Superintendent F. Mike Miles’ message to HISD staff
On June 1, 2023, F. Mike Miles was officially named Superintendent of Houston Independent School District.
“From my perspective, our charge is both clear and ambitious,” he said in a message to HISD staff. “We must make HISD the kind of large urban school district that prepares EVERY student for work, life, and citizenship in the global marketplace of 2035.”
Miles has been an educator for close to 30 years and has dedicated his life to public service — first as a soldier, then as a diplomat. As an instructional leader, Miles has helped teachers and administrators in school districts across the country improve instruction and raise achievement.
“Houston can and will lead the nation,” said Miles. “We have an opportunity to reimagine education and prove that large, diverse districts can do right by all children. Education will once again be a pathway out of poverty. We will prove all students can and will achieve, and our public schools will be the place where equity and justice are the standard, where every child is seen, heard, and given access to the resources they need.”
In his first few days in HISD, Miles unveiled his New Education System model for 29 campuses. The new plan comes with higher salaries, more support for teachers, and an innovative staffing model that puts the focus on classroom instruction and improved student outcomes. Read more about the New Education System here.
“I ask you join me in turning your focus to our next school year,” said Miles. “You will have tools and supports to execute on the goals that are set for you. Everyone working in HISD will be aligned to a shared vision, and individuals will be matched to their best-fit position in the district.”
Superintendent Miles will be hosting several family events over the summer to meet members of the HISD community and share his administration’s vision for HISD’s future. More details can be found here.
Note to all employees on less-than-12-month (260 days) duty schedules (employees with escrow deductions)
One week of pay will be advanced for the week of Aug. 7, 2023, and then recouped via escrow deductions over the next 23 paychecks, starting with the Sept. 13, 2023, paycheck.
Why is the advance necessary:
This shift in the calendar happens every sox to seven years. In August 2022, teachers reported on the second Monday, Aug. 7, 2022. In 2023, teachers will report on the second Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. The advance is necessary to cover the gap for the week of Aug. 7. If pay was not advanced, the Aug. 30 paycheck would be short one week of pay.
If an employee terminates during the school year, the remaining advance will be collected on the final paycheck.
For questions or assistance, please call HR Customer Service at 713-556-7400 option #1, then option #5 or email Payroll@Houstonisd.org.
Penalty-free resignation deadline for contract employees
All employees looking to separate from Houston Independent School District are required to submit an official electronic voluntary separation form. The electronic voluntary separation form is accessible online through OneSource Employee Self-Service.
read more…What’s New
HISD is excited to have successfully submitted its application to Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) in April 2023. TIA is a program that supports the recruitment, retention, and placement of teachers through performance-based bonuses, particularly in high-needs districts and schools. As announced in Spring 2021, HISD is eager to participate in TIA because it will increase compensation for the district’s teachers and teaching assistants.
In HISD, local designations for TIA will be determined by three components: Formal T-TESS instructional practice ratings, Student Growth Measures (SGMs), and Student Feedback Surveys (SFS). HISD will be notified in August if the district’s application has been approved by the state. This month’s focus will be on the student growth component.
read more…Open Transfer Period extended for 2023-2024 school year
The open transfer deadline for the 2023-2024 school year has been extended.
Open transfer provides teachers, counselors, nurses, librarians, and other qualifying educators on a Chapter 21 contract an annual opportunity to switch campuses and accept job offers with other district departments.
The open transfer period has been extended by two weeks and the deadline for open transfers is now Friday, May 12.
read more…TIA Application: Updates & Next Steps
After months of stakeholder engagement aimed at designing HISD’s TIA program, the Talent Office is excited to announce it has submitted HISD’s TIA application to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as part of Cohort F. The district will be notified of provisional approval in August.
If given preliminary approval, SY 2023-2024 will serve as the district’s data capture year and first year of TIA implementation in HISD. Teachers across HISD with select assessments will be eligible to earn designation, to be paid out the following school year if approved by the TEA. In Fall 2024, HISD will submit required performance data to the TEA for approval, with the first round of eligible teachers receiving notice of their designation status by Spring 2025. The District’s long-term goal is for all teachers to be eligible to earn a TIA designation as additional assessments are phased in.
Looking Ahead: Next Steps for Teachers
read more…HISD to honor employees with milestone anniversaries in spring ceremony
HISD’s Office of Talent will host the second HISD Service Milestone Reception on April 27, 2023, at Booker T. Washington High School.
At the event, employees celebrating their 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, and 50th year with the district will be recognized and honored for their continuous service and dedication to the students of HISD.
The Office of Talent is committed to fostering and developing world-class talent by creating an employee experience that continues to invest in its employees. A Service Milestone Reception will be held every semester.
The district will once again implement the “40 in Four” work schedule for central office staff and schools this summer.
The “40 in Four” schedule will start the week of Monday, June 5, 2023, and end on Friday, July 28, 2023. The district will return to its regular Monday–Friday hours of operation on Monday, July 31, 2023.
During this time, employees will work 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, excluding their lunch period. Per your supervisor’s approval, work hours can be flexible and scheduled within the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All employees must participate.
Details on entering time will be sent out by Payroll. For general questions about the “40 in Four” summer schedule, please contact your supervisor or submit a question or request to the Office of Talent at houstonisd.org/hremployeehelp.
What’s New: TIA and T-TESS
After months of stakeholder engagement aimed at designing HISD’s TIA program, the Talent Office is partnering with leaders across the district to write the TIA application, which will be submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in April as part of Cohort F. In February, the Talent team launched an Implementation Task Force composed of leaders from across departments. This month, that team reviewed a complete draft of the application to ensure that it was aligned to their department’s plans. The task force has been finalizing outstanding details for the application and planning for TIA administration once approved. You can expect more details on HISD’s progress in the coming months.
read more…Special Education stakeholder survey
Houston Independent School District is participating in the Texas Education Agency (TEA) monitoring process that is intended to help school districts continuously improve services and facilitate positive student outcomes.
As a stakeholder involved in special education, your feedback is important. Please provide feedback through a 10-20-minute survey by Monday, April 3, 2023.
The purpose of this survey is to gather information and revise support for all districts in Texas.
For more information, please visit the Special Education Department’s webpage.
