Category Archives: Board of Education

HISD Board of Education hosting meetings to gather input on superintendent search

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education is conducting a nationwide search for a permanent superintendent, and trustees are seeking input from the community about the qualities and traits they would like to see in their next district leader.

HISD Board of Education trustees have scheduled several meetings to gather feedback from the community that will be used to develop a superintendent candidate profile. The dates and times for the meetings are listed below.

In March, Dr. Grenita Lathan was named by trustees as HISD’s interim superintendent. Lathan will continue to serve in that capacity during the duration of the search.  Continue reading →

January is School Board Recognition Month 

January is School Board Recognition Month, and the Houston Independent School District is joining other districts across the state to honor local leaders for their dedication and willingness to serve as advocates for public schools.

These dedicated public servants become school board trustees to serve as advocates for school children because they are committed to improving public education and their communities. School board members devote many hours to making sure students receive a high-quality education and are provided with schools that are safe and have the resources and instructional programs to educate them to their fullest potential.  Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education votes against turnaround and innovation partnerships

The HISD Board of Education rejected, 4-5, a move to request proposals for turnaround partnerships to operate four campuses that have been designated “Improvement Required” for four or more years.

The four campuses are Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School, and Kashmere and Wheatley high schools.

Under Senate Bill 1882, entering into a turnaround partnership would provide a two-year pause on accountability from the Texas Education Agency and prevent sanctions from the state related to House Bill 1842, including school closures or the appointment of a Board of Managers.  Continue reading →

Board of Education to consider authorizing request for school partnership proposals

The HISD Board of Education on Thursday will consider whether to authorize the district to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for school partnerships, as outlined under Senate Bill 1882.

The board’s regular monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Manuel Rodríguez Jr. Board Auditorium of the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 W. 18th St., 77092. Click here to view the full agenda.

Entities eligible to be considered for partnerships are non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, or governmental organizations. Continue reading →

HISD administrators begin 2019-2020 budget discussions  

The HISD Board of Trustees met Monday to hear the first report from district administrators on expectations for the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget.

District officials are projecting an initial $76 million deficit, due in large part to expected declining enrollment and a modest increase in property values – both of which cause the district’s recapture payment to increase.

According to Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, any cuts to the budget to address the deficit will be done in a way that tries to minimize impact to instruction. That task is made harder given the cuts made to operational areas last year.   Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education approves district’s legislative agenda

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday approved the district’s legislative agenda for the 86th Texas Legislative Session.

The agenda, which outlines the district’s legislative priorities, will be shared with members of the Texas Legislature. It focuses on reforming the state’s school finance system and reducing recapture, improving school safety and security, and addressing accountability ratings and sanctions.

The 86th Texas Legislature convenes for the 140-day regular session on January 8. The session will adjourn on May 27. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education to consider the district’s legislative priorities

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday will consider adopting the district’s legislative agenda for the 86th Texas Legislative Session.

The proposed state legislative agenda focuses on reforming the state’s school finance system and reducing recapture, improving school safety and security, and addressing accountability ratings and sanctions.

Approval of this agenda item will give HISD specific policy and school finance recommendations to share with members of the Texas Legislature. The 86th session will begin January 8, 2019.

Also proposed is the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. Continue reading →

Provide feedback to Legislative Budget Board through stakeholder survey 

HISD, in coordination with the Legislative Budget Board, is soliciting suggestions/feedback from HISD stakeholders regarding opportunities for improvement in the quality of education and management of district resources.

In June 2018, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Trustees requested a management and performance review from the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). LBB is a permanent joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops budget and policy recommendations for legislative appropriations, completes fiscal analyses for proposed legislation, and conducts evaluations and reviews to improve the efficiency and performance of state and local operations. Continue reading →

HISD Board of Education unanimously votes to reinstate Lathan as interim superintendent

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education voted unanimously to reinstate Dr. Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent of HISD.

The Board of Education also voted to authorize the Board President or her designees and the interim superintendent to bring back recommendations concerning executive coaches for trustees and the interim superintendent, respectively. Trustees voted to submit a request to the Texas Education Agency to change the district’s assigned governance conservator.

In addition, trustees voted to set a date for the completion of the superintendent search and adopt a resolution concerning reconciliation.

The firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates will conduct a national search for a permanent superintendent.

HISD Board of Education to consider reinstatement of Lathan as interim superintendent

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education announced it has mutually agreed to consider the reinstatement of Dr. Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent of HISD, the largest school district in Texas.

During a press conference at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, trustees announced the consideration of the rescinding of Thursday night’s vote to appoint Dr. Abelardo Saavedra to the position. The Board will meet on Thursday, Oct. 18, to consider the reinstatement of Dr. Lathan. The full meeting agenda can be found here.

“We are committed to working together as a board for the benefit of our students, and we are unified in our efforts to build a better governance structure for our children,” HISD Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones said. “We are confident that Dr. Lathan is the right person to lead the seventh-largest school district in the nation as our interim, and we thank the public for their encouragement and support.” Continue reading →