September 10, 2018

This post is particularly difficult to write because it requires acknowledging the hard work and innovation that has spurred significant school system improvement in… Dallas. The second largest school district in Texas, Dallas ISD, has just reported that current student enrollment has passed projections for the year – marking a reversal in the trend of declining student numbers.

This downward trend has not been unique to Dallas, however. Houston ISD has seen the same problem in recent years, and nothing illustrates the detrimental effects of low enrollment more than the financial situation created by the state’s recapture school finance laws. The broken school finance system does indeed squeeze resources out of large, urban districts, and that squeeze is only made worse as fewer students stay in the district.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the notorious difficulties in changing things at the state level, district leaders in Dallas have set clear budgeting priorities and supported a number of initiatives focused on improving student outcomes. The results from the TEA this summer indicate substantial academic growth, and Dallas parents are now voting with their feet.

Find out more here.

August 6, 2018

It is true that we have a money problem, but adding more money to a budget with no vision-aligned priorities or clear understanding of whether or not programs are working will put us in the same position year after year. We have a vision problem.

As we begin a new school year, it’s important to remind ourselves of the primary duties of a school board. According to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), they are:

• Create and communicate a vision and goals for the district.
• Adopt policies that inform district actions.
• Hire a superintendent to serve as the chief executive officer and evaluate the superintendent’s success.
• Approve an annual budget consistent with the district vision.

Although most citizens recognize budget approval as a primary function of the school board, we don’t often take notice of how well school board members are crafting a budget that is consistent with a cohesive vision for our students. Are we spending money – the right amounts of money –  on things that will actually move the needle forward?

One of the reasons why Houston GPS pushed so hard for approval of a comprehensive performance audit of the budget last year was because the audit would provide an examination of both how our tax money is spent and how well our tax money is spent. This type of deep-dive is the best way to assess both the board’s ability to manage the budget and to prioritize expenditures according to a cohesive vision. It is true that we have a money problem, but adding more money to a budget with no vision-aligned priorities or clear understanding of whether or not programs are working will put us in the same position year after year. We have a vision problem.

Nothing illustrates our district’s struggle with establishing vision-aligned priorities more than the current teacher pay scale and HISD’s inability to keep up with surrounding districts. The past two budgeting cycles have provided perfect examples of inefficiency and a lack of clear budgeting priorities. The Houston Independent School District believes that “equity is the lens through which all policy decisions are made,” but what does that mean when the board allocates funds? Do we believe that talented teachers are essential to closing gaps? What efforts are we making to find, develop, and retain the very best educators for our classrooms? These questions must be answered before budgets are approved.

Two months ago, board members rejected a budget because it included an $18 million deficit and then reconvened a week later to pass the very same budget. Now that the public has learned that the passed budget included salary freezes for teachers, some board members are calling for an increased deficit. Those of us who have watched these events unfold must ask ourselves, “What is the priority for HISD?” Reasonable people can make a case for prioritizing balanced budgets or teacher raises or any number of other expenditures. But a reasonable public should expect that clear, vision-aligned priorities are set and that the board communicates those priorities much earlier in the process.

June 11, 2018

At Houston GPS, we take student success very seriously. We believe that it must be the ultimate goal and driving force of any functional school board. And while this is a hard point to disagree with, many well-intentioned folks may disagree on exactly what student success looks like.  Most of us agree that it must be something more than a single standardized test score, but what factors should we consider when we attempt to measure student success?

Any educational institution can only claim that it is effective if it is a major contributing factor in producing productive, knowledgeable, well-prepared global citizens. In the K-12 school system, this means that students should be prepared for post-secondary opportunities such as college, specialized trade certification, or the military upon graduating from high school. Not only do these post-secondary opportunities have a major impact on job/career prospects for our kids, they are also closely related to broader issues such as likelihood of voting, home ownership, and civic engagement.

An effective public school system, one that is focused on equipping students with what they need to be successful later in life, must consider – and improve – its performance on these longer-term metrics. Where are our students six years after high school graduation? How many of them have gone on to complete a 2 or 4-year college degree or vocational certification? What K-12 educational factors are closely related to longer-term success? These are the types of important questions that move the needle forward on student outcomes.

While it would be great if these were the accountability measures that were considered by the state, we still have the ability to focus on these questions at the school district level. In fact, the state has taken many steps to lower standards over the last few years by decreasing high school graduation requirements and end-of-course passing scores.  If we are truly focused on the longer-term success of students, we should ensure that they master much more than these tests. We should reach a point when students are so well prepared for their next step that standardized tests are minor, isolated events during the school year, during which students demonstrate that they can easily meet the basic requirements of the state.

The amount of emphasis we are forced to put on these exams is troubling. Even more troubling is the difficulty that some students – often in our most vulnerable populations – have in reaching what really should be the floor of our expectations.  And while we have to recognize that educating traditionally underserved populations presents many difficulties, we absolutely cannot afford to lower standards for some students because we haven’t figured out how to meet their needs.  We must challenge, push, and change the system until it adequately prepares all students for future success.

May 7, 2018

At a time when Houston, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, should be exploring the best way to provide a world class education to all kids, most elected officials and community leaders insist on engaging in political grandstanding and ideological battles. With state-imposed sanctions looming at the end of this academic year, our community has finally been forced to deal with the fact that the largest school district in Texas is only serving some of its students well. Sadly, others attend schools where the vast majority of the student population has not been prepared to meet some of the most basic academic standards. Amidst all the discussion about potential changes in Houston ISD, it seems like one pivotal question is missing: What are we doing for the children?

