When Houston ISD students return to campus next week, none of them will be getting their education at an F-rated campus, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles announced Tuesday.
The achievement — zero HISD schools with an “F” in the Texas Education Agency’s accountability ratings and 18 campuses with a “D” — is a significant upgrade from the 2023 ratings. Two years ago, when Miles took over, 121 of the district’s 274 campuses received a D or F rating.
Miles was appointed to improve academic achievement and must have zero multiyear failing campuses to exit the state takeover. He was granted a five-year contract extension and a salary increase in June,
The TEA scores measure school achievement and progress, primarily through the STAAR test, which is on the chopping block during a temporarily halted special legislative session in Austin. Lawmakers last week proposed eliminating the achievement exam and replacing it with three shorter tests to be administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year.
However, because Democrats left the state to avoid voting on a controversial redistricting proposal, other bills, such as the one related to the STAAR test, won’t likely be taken up until another special session is called in September — if the Democrats return.
Miles said in a short YouTube video that he was excited about the new rankings.
“When you’re attending an F-rated campus, it’s like having an anchor on you as you go through the school system,” he said. “It’s hard to achieve and get the education you need when you have this anchor.”
“When you attend an A school, it’s very different,” Miles added. “At an A school, students are lifted up. They’re rising. That’s the difference between A and F, so it’s important and it means a lot.”
Seventy-four percent of the district’s students are now attending A and B schools, when just two years ago, only 35 percent were attending A and B schools, he said.“That’s a tremendous improvement,” he said.
The superintendent commended students and teachers for their performance and emphasized that the data is preliminary and the final scores will be released August 15. HISD students go back to school on August 12.
“We have a long way to go, no question,” Miles said. “We still have students who are behind. We still have an achievement gap that we have to close. We’ve made great progress, but we’re not done, so the work continues.”
In order for the city to be great, it has to have a great education system, said Miles, who recently bought a home in Houston.
“Businesses won’t come as easily if the workforce isn’t educated well,” he said. “So this is mostly about our kids’ future, yes, and it’s about the city’s future.”
