UH releases a report, Houston ISD Takeover: By the Numbers showing steep teacher and student enrollment declines since the HISD takeover. Also in the news this week is reporting on HISD Superintendent Miles brokering a $1 million deal behind closed doors. Knowledge is power.
Below are key excerpts from the 46-page UH report.
“Since the takeover, the number of first-year teachers increased by 64.7%. Furthermore, since the takeover, the number of uncertified teachers has increased by more than 19 times. Though the total number of teachers decreased in the second year of the takeover, the number of uncertified teachers almost doubled, bringing the proportion of uncertified teachers in the district to 19.8% of all teachers—up from 1% in 2022–23 before the takeover. This reliance on inexperienced, uncertified teachers is concerning, as academic literature continues to iterate the importance of certification and experience for student outcomes…Houston ISD teacher retention has reached a nine-year low at 58.6% of teachers retained at the same campus from 2023–24 to 2024–25.”
“Since the takeover, Houston ISD student enrollment declines have been widespread across grade levels and NES campus types. (NES schools) have experienced the largest proportional decreases in student enrollment: Level 1 NES-A 2024 student enrollment has declined by 14%, and Level 1 NES 2025 enrollment has declined by 12.5% since the takeover.
“Since the takeover, the retention of Houston ISD students at the same campus is at a nine-year low. Of the Houston ISD students in 2023–24, only 64.4% remained at the same campus in 2024–25. And since the takeover, fewer Houston ISD students are moving to another Houston ISD campus and choosing instead to move to a non-Houston ISD school district or charter school or leave public schools entirely. The increasing mobility of Houston ISD students can be disruptive to student achievement (Grigg, 2012; Rumberger, 2003) and also to the overall achievement of the school (Kerbow et al., 2003).
You can read news summaries here from the Houston Public Media, the Houston Press and Houston Chronicle’s Where do former HISD students, teachers go?, and Which Campuses Saw the Largest Teacher and Student Declines since the Takeover.
And if that doesn’t raise alarms, consider this: Superintendent Miles recently brokered a $1 million curriculum giveaway to a charter district. “Experts said that they never heard of a public school district giving away its curriculum, developed with district experts and tax-payer resources, for free to another school system.
Despots don’t listen, but Dr. King taught us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” when people act. Help bending the arc by marching with HFT in the MLK Parade on Monday. Below are this week's news links to help you stay informed.
”Also, join CVPE on Jan 31st for the next CVPE meeting. There will be two breakouts: Money, Money, Money and Miles’ Sleight of Hand led by Ann Eagleton, and how to fight for our students and teachers in 2026.
See you at the MLK Parade and at the January 31st CVPE meeting at 11 am!
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