HISD is on the right track for our children

The Houston Independent School District received a letter recently from Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath regarding the appointment of a board of managers for the district.  

I want to assure our students, parents, staff, and all members of our community that our mission remains the same. We will continue to provide a quality education and find innovative ways to support our 210,000 students and cultivate a positive workplace for our employees.  

Despite the challenges we are facing, it’s important not to lose sight of the numerous accomplishments we have achieved as a team for our students, including earning an overall “B” rating for the district under the new state accountability system and exiting Kashmere High School from Improvement Required status.  

We also have expanded Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs to nine campuses across HISD – with tremendous growth of over 2,000 CTE certifications for our students last school year. We are serving our students with wraparound support from an expanded team of psychologists and behavioral support teachers, and we have implemented mentorship programs for our underserved students with Ascending to Men and ROSES. 

As a district, we are looking at the recently released Legislative Budget Board review and will utilize a process to implement recommendations within the report that benefit the students of HISD. Several of the LBB’s suggestions have already been implemented, and the district is undergoing efforts to review the entire report and consider the feasibility of each item and its potential to positively impact outcomes for our children. We will implement new practices and continue proven methods that maximize student achievement and enhance how we operate. 

We’re on the right track, and I’m deeply proud of the work we are doing to ensure the success of every student. Everything we do adheres to the Strategic Priorities for the district, which are:  

• Expanding Educational Opportunities  
• Ensuring Student Health, Safety and Well-Being  
• Transforming Academic Outcomes  
• Increasing Organizational Efficiency 
• Cultivating Team HISD Talent  

We couldn’t do this important work without you. Benjamin Franklin once said that “energy and persistence conquer all things.” Through energy and persistence – and your support – HISD will continue the crucial work of educating our students and securing their educational futures.  

#HISDEmpowers