Nusaiba Mizan

HISD's Mike Miles creates new position, names a 'deputy superintendent' In the newly created position, Kristen Hole will oversee both the academics and schools offices at HISD, effective Tuesday.

Houston ISD's state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has promoted the district's chief of academics to a new role titled "deputy superintendent." Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD parents say they feel blindsided by proposed school closures HISD will hold school meetings with affected communities ahead of a Feb. 26 board vote. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles asked the board to close seven campuses and relocate five others.

Houston ISD parents say they feel blindsided by the 12 proposed school closures.

"Miles is on the record in November saying, ‘We’re not going to do any of this,' and it’s dropped like a bomb on Thursday night."
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HISD wants to fire a union leader. She says it's retaliation over complaints. Houston ISD must show "good cause" to fire union leader Michelle Williams. An independent hearing officer is expected to issue a recommendation in early March.

Houston ISD is seeking to fire Michelle Williams, union president and 26-year veteran teacher, in a move her attorney says is punishment for advocating for special education and emergent bilingual students. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Exclusive: HISD has lost nearly 4,000 immigrant students amid ICE fears HISD's immigrant student population fell for the first time since COVID this school year. Experts say families are staying home as they fear ICE enforcement.

Exclusive: Texas' largest school district has lost nearly 4,000 immigrant students amid ICE crackdown. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Texans think high-income families will dominate school vouchers. Is that true? A new report from the University of Houston outlined that the scale of Texas' new school voucher program will not likely match the public perception. Most respondents feel it will harm public...

"Opponents of Texas' new $1 billion voucher program have warned it could cause steep drops in public school enrollment and funding, but a new University of Houston report indicates those predictions may be overstated." @houstonchronicle.com's Elizabeth Sander www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Our new Houston School Finder guide combines our expert reporting with custom data tools and easy-to-use guides to help families navigate Houston’s complex school choice landscape.

Link: www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

HISD's top leaders get $30K bonuses on top of their over $200K salaries The top cabinet members under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles can receive bonuses and allowances on top of their salaries exceeding $200,000.

Houston ISD's top leaders each have a $30,000 bonus listed in their performance contracts on top of their annual base salaries. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Several Houston-area school districts will cancel classes and after school activities Monday ahead of Texas' winter freeze. bit.ly/3LYT2fI

Exclusive: Mike Miles helped broker nearly $1M charter school consulting deal HISD Superintendent Mike Miles helped broker a nearly $1M contract for HISD-style reform at a Texas charter network. Experts say it raises concerns.

“And experts said that they never heard of a public school district giving away its curriculum, developed with district experts and tax-payer resources, for free to another school system.” Great reporting by @nusaiba.bsky.social

www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Exclusive: Mike Miles helped broker nearly $1M charter school consulting deal HISD Superintendent Mike Miles helped broker a nearly $1M contract for HISD-style reform at a Texas charter network. Experts say it raises concerns.

Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles played a central role early in negotiations for a nearly $1 million contract between a Texas charter school network and a for-profit Colorado consulting firm.

via @nusaiba.bsky.social + @houstonchronicle.com
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

The union said the agency's ongoing probe has “unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers” by their local school districts. bit.ly/4pkheqp

No Plato: Texas university pulls readings on gender ideology in philosophy class Texas A&M University blocked a philosophy professor from teaching certain Plato texts after a new rule against "advocating" gender and race ideology.

"Texas A&M blocks readings on gender ideology in philosophy class: ‘Plato has been censored’" by @houstonchronicle.com's Samantha Ketterer www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has seen some recent turnover in his cabinet. bit.ly/3XMlggd

This is a second @houstonchronicle.com column by Lisa Falkenberg "Mike Miles says the 'science of reading' justifies limiting books in HISD. Experts say no." Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Falkenberg: Mike Miles takes story books from HISD kindergarteners First HISD took the libraries. Now teachers say the district’s curriculum leaves no room for storybooks and some are secretly reading to students anyway.

By @houstonchronicle.com columnist Lisa Falkenberg: "Books — actual books, with dust jackets, spines, whimsical illustrations, and characters and cliffhangers — are increasingly unwelcome in the land of worksheets and slide shows." www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD closes school for immigrants as enrollment plummets Houston ISD reassigns entire Las Americas student body to adjacent Jane Long Academy.

