get a closer look at school district takeovers this week when the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce tours Houston schools. The Fort Worth team wants to learn how the state’s 2023 … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For some change in HISD

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes their endorsements in the three contested HISD trustee races. It’s an odd election. It could even seem pointless. Right now, elected HISD trustees have little power, no vote and just a few minutes prioritized at the start … Continue reading →

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HISD wants you to read its own coverage of itself

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, good lord. Houston ISD is looking to lessen its reliance on external news media and instead lean more on its own internal news team, according to the 2025-26 District Improvement Plan obtained by Chron. The shift comes amid mounting … Continue reading →

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HISD still has a teacher turnover problem

Posted on September 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t seem to be going away. Across Texas, 1 in 6 teachers didn’t return to teach in 2024-25. In Houston ISD, it was nearly 1 of 3. The state’s largest school district had a turnover rate of 32.2% compared with … Continue reading →

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The HISD and HCC lineups

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The filing deadlines have passed for HISD and HCC, so this seems like as good a time as any to look at who is running for what. Note that the deadline for CD18 and Houston City Council is September 3, … Continue reading →

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What the HISD students are asking for

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case the district wants to listen. Chavez High School graduate Ximena Acosta is about to leave Houston to attend Vanderbilt University. That academic achievement happened in spite of, not because of, Houston ISD, Acosta said. She told media at … Continue reading →

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We get closer to school closures

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Words from Mike Miles. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles announced Wednesday the district may borrow $180 million for a new career and technical education center, pending board approval. Miles, addressing hundreds of teachers at an annual teachers’ convocation, said … Continue reading →

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Ask questions, get booted

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is why the whole Board of Managers concept sucks. The four ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers sent the majority of the board’s formal requests for information to the district in the two years before the … Continue reading →

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HISD says it has no F-rated schools

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is legitimately great. And it means we can officially start the Mike Miles Countdown Clock. Zero Houston ISD schools received an “F” in the Texas Education Agency’s A-F accountability ratings this year, while 18 received a “D,” according to preliminary … Continue reading →

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HFT sues unsuccessfully HISD over new teacher pay raises

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A local teachers union is suing Houston ISD’s Superintendent Mike Miles and the Board of Managers after the district decided to distribute new teacher pay raises from the state by performance, not years of experience. The $3.7-billion Teacher … Continue reading →

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July 2025 campaign finance reports – HISD

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’re going to have to do this the hard way. With a fundraising haul of more than $75,000, incumbent Houston ISD trustee Bridget Wade has outraised all declared candidates who are running for the five trustee seats up for election. Houston voters … Continue reading →

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An early look at who’s running for HISD Trustee

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron, which notes that five seats are up for election this year and that until Mike Morath gives us back our power there won’t be that much for them to do. District I Felicity Pereyra Felicity Pereyra, a … Continue reading →

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That’s one way to boost STAAR scores

Posted on July 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall earlier stories about STAAR improvements at HISD, which Mike Miles has touted as proof that his plans are working and all of us malcontents should just shut up already. That’s all well and good, but as is … Continue reading →

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NES schools are accelerating HISD’ enrollment decline

Posted on June 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’s just going to leave this here. Most Houston ISD campuses have reported sharper enrollment declines since the controversial state takeover, with New Education System schools reporting some of the largest drops compared to previous years. HISD, like many urban school … Continue reading →

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A “home rule school district” inside HISD?

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Today I Learned there is such a thing as a “home rule school district”, and some HISD parents want to form one. A small West Houston group wants to create its own charter-governed district within the state’s largest school district, … Continue reading →

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Miles given five-year contract extension

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is some bullshit. With no public discussion, Houston ISD’s Board of Managers on Thursday approved a five-year contract extension for state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. The five-year term will ensure that Houston ISD “can continue its transformation for the duration … Continue reading →

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HISD enters its AI slop era

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Harlem Renaissance produced a rich tapestry of poems, novels and paintings of Black life in the early 20th century, all expressing the artistry and brilliance of people whose equal citizenship and full humanity had long been denied. Yet … Continue reading →

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A former Board Manager speaks

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows why he and three others were streeted. But we can speculate. Adam Rivon, one of the four recently ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers, won’t speculate on why he was suddenly removed from his role … Continue reading →

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Two more years of Mike Miles

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Worst Groundhog Day ever. The state takeover of Houston ISD will continue for two more years before the Texas Education Agency announces the timeline for the transition back to elected board members overseeing the district. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said … Continue reading →

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Morath replaces half the Board of Managers

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

For reasons. The Texas Education Agency has removed and replaced four of the appointed members of Houston ISD’s Board of Managers two years into the state takeover. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath wrote that he removed board Vice President Audrey Momanaee, … Continue reading →

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So are we about to see the beginning of the end of the Mike Miles regime?

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. With weeks until the deadline to announce a potential extension of the state takeover of Houston ISD, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath expressed strong support Wednesday for the “spectacular” reforms that have occurred in the district since June 2023. Morath must … Continue reading →

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Former principal sues Miles and HISD

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A former Houston ISD principal has filed a $3 million lawsuit alleging defamation, emotional distress, and intolerable work conditions, among other claims, against the district, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles, the appointed Board of Managers and a Houston-based law firm … Continue reading →

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TEA can release 2023 A-F accountability ratings

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A judge ruled Thursday that the Texas Education Agency can release its 2023 A-F school accountability ratings for the state’s public school districts, overturning a previous injunction issued in response to a lawsuit from more than 120 districts. The … Continue reading →

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New teacher evaluation system approved by HISD

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it goes. Houston ISD’s state-appointed board unanimously approved a new teacher evaluation system Thursday that will go into effect for the next school year. The model, which will be used to evaluate the district’s roughly 11,000 teachers, … Continue reading →

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So how are all those schools doing now?

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I would like some answers, please. Overall, there have been 177 principal changes since the takeover began in June 2023. In most cases, the principal separated from the district voluntarily. Following that were transfers, to 27 other principal positions and … Continue reading →

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HISD’s looming school closures

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Boy is this going to be fun. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles plans in the coming months to propose closing an undisclosed number of schools in the summer of 2026, as the district faces a tight budget and enrollment losses. … Continue reading →

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“No easy fixes” for HISD to pass a bond

Posted on February 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Houston ISD should allow more time for family and community engagement when it holds a school bond election, according to a recent report from a Houston public relations firm on the district’s failed $4.4 billion proposed … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles gets graded

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Needs improvement”. State-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles lost several points in his annual performance evaluation from the board for failing to effectively communicate with community members and for not prioritizing a positive culture, according to recently released district records. … Continue reading →

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HISD teacher rating system 2.0

Posted on January 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how this one goes. Houston ISD’s new system for evaluating its roughly 11,000 teachers looks similar to its current one, maintaining a large emphasis on classroom observations and student test scores, but without a controversial student survey component … Continue reading →

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HISD addresses the “ICE in schools” issue

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Dear HISD Community, Many of our staff are receiving questions about how HISD manages state and federal law enforcement agencies on our campuses. We want to assure you that our policies have not changed, and they align … Continue reading →

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HISD cancels classes

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Dear Houston ISD Families, The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Based on the most up-to-date weather information available to the District at this time and to provide families with adequate time to plan … Continue reading →

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