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Houston ISDo cials outline priorities with strategic plan coming inMarch
HOUSTON ISD Superintendent Millard House will release a new strategic plan document for the district in March, which he said will better outline the actions the district takes to advance its priorities over the next ve years. House said Houston ISD’s plan will cover ve areas: cultivating world- class talent; providing equitable opportunities and resources at every school; promoting high-quality teaching and learning; ensuring great schools in every community; and delivering exceptional services to students with exceptional needs. Each priority has been assigned an “owner” on district sta who has been tasked with developing an action plan. Leading up to March, owners will set up metrics to track the e ectiveness of each program. “This plan will provide us with a blueprint for the next ve years … and will outline the major actions we will take to advance each of the district’s priorities,” House said at a Nov. 18 board meeting. The plan will shape how the district allocates budgetary resources. House said it was heavily informed by com- munity feedback he heard at listening sessions that took place over his rst 100 days as superintendent. Hiring quality teachers is among the district’s top priorities, House said, but he emphasized the important role
support sta play as well. “We plan on implementing an ambitious comprehensive strategy to recruit, develop and retain e ective and caring teachers and principals, as well as support sta ,” he said. “A lot of times, school systems can leave out the idea of support sta . We want to make sure we cover the gamut.” The process of guring out how to recruit teachers starts with an assessment of HISD’s human capital strategies and an evaluation of how the district identi es its strongest teachers. Part of the process will also involve bolstering the professional development o ered by the district, a strategy House called “developing your way to success.” “For those that need additional support, we build the kind of profes- sional development systems that will allow us internally to ensure that we’re giving educators exactly what they need so they can grow,” he said. The details of the plan were dis- cussed as HISD looks to leverage fed- eral coronavirus relief money to hire counselors, special education teachers and other support sta . The plan will be released in time for priorities to be incorporated into budget workshops in the spring, House said. “If we are going to focus on these particular priorities, there will have to be a rearrangement of howwe allocate our funds,” House said.
Rice University expanding income bracket for full-tuition scholarships Rice University announced changes to its student nancial aid plan Dec. 16, including grants covering tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees for any student whose family’s annual income is lower than $75,000. Full-tuition scholarships will also be available to any student whose family income bracket falls between $75,000 and $140,000. All nancial award changes are set to be available at the start of the fall 2022 semester. Changes were announced shortly after Rice University launched a capital campaign in October with the goal to reach $2 billion by 2025. Houston ISD adjusts safety policies for spring semester Students resumed in-person classes at Houston ISD on Jan. 3, and the district adjusted its safety policies heading into the new semester with the goal of keeping COVID-19 from spreading. HISD will continue to enforce its mask mandate at all district o ces, facilities, campuses and school buses. The district also expanded partnerships with community leaders and health o cials to provide additional COVID-19 testing and vaccination opportunities, including the expansion of a free drive-thru testing site at Delmar Stadium and free COVID-19 testing on all campuses for HISD students and sta . All nonathletic eld trips have been suspended until further notice. New internship pairs University of Houston students with HISD wraparound specialists The HISD board of trustees approved an agreement Dec. 9 with the University of Houston Downtown that creates a new internship program allowing UHD students in the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning Work Study Program to serve as interns with HISD’s campus-based wraparound specialists. Wraparound specialists help connect students to nonacademic resources that help to promote their overall well-being and academic outcomes. A capital campaign at Rice University aims to fund a new student center. (Rendering courtesy Rice University)
AN EARLY OUTLINE
Although the new strategic plan for Houston ISD will continue to be developed through March, Superintendent Millard House laid out ve main areas the plan will cover.
SOURCE: HOUSTON ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
1 Cultivating world-class talent: recruit, develop and retain e ective and caring teachers, principals and support sta
2 Providing equitable opportunities and resources at every school:
4 Ensuring great schools and programs in every community: develop turnaround strategies at struggling campuses
3 Promoting high-quality teaching and learning: bolster professional development opportunities
address magnet deserts
5 Delivering exceptional services and supports to students with exceptional needs:
implement high-quality systems and services that increase performance
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION • JANUARY 2022
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