The Houston Independent School District (HISD) has opened a new Sunrise Center on the Worthing High School campus.
These centers were first established in the fall of 2023 to help HISD families and students access services like food, clothing, case management, health screenings, counseling, after-school programs, adult education, and homeless and foster care services.
Per HISD, the new center resulted from community feedback in Houston’s Sunnyside area aimed at addressing challenges affecting student attendance and academic performance. It opens as the school district continues to rely on these centers to deliver support that was once provided by wraparound specialists on school campuses.
“We know that what happens outside the classroom can have a direct impact on a student’s ability to succeed in school,” said Najah Callander, HISD deputy chief of family and community partnerships. “By bringing resources and trusted community partners together, in the heart of Sunnyside, we can help families overcome barriers that might otherwise keep students from attending school, focusing on learning, and reaching their full potential.”
Worthing High School has a majority-minority student population, currently serving 413 Black students, 186 Hispanic/Latino students, eight white students, and five Asian students, per HISD demographic data.
What the center offers
At the Sunrise Center, families can access basic needs and other resources, such as rent and utility assistance, as well as physical and mental health services.
In partnership with the Houston Food Bank and Second Servings of Houston, the school district will supply food to families. It would also provide support for students experiencing homelessness or living in foster care, according to HISD.
How Sunrise Centers replaced wraparound services
The concept of these centers grew alongside an attempt to restructure student support.
For years before the Texas Education Agency takeover of HISD, it stationed wraparound specialists on campuses to help students with non-academic needs. It opened seven such centers in 2023 as a network of community hubs.
In 2024, the school district faced a projected $450 million budget deficit. The state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said HISD could not sustain the specialist positions.
These specialists were paid with federal pandemic relief money, which was then set to expire. That June, HISD cut the specialists from 280 to 60.
“We know that what happens outside the classroom can have a direct impact on a student’s ability to succeed in school.”
Najah Callander, HISD deputy chief of family and community partnerships
In April 2025, officials announced the end of the wraparound services department and that most of the services would move to Sunrise Centers.
Early signs of impact
Meanwhile, HISD points to improved outcomes for families.
A Rice University study showed a 33-percent improvement in attendance or behavior among students whose families visited a center.
The Sunnyside Sunrise Center is now open at 9215 Scott Street, on the campus of Worthing High School.
