2023 EDUCATION EDITION
accountability ratings, several signi - cant changes are on the horizon. The TEA is implementing changes to how ratings will be calculated starting with the 2022-23 school year. Miles said the changes could result in lower ratings at some schools. However, he said he thought the new ratings would be a more accurate re ection of how well the district is doing. HISD will be allowed to return to elected board leadership once the district meets three standards set by the TEA: • Have full compliance with special education laws • Have no schools that fail to meet state standards for two years • Demonstrate board procedures and conduct that “focus on student outcomes” Once those standards are met, three elected trustees would return to their positions each year for three years, until all nine trustees have returned.
Sept. 28
Aug. 28
July 12
July 17
Accountability ratings to be released for 2022-23 school year
HISD cuts more than 2,347 positions from its central o ce as part of broader e ort to shrink central o ce spending. • 672 sta cut or reassigned • 1,675 vacant positions removed Prior to the cuts, HISD had 10,204 positions in its central o ce. The cuts represented about a 23% reduction in the size of the district’s central o ce.
Principals at Jack Yates, Worthing and Sharpstown high schools are reassigned to positions that are to be decided.
First day of school • 85 schools begin year under New Education System after more schools voluntarily opt in
Moving forward Leading up to the 2023-24 school year, Miles reduced the size of the dis- trict’s central o ce by 2,347 positions, a process that involved cutting or reas- signing 672 people and removing 1,675 vacant positions. When the board of trustees adopted the district’s budget for the 2023-24 school year in June, Miles largely kept plans in place that were set by the pre- vious administration. However, he shifted $30 million in central o ce funding to go toward his plans for the NES rollout. The need to cut central o ce spending has been on the radar of HISD leadership dating back to House’s administration. House, who
was superintendent from July 2021 through Miles’ appointment June 1, froze central o ce hiring in March 2022 and called for cutting central o ce spending by $60 million in the 2022-23 budget. The reason, House said at the time, was that the dis- trict was approaching a “ scal cli ” caused by declining enrollment. The cost of the NES expansion for the initial 28 schools for the 2023-24 school year is $106 million. Mean- while, the district is facing a projected budgetary shortfall of $168.5 million that year. Meanwhile, the timing of when HISD returns to elected leadership depends on how quickly the district can meet three requirements set by
the TEA. HISD must be in full compli- ance with special education laws; it must have no schools that fail to meet state standards for two years; and it must demonstrate board procedures that “focus on student outcomes,” according to TEA information. However, even after HISD meets those requirements, only three elected trustees will be allowed to return each year from that point. Appointed board members will serve their positions until the elected lead- ership is allowed to return. There is no speci c timeline or requirement set for when Miles will step down, a decision left entirely to TEA Commissioner Mike Morath. As HISD o cials try to improve
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION • AUGUST 2023
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