In a year defined by sweeping reforms, community tension, and shifting academic priorities, Houston ISD found itself at the center of Texas’ education conversation. From changes in how student progress is measured to ongoing debates over teacher morale and wraparound services, the school district experienced another whirlwind of decisions that touched nearly every campus and family.
As 2025 approaches, these five developments stand out for their impact on reshaping classrooms and redefining accountability, revealing the relationship between HISD and the communities it serves.
- Houston elected new HISD trustees amid ongoing state takeover
HISD voters elected new trustees in Districts I, V, VI, VII, and IX this year, even as the district remains under Texas Education Agency (TEA) control.
Since the 2023 state takeover, a state-appointed Board of Managers has held all governing power, meaning the newly elected trustees cannot set policy, pass budgets, or oversee the superintendent until the intervention ends. Commissioner Mike Morath extended that intervention through June 1, 2027, with HISD required to meet three exit criteria before regaining local control. These include no multi-year academically unacceptable campuses, special education operating in compliance with requirements, and the board’s focus on student outcomes.
In the November races, Maria Benzon, Michael McDonough, and incumbent Bridget Wade won Districts V, VI and VII, while Districts I and IX candidates ran unopposed and did not appear on the ballot. The terms for those candidates, Felicity Pereyra and Myrna Guidry, will begin in January.
- A new commission probed HISD takeover’s impact
A new commission on the HISD Takeover, led by State Sen. Molly Cook, State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, and faith leader Collin Bossen, launched this year to examine the effects of the state’s ongoing intervention in Texas’ largest school district.
The commission aimed to rebuild public trust by investigating the conditions under state-appointed leadership and that of Superintendent Mike Miles. During its sessions, residents raised concerns about teacher turnover, library closures, and shifts in specialized programs, while others emphasized the importance of preserving collaboration and community-centered schools. Miles has highlighted the academic gains under the New Education System, citing the district’s largest year-to-year test score improvement and a goal of all campuses earning an A or B rating by 2027. The commission collected testimony and will release reports on the takeover’s impacts and path back to local control.
- Miles defended HISD reforms, City Council probed data
HISD Superintendent Mike Miles delivered a data-packed presentation to the City Council, arguing that HISD is achieving historic academic gains under his NES reforms.
He highlighted rising test scores, the elimination of F-rated campuses, and a doubling of A and B schools per TEA accountability ratings, crediting strict instructional systems and teacher coaching. This year’s HISD earned a B (82) overall in the ratings, a notch up from recent years. Council members, however, pressed him on safety rules, budget priorities, billboard spending, enrollment declines, and whether ratings had risen too quickly to be trusted. Parents and educators echoed concerns about teacher turnover and classroom instability. While Miles insisted TEA data confirms real progress and pledged all schools will be A or B by 2027, the meeting underscored the divide between reported gains and community skepticism about long-term stability.
- HISD approved $2.1 billion budget as TEA replaced nearly half the board
HISD’s state-appointed Board of Managers unanimously approved a $2.1 billion budget for 2025-26, just days after the TEA replaced four board members. Superintendent Mike Miles touted the nearly balanced plan, which reduced an initial $246 million deficit to $14.6 million through increased revenue and tighter spending. The budget expands pre-K, special education staffing, teacher pay, and security, while reflecting significant disparities between NES and non-NES campuses: $10,635 per NES student versus $7,103 for others. Cuts target central office departments, transportation, food services, and non-NES schools. Community members criticized the rushed vote and the readiness of new appointees. Despite enrollment declines and uncertain state funding, school district leaders say HISD enters the fiscal year on a stronger financial footing.
- HISD dissolved wraparound department, shifted support to Sunrise Centers
HISD dissolved its Wraparound Services Department and eliminated campus-based wraparound specialists, which catered to students in need of food, clothes, or counseling support, and shifted to a centralized and integrated student support model. District leaders say the change reflects tighter budgets and inconsistent impact from the old system. Under the new approach, existing staff, including nurses, counselors, and office managers, will help identify and address student needs, while 130 NES campuses will maintain extended hours and provide additional support. HISD also expanded its Sunrise Centers network to eight hubs for family services, and the Student Assistance Form will continue to be used. Critics warn that losing on-campus specialists will hurt vulnerable students who previously received immediate help with these services.