NEW: Houston ISD moved the entire student body of Las Americas Newcomer School into Jane Long Academy.

The move comes as enrollment at the school for recent immigrants dropped by more than half this year.
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

See the districts with teachers under investigation for Charlie Kirk comments Teachers at 124 school districts are under investigation after more than 350 complaints were filed after the shooting of conservative leader Charlie Kirk.

More than 120 Texas school districts have teachers/staff under investigation for their comments on Charlie Kirk.

Here's which school districts' employees are facing complaints, according to the Texas Education Agency.

via @houstonchronicle.com

www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Houston ISD Board of Managers will consider terminating teacher union leader Michelle Williams was assigned to home duty in August.

Houston ISD's Board of Managers will consider terminating a teachers' union president at its meeting Thursday — the second attempt to remove her from the district.

via @nusaiba.bsky.social
www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

Hilton workers win new contract after 40 days on strike The new contract's $20 minimum wage is a significant raise, but less than the $23 wage union leaders had wanted.

"After 40 days on the picket line, unionized workers at the Hilton Americas-Houston ended their strike after ratifying a new contract with hotel management on Friday." by Maliya Ellis, @houstonchronicle.com www.houstonchronicle.com/business/art...

Exclusive: Odyssey selected to run Texas' private school voucher program The contract will initially run for two years, and can be worth up to 5% of the program’s total funds, or an initial $50 million.

This tech company will manage Texas' $1 billion private school voucher program by @houstonchronicle.com www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...

HISD cuts, reassigns hundreds of teachers, staff members amid enrollment drop The state's largest school district is undergoing annual staff reductions and reassignments.

Houston ISD cut 160 uncertified teachers and reassigned 232 teachers Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

‘We’re not robots’: Why this HISD kindergarten teacher quit Sarah Rios was thrilled to be a teacher at her childhood campus. She wasn't prepared for the conditions that awaited her in Superintendent Mike Miles' HISD.

"I’ve heard stories about teachers quitting mid-year, even walking out mid-class. They reportedly left out of exasperation at the frenetic pace of instruction or the strict adherence to which they were expected to carry out the reforms" by Lisa Falkenberg www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

"Wedged between his mom and dad in a packed Houston courtroom, a 9-year-old boy sighed and closed his eyes." by Houston Chronicle's Claire Partain. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD Superintendent Mike Miles earns $173K bonus from evaluation Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles earned a $173,660 bonus after receiving a score of 91.4 out of 100 from the school board on his second annual evaluation.

"Houston ISD state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles earned a $173,660 bonus after receiving a score of 91.4 out of 100 from the Board of Managers on his second annual evaluation last week." by @meganmenchaca.bsky.social Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

TEA reviewing 180 complaints against Texas teachers for Charlie Kirk comments The Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers criticized Morath’s comments, calling the resulting investigations a “witch hunt” against teachers.

"The Texas Education Agency said Monday it is reviewing at least 180 complaints of public school teachers and staff posting negative comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk following his assassination last week." www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...

TEA's Mike Morath advocates performance pay for teachers at Houston conference The state education commissioner presents how to maximize teacher pay in Houston presentation.

State education commissioner pitches teacher pay-for-performance at Houston conference, via @nusaiba.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

In reversal, Texas SBOE backs plan to deemphasize world history, cultures The plan, favored by conservative activists, greatly reduces the amount of time spent on world history and boosts that spent on Texas history.

"The State Board of Education on Friday approved a revived plan to focus classes more on Texas history and remove distinct courses on world history and cultures." Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...

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Mike Miles visited. Hours later, teachers were removed. A fixture at Houston ISD's Durham Elementary was removed hours after a visit from state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles.

'I am part of Durham culture': Houston ISD officials cited school culture for teacher removal, via @nusaiba.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

HISD union leader reassigned to 'home duty' for not following 'campus protocols' A Houston ISD teachers union president was reassigned, according to an Aug. 27 letter.

Houston ISD teachers union president placed on 'home duty' again. Gift link: www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...