Every June the HISD Board of Education must pass a budget for the next school year. Over the past decade, this has been a contentious conversation among Board members and with district administration. Passing the Budget has come down to the wire and/or involved last-minute amendments, which were not tested for sustainability, for several years. […]
On Friday, March 19, 2021, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Houston ISD in its lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency. It’s important to note that this ruling concerned an issue of procedure, meaning the court was deciding how the law should apply to the case, rather than the substance of the lawsuit. […]
A common refrain in many education circles is the traditional Masai greeting, “And how are the children?” The purpose of repeating this question is to remind teachers, parents, leaders, decision-makers – all adults – that the work of schools should always be in service to the children. If nothing else, the last year has shown […]
On October 29, 2020, Houston GPS hosted a Facebook Live Q&A session about the ongoing litigation between Houston ISD and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Currently, decisions for the case are pending in both the Supreme Court of Texas and the 3rd Court of Appeals, which could potentially strike down the injunction preventing the TEA […]
For many, the horrific murder of George Floyd brought to light the issues of police brutality and systemic racism that this country continues to face. The problem is not new, but we find ourselves at a moment when millions of Americans are finally willing to address it. While some have taken to the streets to […]
Now that we are adjusting to the concepts of remote learning and virtual gathering spaces, many school and district leaders are looking to the future. What will the learning environment look, sound, and feel like if/when we return in the fall? This is the type of question that we must address now in order to […]
The purpose of public education is to ensure a common foundation of knowledge and skills for all Americans, regardless of their background, neighborhood, or socio-economic status. While we, as a society, have fallen short of this ideal for a very long time – many would argue that we have never actually realized it – few […]
One of the big questions that looms over the potential state intervention in the governance structure of Houston ISD is, “What will change under a Board of Managers?” While this is a question that none of us – not even the TEA Commissioner – can answer with complete certainty, it is still worth considering. Now, […]
Houston ISD Board of Education seats for Districts II and IV are in runoff elections on December 14, 2019. Tomorrow, December 10, 2019 is the last day to early vote. You can see if you live in one of the districts up for election here. Your voice matters, so don’t miss the opportunity to cast your ballot. […]
As the Houston ISD school board moves forward with its lawsuit against the TEA, it continues to spend money that could be supporting students. From April through August, the district has spent $147,409.12* on attorney fees. This is almost the equivalent of two 20-year teacher salaries in HISD. In August alone, it spent over $80,000. […]