HISD Board of Trustees adopt a decrease in property tax rate for 2019-2020

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a seven-cent decrease to the 2019-2020 property tax rate at its regular monthly September meeting. 

Homeowners residing within the district’s boundaries will see the tax rate reduced from $1.2067 to $1.1367 per $100 of taxable property value.  Individuals’ taxes may still rise if the value of their property increases. 

Trustees and Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan also proclaimed Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, 2019 as Hispanic Heritage Month in HISD. September also was recognized as Literacy Awareness Month and Attendance Awareness Month.  Additionally, Sept. 8-14, 2019 was proclaimed as National Suicide Prevention Week in HISD with the goal of raising suicide awareness to help save children’s lives. 

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Mental health summit puts focus on well-being for students

New partnership expanding access to social-emotional supports 

Just three weeks into her freshman year at North Forest High School, Mi’Kalia Allen can already see just how challenging her new journey may be and says she will take all the help she can get – especially when it comes to navigating the pressures of high school life.  

Mi’Kalia, along with 300 other students, took part in the district’s first-ever Mental Health Youth Summit on Friday to promote mental well-being in the classroom and school community.   

“They say that the ninth grade is your most important year,” she said. “I am hoping that this will help me, because it is already starting to get difficult.”  

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HISD recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month 

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday issued a proclamation designating Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month in the district.  

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with the anniversary of the 1821 Independence Day of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The month also encompasses the independence days for Mexico (Sept. 16) and Chile (Sept. 18).  

Throughout the month, a variety of events showcasing performances, art shows, and many other displays of the rich Hispanic culture can be observed in schools across the district.  

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Join HISD for NBC News Learn’s live education summit on Sept. 24

HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan will participate in a live education summit hosted by NBC News Learn, which will focus on the state of education in Houston and across the nation.

The live event will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24 at University of Houston-Downtown, Robertson Auditorium (201 Girard St., 77002) and is open to the public. The summit will be livestreamed on NBCNews.com/LearnHouston and on KPRC Channel 2.

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School Choice applications for 2020-2021 available on Sept. 27

First of five school choice fairs set for Sept. 28 at Sterling HS

Parents will have the ability to begin applying to School Choice Programs for the 2020-2021 school year on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019. The district’s first school choice fair will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Sterling High School (11625 Martindale, 77048).

HISD offers a robust portfolio of magnet programs at 112 schools to best meet students’ academic needs and interests. The magnet programs within the district include:

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Transportation Services receives influx of new requests for bus service

Transportation Services is temporarily halting the acceptance of route and stop change requests as the department works to process an abundance of new requests for bus service submitted after the start of the new school year. 

This measure allows the department to focus on ensuring all new requests for service are processed and accompanying students are assigned to routes. Once that work is complete, the department will resume review of route and stop change requests.  

Alternate Stop Request Forms — required when requesting a bus stop or route change — will not be accepted during this time. Additionally, the Alternate Stop Request Form option in the Let’s Talk! online communication platform is being temporarily disabled. 

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Scarborough ES marks construction progress with celebration

Girls in colorful, ruffled dresses with yellow ribbons in their hair waved their arms back and forth as boys in wide-brimmed black hats and red ties tapped their feet and wooden swords on the pavement. 

Moving to the steady beat of mariachi music echoing through the air, the Ballet Folklorico energized the crowd gathered before them to celebrate the construction progress made on the new Scarborough Elementary School.  

“We are Scarborough. Whatever it takes, together we can. No excuses,” said fifth-grader Jasmine Savala, who was adorned with a bright pink construction hat and matching vest. 

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Grads Within Reach Walk successfully brings students back to school

After a brief hiatus, Milby High School senior Flor Villatoro is back in the classroom this week and ready to get to work, thanks to volunteers with HISD’s annual Grads Within Reach walk. 

Flor, along with 27 other students, have returned to school after more than 320 volunteers canvassed the city on Saturday to encourage students who had not returned to school this year to continue their education.  

“I am ready and excited,” Flor said. “I can see myself graduating.” 

Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, Milby High School Principal Ruth Ruiz and a team of volunteers walked the neighborhoods around Houston’s East End, knocking on doors and talking to former students like Flor about returning to school. The volunteers across the city knocked on 813 doors and chatted with about 250 people. 

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Braeburn ES celebrates construction progress on new building

Braeburn Elementary School students clad in bright green T-shirts braved the summer sun Saturday as they converged on a construction site that was once home to their old school. 

The students sat with parents and friends, some under umbrellas and sipping ice-cold water, and gazed in amazement at the site before them — two stories of steel beams that soon will be transformed into their new school.  

“We are so happy that this building will be our final Braeburn campus and the best one yet,” said fourth-grader Oscar Perez, whose words were then translated by fourth-grader Stanley Jimenez for the largely Spanish-speaking crowd. “When we saw the blueprint for our new school, we almost couldn’t believe that we would get to learn in such a beautiful building.” 

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Notice of Destruction of Special Education Records

Special Education records that have been collected by the Houston Independent School District (HISD) related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of Special Education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for a period of five years after Special Education services have ended for the student.

Special Education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, completes his or her educational program at age 22, or moves from the district. 

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