The HISD Board president has called a special board meeting for 9am Thursday, 8/18, to propose a policy change (K.46) that would essentially turn HISD into a charter district. [En español]

Can you help protect public education and the future of Houston schoolchildren? 

Will you come to a press conference on Monday at 4 pm to stand up for public education?  It is at the IBEW Hall at 1475 N Loop W, Houston, TX 77008. This proposal must be stopped in its tracks.

Will you sign up to speak at the 9 am Thursday meeting? To speak, you must register as a speaker by noon Wednesday August 17th. You may speak in person or via Zoom and usually are limited to 1 minute. Register at houstonisd.org/Page/32478 or call (713) 556-6121 for more information.

The proposed policy makes it easy for any school in HISD to become a charter school as soon as next year. It would force the superintendent to establish a charter on any HISD campus once 60% of the parents on that campus request one and the charter application meets the policy requirements stipulated in this proposed policy. 

Trustees would not even have a vote on charter applications under this policy, while still being responsible for the charter operator’s activities and student outcomes.

It takes away the superintendent's right and responsibility to use his/her professional judgment regarding how to best improve a school and requires the use of this one strategy if the criteria are met. This is an unprecedented and bad policy.

Houston ISD is a B+ rated school district and HISD has shown improvements during and before COVID. This proposed policy is unnecessary.

This policy, not only silences the board, it silences every Houston voter. And it is happening at a 9 am hearing, with limited press coverage, and when it is difficult for the working public to testify. Furthermore, there has been no community input in the development of this policy nor vetting with the board policy committee.

Houston must not become like New Orleansafter Katrina where lower-income communities of color were chartered while more affluent suburbs kept their beloved public schools. 

Underperforming charter school operators often close with little to no warning, forcing parents to scramble to find schooling for their children. Charters schools in Texas spent 67% more than public school districts on central administration expenses, but pay teachers $4,750 less per year. This proposed policy is a bad fiscal policy.

This is a non-transparent process to implement anti-transparent policies that would replace public schools with privately-run charter schools. There has been no community input in the development of this policy nor vetting with the board policy committee.

How will HISD ever pass a bond to rebuild its aging elementary schools if its schools are controlled by unaccountable private interests?

The superintendent does not want this. The community does not want this. Why are HISD Board President Cruz and Trustee Deigaard proposing this? 

Democracy be damned.