The story of our current Improvement Required (IR) schools is not new. Indeed, several of them have had that state-appointed status for more than 5 years. And each new attempt at reform reveals the same truth: the system is not meeting the academic needs of kids with the fewest resources. And far too often, long-term solutions and true innovation are traded for political expedience and big contracts. As we talk about “partnerships,” and “local control,” it seems we lose sight of this question: “What does it take to actually provide students with the best education possible?”

The last – and only – attempt the HISD board made to forge a partnership for the 10 schools at greatest risk of closure ended with public protests and three unnecessary arrests. While it is tempting to focus on the disrespect shown to the public at that meeting, we cannot forget that there is still no plan to improve educational outcomes for our children. Now, with the fate of those schools – or the autonomy of our elected board – in the balance, we as a community should start making demands of both our local and state officials to pay attention to what is actually best for kids.

At this point, the public should be skeptical of the treatment of public schools by government officials at every level. But as we look for outlets for our frustration and decide on next steps, we must demand that our elected officials put kids first. In the absence of strong leadership, we must lead by example and focus every conversation and every action on pursuing real solutions for students.

October 16, 2017

The 2017 Houston ISD School Board election is now only 3 weeks away. We have exactly 21 days to ensure that our board is made up of collaborative, focused adults who will manage the district’s resources prudently while still ensuring that students are set up for success. Given our current budget deficit and the threat of a district takeover by the State, our participation in this election is more important than ever. We, at Houston GPS, are fully devoted to increasing public understanding of the specific responsibilities of school board members and continuing to hold board members accountable once they’re in office.

We must make sure that our schools are consistently providing children with the best education possible. For too long, we’ve let hyper-divisive issues create empty alliances that only serve to perpetuate gridlock. If we are going to forge a system in which teachers are not tethered to state tests and are able to operate as the knowledgeable professionals they are and in which parents have a robust set of excellent public school options in their own communities, then we need adults who will talk to each other, research together, recognize that their preconceived notions may be flawed, and bring many ideas to the table in search of solutions for our children and our city.

The time to act is now. In addition to voting, you can get involved by donating to qualified candidates, volunteering for campaigns, and attending monthly school board meetings.

Early voting begins October 23rd! Our children need you now more than ever. If you are a registered voter in Harris County, go to www.harrisvotes.com to find your sample ballot, and click here to see our non-partisan candidate descriptions and to find out who we’ve decided to endorse in this election.

September 9, 2017

Every election is important, but when it comes to this year’s election, your voice and vote will be more important than ever. In addition to caring about our children’s education and how our tax dollars are being spent in the largest school district in Texas, this year, we should also be concerned about how Houston ISD will recover from Harvey. Considering the extensive damage sustained by several schools, we must recognize that next school board will play a major role in rebuilding our district. Now is not the time to shy away from the political process.

This November, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) will have six trustee seats on the ballot. Three of the six races that are up for a vote will not have a returning trustee seeking re-election. This means there are new faces, new backgrounds, and new information to be learned about the individuals seeking office. However, with all of these seats open, only a few lucky voters will get to decide who will serve on the board and direct the focus of HISD. Why only a few? Because traditionally, nine percent of eligible voters participate in school board elections. That’s it. Yet with a district of over 215,000 students and a budget of nearly $2 billion dollars, paying attention to this election and these races will be important for every voter within HISD’s boundaries. The stakes are high, and your voice is powerful. Now is the time to get engaged and learn what district you reside in, who represents you, and the candidates who are running.

The HISD school board has nine trustees, and members serve staggered four-year terms. This year, District I, District V, District VI, District VII, and District IX are scheduled for regular election. The unexpected passing of District III Trustee Manny Rodriguez earlier this summer left a vacancy on the board, which will be filled by a special election.

In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, it is hard to remember or keep up with yet another elected position. For a list of the individuals currently running in each district, please visit our website.

It is important to gain the valuable information you need to know to make an informed decision this coming November. The students and families of HISD need your attention to be focused on these races to make the school district the best it can be. Our children and our city deserve nothing less.

August 8, 2017

Do you believe in quality education for your child? For all children? Do you think school boards play a major role in providing opportunities for student success? Do you want a voice in helping to elect quality leaders who can work to ensure school districts focus on student achievement? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then Houstonians for Great Public Schools needs you.

Be a member of our organization and help us elect candidates who will be great district leaders. This November, Houstonians will have the opportunity to elect a school board trustee in six different districts in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Yep, you read that right. Six out of nine districts are up for election in just a few short months. That’s not a lot of time to do candidate research, but Houstonians for Great Public Schools has that covered for you. We made it easy for the average voter to find out who is running, why they are running, and if they will be a quality leader for student success in HISD.

On August 24, 2017, we are holding a candidate forum to meet the many different people who are asking for the privilege to be a trustee in the largest school district in Texas. So, come to our forum to learn more about these candidates. Become a member of our organization, and help us make a decision on who we should endorse in each race.

We need school districts to prepare all children for future success, but in order to do that, we need to elect effective leaders to serve on the board. Your voice is needed to make this possible. Join us in making sure our school boards stay focused on student achievement. Become a HoustonGPS member today. Click here to donate.