The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced that it will extend its intervention of Houston ISD for another two years. It also appointed four new members to its state-appointed Board of Managers, extending their authority until June 1, 2027. Meanwhile, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles will continue in his current role.
TEA said it followed “a review of local feedback and a comprehensive evaluation of Houston ISD’s (HISD) progress” before announcing the takeover extension.
“Houston ISD has always been a district with some of the highest performing schools in the country, but it was also a district that allowed some of its schools to fail students for over a decade,” Commissioner of Education Mike Morath said in a statement. “Ultimately, two years has not been enough time to fix district systems that were broken for decades. The extension of this intervention will allow the district to build on its progress and achieve lasting success for students once the board transitions back to elected leadership.”
He noted in the statement that HISD made improvements in providing special education services and student academic performance.
What’s next?
For the state takeover of HISD to end, the school district must meet three exit criteria, including:
- Having no multi-year “academically unacceptable” or failing campuses
- Compliance with special education requirements
- Better board governance focusing on student outcomes
Additionally, Wheatley High School, which triggered the TEA takeover, must earn a “C” grade or higher for the next two years.
According to HISD’s own unofficial accountability ratings, which it has released since TEA’s ratings are blocked due to ongoing lawsuits, 170 campuses received an “A” or “B” grade, improving from 93 schools the previous year, while 41 schools earned a “D” or “F” ratings in 2024, dwindling from 121 schools the year prior. Miles has also touted student test scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test.
New board members
Per state law, the TEA commissioner can “at any time” replace a board member.
Board members Cassandra Bandy, Rolando Martinez, Audrey Momanaee and Adam Rivon will transition off the Board of Managers and will be replaced by:
- Edgar Colón, a full-time lecturer in Political Science at the University of Houston-Downtown since 2008, who teaches courses on government, constitutional law and nonprofit management and has led his own legal practice in public finance and corporate law since 2003,
- Lauren Gore, a Harvard Law graduate who was appointed to the Texas Southern University (TSU) Board of Regents in 2024,
- Marty Goossen, who retired as Vice Chairman of J.P. Morgan Private Bank in 2024 after working in Houston’s financial sector since 2006 and served on the boards of the Asia Society Texas, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the United Way of Greater Houston,
- Marcos Rosales, a trial lawyer and partner at Beck Redden LLP who previously served as general counsel of a multi-industry business enterprise and on HISD’s Community Advisory Committee
Board President Ric Campo, Secretary Angela Lemond Flowers and members Michelle Cruz Arnold, Janette Garza Lindner and Paula Mendoza will remain on the Board of Managers.
“These new board members – advocates for the students of Houston and their communities – will join the remaining board members in moving the district forward with a continued focus on student outcomes and meeting the exit criteria,” said Morath, thanking the four departing board members.
Moore welcomes the new board members, urging them to focus on “all children, regardless of zip code, background, or campus. Your decisions will impact generations.”
Board of trustees
While HISD’s nine elected trustees currently serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Managers, they will progressively regain control of the district once HISD satisfies TEA’s exit criteria.
In November 2023, HISD elected four trustees, Savant Moore, Plácido Gómez, Dani Hernandez and Patricia K. Allen for a four-year term. The next election for the remaining districts, currently served by Elizabeth Santos, Sue Deigaard, Kendall Baker, Bridget Wade and Myrna Guidry, will take place in November 2025.
Mixed reactions
“To our community: do not be discouraged. This extension does not mark defeat—it is simply a reminder that the work of improving public education is ongoing,” wrote current HISD trustee Savant Moore. “Many of us are being called to serve in new ways and in new offices, to reshape the future of education across Texas. Keep showing up. Keep volunteering at your neighborhood schools. Keep attending school board meetings. Your voice matters now more than ever.”
The president of the teachers’ union, Houston Federation of Teachers, called Miles’ overhauled New Education System a “No Education System.”
“It’s clear to me today that TEA and Mike Miles won’t feel like their job here is done until there’s no teacher left in Houston ISD,” Anderson said. “Houston voters sent a message last year, rejecting the $4.4 billion bond this appointed administration attempted to shove down their throats. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Miles, the board of managers, or Commissioner Morath listened to that message.”
Veronica Garcia, executive director for Houstonians for Great Public Schools, said the progress made by HISD in the last two years is not enough.
“The path forward must include deeper, more transparent engagement with the communities that HISD serves. Families, educators, and students deserve to be part of shaping the decisions that affect their schools and their futures,” Garcia said. Real transformation will require collaboration — not just from the district itself – but from all of us who care about public education in Houston.
Citing data that says only 17% of Houston ISD graduates are earning a living wage just a decade after leaving high school, CEO of Good Reason Houston, Cary Wright, said it’s a “wake-up” call for the district.
“It’s a reminder that far too many of our students are still being left behind, and that we have more work to do to ensure every child in Houston is prepared for a future filled with possibility,” Wright said. “If we’re going to truly change outcomes for Houston’s children, we need the full weight of this community behind them. That means families, educators, nonprofits, business leaders, and elected officials all stepping up—together—to support our students and schools.”
