Can you come to the Ride for Public Ed and Phone Jam at the Houston Region 4 Building (proxy for TEA) on Monday, March 15th? RSVP here. Read more

Earlier this week Diane Ravitch wrote in her blog that “The Biden administration chose a pro-testing advocate, Ian Rosenblum of Education Trust New York, to announce the decision that states must administer the federally mandated tests this spring." Read more

Despite outcry from communities and educators across Texas, Governor Abbott has not cancelled the STAAR exam this spring. Families, students and educators need support and protection from COVID, not more tests. The good news is, families can stand up and opt out. Only Governor Abbott (TEA) can cancel STAAR by requesting a federal waiver, but HISD has the power to lessen the harmful burden too. Tell the trustees to share a more accurate message about STAAR with families. Read more

Pushing an unrelenting district-based assessment schedule, HISD seems completely disconnected from the day-to-day impact of COVID on students and their families.  Read more

Read CVPE's letter to the HISD School Board Policing Task Force, proposed by HISD School Board President Sue Diegaard during the Summer 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Included in the letter are recommendations for changes needed in HISD regarding policing and the group's rationale behind the recommendations.  Read more

What is so hard about being thoughtful and supportive towards teachers, other staff and students in the middle of a pandemic? Can you speak at the HISD Board meeting on Thursday to demand that HISD take COVID seriously? Read more

In the face of mounting evidence that schools are superspreaders, please email the governor today to demand he protect children, teachers, staff and communities. Read more

Yesterday the Texas Education Agency announced that it will not rate schools this year, but students will still be required to take the STAAR tests in the spring if they are in school for face-to-face instruction. Read more

There is much at stake at the HISD Board meeting on Thursday, Nov 12. Will you sign up to speak?  Agenda items include a vote to give the interim superintendent a three year contract (agenda item B1); conducting a national superintendent search instead (agenda item B2); giving $380 million in contracts to charters like Energized (agenda item F1) and approving the legislative priorities (agenda item A3) Read more

Make no mistake, HISD is very concerned about testing -- just not for COVID-19. While positivity rates for the coronavirus climb, the district once again changed the rules that are supposed to keep students and teachers safe during the pandemic. Our teachers and students need real protections, not moving targets.  Read more