As had been rumored, Mike Miles the former superintendent of Dallas ISD, has been named the new Houston ISD superintendent, appointed by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.  He takes the helm of a district with declining enrollments with a mission to improve schools that are chronically low performers.

Miles, who was also previously superintendent of the Harrison School District in Colorado Springs, is the founder and CEO of Third Future Schools, which is a business operating public charter schools.

The takeover came about because of state law giving Morath the right to do so if one of the district's schools had failed standards for several years, in this case Wheatley High School which failed for five years. Also noted was the 2019 dysfuntional HISD school board that TEA has said violated the Open Meetings Act.

In a press release the TEA also announced the Board of Managers who take the place of the elected board. As the release states, they are:

Audrey Momanaee: Ms. Momanaee is a Houston ISD parent and native Houstonian who grew up in a family of public school teachers and developed a strong sense of public service. Ms. Momanaee is an experienced litigation attorney and advocate for pro bono legal work, handling numerous cases to help families across Houston. 

Ric Campo: For more than 40 years, Mr. Campo has leveraged his energy, experience, and advocacy to build a better Houston. He has served on numerous public and private boards, in service to families, children, reducing homelessness, and promoting the city of Houston. Mr. Campo is the grandson of immigrant farmworkers and was the first in his family to graduate from college before successfully building his own company in Houston.

Angela Lemond Flowers: An experienced educator, Ms. Lemond Flowers began her teaching career at Jesse H. Jones High School in Houston ISD, where her mother also taught. Ms. Lemond Flowers has devoted her career to the advancement of children’s education. She has served as a high school English teacher and in administrative leadership for over twenty years in Houston-area schools. She is the proud mother of four, including two Houston ISD graduates.

Michelle Cruz Arnold, Ph.D.: The mother of a Houston ISD student, Dr. Cruz Arnold earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Planning and has spent more than twenty years as an education policy advocate working to create college and career opportunities for students. Dr. Cruz Arnold is a proud Houstonian who currently leads government relations and advocacy work for a national non-profit college access organization. 

Cassandra Auzenne Bandy: Ms. Bandy is a proud Houstonian, Houston ISD graduate, and parent of fourth-generation Houston ISD students. She is an active PTO volunteer at her children’s school. She is a chemical engineer by training and currently works as a business strategy manager at a global consulting firm.

Janette Garza Lindner: Ms. Garza Lindner is a devoted wife and working mom of two children who attend HISD schools. She is a management consultant within the energy industry, and her civic advocacy spans education, the arts, and making neighborhoods in her community safer and healthier. A life-long Texan, Ms. Garza Lindner was born and raised in Brownsville and has lived in Houston for more than 20 years.

Rolando Martinez: Mr. Martinez is a native Houstonian, a Houston ISD graduate, and a parent of three children who all attend Houston ISD schools. He currently serves on the Houston ISD District Advisory Committee and works as a human resources manager at a large healthcare system in the Texas Medical Center.

Paula Mendoza: Ms. Mendoza is a longtime Houston resident, the mother of a Houston ISD graduate, and a committed community leader and entrepreneur. She is a small business owner and has demonstrated her commitment to the Houston community through service on numerous non-profit and governmental boards, including the University of Houston Board of Regents, Texas Ethics Commission, and Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

Adam P. Rivon: Mr. Rivon is the parent of a Houston ISD student and is the founder and owner of a small business in the real estate industry. Mr. Rivon proudly served his country in the United States Army, earning a Bronze Star for leadership as an Army Artillery Officer during combat operations in Iraq.

Miles tweeted out this statement this morning:

I am honored and humbled to be here in Houston. It is my great privilege to lead @HoustonISD in this work to make it one of the best school districts in the country. pic.twitter.com/WizgUBrRGp

— Michael Miles (@HISDSupe) June 1, 2023

And here is the letter notifying HISD about the changes: