For the first time since the Texas Education Agency appointed new leadership to the largest district in Texas, students recently returned to classrooms for Houston ISD's first day of school. The Houston Chronicle asked the HISD community to share how things are going now that the district is under state control.
Some responded that they had a relatively normal return to school, and that they approved of and even welcomed the extensive reforms at campuses under the district's "New Education System." But a majority of the responses decried the takeover, namely the NES reforms and policies under the district's state-appointed superintendent, Mike Miles. Some staff and parents described their school environments as "depressing and scary," while some teachers said they are already considering leaving the district. Yet others said their expectations have been exceeded already, and that they feel teachers have elevated their efforts to improve the quality of education for students.
Superintendent Miles has said the changes are necessary to closing achievement gaps and raising student proficiency.
“We can have good instruction, because that's what we need, and have some level of rigor, even the first week, because we're behind, and kids can have fun,” Miles previously told the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board.
“We have to shift our concept of fun a little bit to say, it also includes when kids are learning, because when kids are learning and they get it, they're happy.”
Editor's note: Some responses have been edited for clarity.
Filter responses:
This pace isn’t sustainable even short term.
You can feel the pressure coming from the top.
Not only will grades and performance suffer, but the students’ emotional state will suffer.
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