As the Texas Education Agency continues to move forward with its hostile takeover of HISD we are getting glimpses of what lies ahead. Last week the TEA formally launched its recruitment and application process for the Board of Managers with two community meetings that were unmitigated disasters. The Houston Chronicle editorial board asked the question on all of our minds,  If TEA can’t run a meeting, how can they run HISD? Read more

Last night’s TEA community meeting is a warning of what we can expect from the Texas Education Agency’s anti-democratic hostile takeover. TEA said they would only answer written questions about the board of managers process and when parents complained, the TEA cherry-picked the questions to answer. The Kashmere meeting is last and most of the meetings are far away from the schools that are most at risk of closure. Read more

Mike Miles, likely HISD superintendent pick, graduated from the Broad Academy. This is what it’s like to teach at a school that won the Broad Prize. It is tempting to sit back and wait to see what happens when TEA takes over. They will wrap it up in a pretty package and make it look like they are helping our kids learn. But any model that prioritizes test scores and accountability above human beings will end up exactly how my school did. The only way to impose joyless learning is through rigid control, intimidation, and force. [En español aqui]   Read more

Read more

READ: Texas Observer op-ed by CVPE’s Ruth Kravetz: “The State’s Houston ISD Takeover is Unfair, Racist, and Wasteful: Click on the link or read it below. MARCH/RALLY this SATURDAY: At 3pm at Wheatley High School, join the NAACP, LULAC, labor, CVPE and others to protect our schools from state takeover! More info at houstoncvpe.org/events. Read more

Governor Abbot may take over HISD today. First he starves our schools of funding, then he blames our schools. Now he wants to take over our schools. This is about power and profits and not our kids.  Read more

The Mayor confirmed this week that the takeover of HISD by the state is as soon as Monday. Whether it is the New Orleans takeover. Philly, Detroit or Newark, takeovers around the country have not worked. The governor’s and commissioner’s plan is to repeat this unholy fixation on accountability and privatization. Read more

The following elected officials have joined almost 800 parents, teachers, students, and community members in February to sign the petition to support Houston schoolchildren: State Senator Borris Miles, State Senator John Whitmire, State Rep Allen, State Rep Ann Johnson, State Rep Jarvis Johnson, State Rep J Jones, State Rep Morales, State Rep-Morales Shaw, State Rep Reynolds, State Rep Rosenthal, State Rep Shawn Thierry, State Rep Wu, SBOE Trustee Staci Childs, SBOE Trustee Rebecca Bell-Metereau, Mayor Sylvestor Turner, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Houston CM Cisneros, Houston CM Evans-Shabazz, Houston CM Jackson, Houston CM Kamin, Houston CM Plummer, Houston CM Thomas, HISD Trustee Kathy Blueford-Daniels, HISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos, HISD Trustee Myrna Guidry, HCC Trustee Pretta VanDible Stallworth, HCDE Trustee Andrea Duhon, HCDE Trustee Danyahel Norris in formation Read more

The takeover of HISD is imminent. If the Governor and Commissioner take over HISD and disenfranchise Houston voters, no school district in Texas is safe. Have you signed the petition opposing state takeover?   Read more

At last Thursday's rally, about 150 students, teachers, parents, community leaders, and elected officials stood together in solidarity to oppose the HISD state takeover. Our message was heard loud and clear, but the work has just begun.  Read more