CASE Report: “Dramatic improvement” Observed in HISD’s Accountability Scores

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“Dramatic improvement” Observed in HISD’s Accountability Scores

HISD’s newest, unofficial state A-F school accountability ratings are out, and the results are remarkable: of the 264 rated schools, 193 campuses earned higher scores compared to 2023 and 149 HISD schools improved by a letter grade over last year.

The first year of the state intervention continues to show a positive impact: state accountability ratings are higher, NWEA-MAP scores are up, STAAR scores are up, and achievement gaps are closing. The district has built up considerable momentum going into the second year of the intervention, and if trends continue, student achievement will be at its highest levels in recent memory.

The Houston Landing’s story is here. Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

Key Takeaways:

By the numbers: Out of HISD’s roughly 265 schools with ratings, 149 improved their A-through-F scores by one or more letter grade, while 87 saw no change and 29 saw their score slip,

Of the 84 overhauled schools, 67 scored an improved letter grade, while six fell by at least one letter grade. Wheatley High School, which triggered the appointment of Miles and a new school board after it received a seventh straight failing grade in 2019, improved from a D to a B.

What they’re saying: “Across the district, schools delivered significant improvements in student achievement on state assessments. … We will continue to provide high-quality instruction that builds on this growth” - Superintendent Miles.

Go deeper: The TEA typically assigns annual A to F ratings to each public district and campus based on standardized test performance, student growth, and progress on closing racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps. Lawsuits and the pandemic have prevented TEA from releasing all scores since 2019, so HISD used the TEA’s metrics to calculate their own scores. By releasing the scores on their own accord, HISD demonstrates its commitment to transparency and accountability.

Study Shows Overwhelming Support for HISD Bond

Over 75% of surveyed HISD residents say that they would support a bond that did not raise property taxes, according to new research performed by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

Roughly 7,500 Harris County residents were surveyed for the study, which was conducted over several months this year. The survey found that “[s]upport was high regardless of whether HISD residents own a home, have school-aged children, or are registered to vote.”

Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

Go deeper: The poll also explored the priorities most important to voters. More than half of HISD residents surveyed said the district’s top priorities should be creating career and technical education facilities and installing updated safety and security measures in schools.

Why it matters: It is common knowledge that HISD schools are in severe disrepair and hazardous to students and staff. Just this week, infrastructure failings have disrupted class time for hundreds of students. The overwhelming support for the bond is a positive signal that the Houston community plans to provide HISD the resources they’ve desperately needed for over a decade.

By the numbers: HISD’s bond, if passed, would spend $375 million to build three new CTE centers in the south, west and central divisions of the district, and $50 million for renovations at Barbara Jordan Career Center, which is the only established CTE center in HISD. It would also allocate $384 million for security upgrades at 263 campuses and about $2.2 million for police upgrades.

What’s next: Houston residents who are not already registered to vote will need to do so by Oct. 7 to vote on the bond, as well as the other items on the ballot in the general election. Eligible Houstonians must request or print out a registration application and mail it to the voter registrar before the deadline.

Chronicle Lauds HISD’s Teacher Leader Academy

The Houston Chronicle recently highlighted one of HISD’s most important new innovations, the Teacher Leader Academy.

The Teacher Leader Academy is a professional learning program designed to increase the instructional and leadership abilities of teachers. Participants are teachers with at least three years of teaching experience who hold leadership roles on their campuses (e.g., department chair, team lead, etc.). Participants are compensated for their participation as well.

Once teachers complete the program, they are better equipped to lead in their institutions and report a more fulfilling, positive classroom experience.

Houston Chronicle’s full story is here.

Why it matters: According to research, teachers who were given formal leadership roles with defined responsibilities and commensurate pay helped schools realize improvement in both school quality and in the experiences of educators. This contributed directly to improvement in student achievement. Student achievement gains compounded over time, with schools exhibiting greater gains each subsequent year following the initial introduction of teacher leaders. Research also found that even one year of district funding and implementation support could potentially contribute to additional gains in student achievement.

Go deeper: Leadership cultivation is one of HISD’s strongest traits under its new leadership. This article highlighted teacher leadership pathways, but HISD also has a Principal Academy that similarly trains future school leaders. These programs ensure that HISD always has strong leaders that are ready to take the helm when called upon.

What’s next: The piece urges Superintendent Miles to expand the program and devote additional funding to it. According to the author, the positive benefits of the Teacher Leader Academy are worth it, especially since student achievement seems to invariably rise when these programs are in place. HISD has committed to supporting teachers and continuing to provide professional development opportunities, so thankfully, HISD students will continue to enjoy the benefits of the Teacher Leader Academy as well.

DRC Expert: Delay of PK-12 ratings complicates school evaluations for parents, businesses

The Dallas Regional Chamber recently weighed in on the most recent attempt to block the state from assessing school performance.

As you may recall, five school districts recently filed a lawsuit against Texas Education Agency (TEA) claiming that school districts shouldn’t be graded because the TEA’s use of AI to assist in grading was unfair. This is in addition to a separate lawsuit against TEA joined by over 100 school districts claiming that it was unfair for TEA to increase the rigor required by accountability metrics - and therefore school districts shouldn’t be graded under the harder standards. Both lawsuits have resulted in injunctions preventing school ratings from being made public.

Jarrad Toussant, Dallas Regional Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Education & Workforce, lamented these developments, saying: “The Dallas Regional Chamber is advocating for a swift resolution to this latest legal challenge to restore this critical component of Texas’ public education system and transparency for stakeholders...statewide transparency will provide the best picture…”

You can read the full piece here.

Why it matters: The business community has a strong interest in the quality of public schools. As Jarrad mentions, “[economic success] is reliant on a robust talent pipeline, which requires a strong public school system.” Business leaders are speaking up about the importance of the public’s ability to be able to simply and accurately assess the quality of public schools.

Go deeper: Since official A-F ratings are blocked, the public must rely on STAAR scores to assess student achievement and school quality. The problem is that STAAR is a measurement of academic proficiency, whereas the A-F ratings are a more holistic, multifaceted evaluation of public schools. A-F scores give a clearer picture of the quality of public schools.

What’s next: There has been a high degree of public discourse on this issue, and it’s possible that the legislature takes up the issue in the 2025 session. If so, Texas’ business community appears poised to advocate for a robust, reliable school district accountability system.

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