Texas Republicans and Houston School District: A Two-Year Review
It’s been a couple of years since Texas Republicans took charge of the Houston Independent School District, which ranks as the eighth largest in the U.S., and, well, there’s been quite a bit of change.
In June 2023, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) intervened due to failures at various campuses and issues with governance. They took over HISD, dismissed the previously elected school board, and appointed Mike Miles as the new supervisor. This essentially replaced local leadership with a management board selected by the state.
Out of roughly 274 schools under HISD, only 121 received either a D or F rating in 2023. Wheatley High School was particularly notable, marking its seventh consecutive year of failure in accountability ratings. Additionally, the district struggled to meet state standards for special education, which raised concerns about overarching dysfunction.
Texas legislation now allows for state intervention if schools within a district fail to meet academic standards for several years in a row. This means Miles and his management team will be in charge until at least 2027, working directly with the TEA and sidestepping traditional local governance until performance improves.
During these two years, Miles has initiated a significant overhaul of the district. A new education model has been introduced in over 100 schools, teacher salaries have been boosted—some even exceeding $100,000—based on performance criteria, and several principals have been replaced in the process.
Interestingly, these reforms seem to be yielding positive results, with indications of substantial improvements in student performance. Although the precise district-wide rating for the 2024-2025 academic year is still being confirmed, initial reports suggest that there are no F-rated schools left, a major shift from the 56 schools that were failing before the takeover.
Republicans have often supported more aggressive measures—like state interventions and merit-based pay systems for teachers—as solutions for underperforming schools. However, these approaches face resistance from Democrats who favor local management and union involvement.
The fact that there are no F-rated schools in HISD just two years post-takeover might give Republicans some solid talking points. It’s proof, they argue, that their strategy can provide answers to the long-standing challenges faced in education, particularly in urban areas where similar interventions could be beneficial.
While the final outcomes will depend on Miles’ continued leadership and community backing, it’s clear that Texas Republicans believe they are effectively tackling years of democratic oversight failures. With so much at stake, one can’t help but wonder if a balance needs to be struck—a focus on improving education without completely overriding local control. Yet, as it stands, Texas law has certainly opened doors for these changes.
