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Yesterday, the Houston Landing reported that “Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration greenlit about $870 million in spending over the past 16 months without receiving required school board approval, breaking district policy and frustrating some board members.” Listen here as Mike Miles make excuses for this gross violation of the public trust.

This is not just a simple mistake; this is a systemic failure. The procurement issue that went unchecked for 16 months exposes a shocking lack of oversight and accountability. There was no process in place to catch this before it spiraled into $870 million in unapproved spending. 

Chron.com IG post

When leadership ignores basic financial controls, it creates a culture where anything goes—and that's how scandals like Enron happen. The board’s near total abdication of their financial stewardship duties and the superintendent’s blatant disregard for oversight show how far the system has fallen.

We are calling for a thorough Texas Education Agency investigation. 

If this had happened under an elected board, there would be serious consequences from the TEA. Just look at what happened in 2019, when HISD was hammered in a special investigation over a split contract issue that had been flagged by their own internal auditor years earlier. Yet, here we are again, with no accountability for the mess that’s been allowed to fester since August 2023.

We’re witnessing a breakdown of basic financial safeguards, and it’s outrageous that no one stopped and questioned these unapproved purchases. This kind of negligence is not just unacceptable; it’s a massive failure that should have consequences

The board of managers' primary duty is to provide oversight on finances—they approve the budget and expenditures. Yet, the fact that $870 million in unapproved spending has been allowed to go unnoticed for so long highlights a complete failure in their responsibilities. Jim Terry, the CFO, was embroiled in a procurement scandal in Dallas while serving as CFO there, and now we’re seeing the same issues unfold here.

Everyone who voted no on the bond should feel vindicated, as it’s now clear that the board and superintendent either have no idea what they’re doing with taxpayer money, or they are completely incompetent, actively misleading the public— Or worse, all of the above.

Can you speak at the HISD Board meeting on Thursday? You must register to speak (instructions here) before noon on Wednesday! The agenda packet is here. Without continued public outrage, the $870 Million systemic failure will get swept under the rug like so much else since the takeover. Your voice is crucial!

  • If you're outraged about the excessive spending and the absence of any oversight, sign up for Item #9 (Ratification of Cooperative Vendor Awards from Aug 2023-Dec 2024, compiled in a sortable spreadsheet. It is interesting to compare these totals to the Feb 2024 Efficiency Report, where $300 million spent on purchased services in 2017-18 was considered excessive. The report promised to cut purchased services by $50 million. 
  • If you're upset about curriculum and learning, sign up for Item 1 (data on 11th graders being college ready and reference to high-quality curriculum).
  • If you are concerned about inequitable policy changes like those being made to protect magnet programs while NES families have no protections for their community schools, sign up for Item 6 or 8.

Democracy dies in darkness.

HoustonCVPE

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Working Together to Strengthen Houston's Public School System