Happy Monday, Houston. And welcome back to school to all of HISD's teachers, staff, students and parents. And welcome back longer commutes for the rest of us.
🌦️ Temperature check: High of 101; low of 81. Justin's insight: As a front moves into the region this week, rain chances will return as highs drop. Read more here.
We've got lots of back-to-school content below, but we also want to hear from you. If you're an HISD educator, school employee, student or parent, we want to know what your back to school experience is like today. Let us know here. |
 | Cat DeLaura
Audience Engagement Producer
cat.delaura@houstonchronicle.com |
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Today we're talking about going back to school... |
If you read one thing: Eighty-five schools in state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles' so-called "New Education System" will begin classes today, having undergone massive changes since school let out this spring. Whether the changes will be for the better remains to be seen. Reporter Sam Gonzalez Kelly spoke to many educators and parents about how they're feeling ahead of the new year… "It was a hot mess and Pugh [Elementary] wasn't the only school with those problems. I agree HISD needed a huge change, but I don't know what that change is and I don't know if Mr. Miles is the right person to bring that change," said one teacher, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job. "I'm OK with that as long as it works and gets the student outcomes that we all want to see. If teachers buy into the model, it's a guarantee that improvement will be made in student academic achievement," one social studies teacher said about the strictly regulated teaching models that will be used in NES high schools. Read more parents' and educators' concerns and expectations for the new school year here. Need a reminder about why the state took over HISD? Here's a timeline of everything that led to the takeover and the changes that have been made since. Keep reading for more things to know about changes this year at HISD. |
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
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What's New at HISD This Year? |
The New Education System: Eighty-five schools are participating in Miles' New Education System. The schools will have standardized materials for students produced by curriculum developers, hired aides who will handle non-instructional tasks for teachers, earlier schedules and less autonomy compared to non-NES schools. Read more here. TEA school rankings: TEA is implementing an update this year to its school ratings system, which will make it harder for schools to earn a higher grade. Miles has said that the district's overall letter grade would decrease from a B to a C if the new criteria was applied to last year's data. Read more here. New laws: Several new laws passed by the Texas Legislature this spring will affect Houston area school districts this fall, including ones requiring mandatory penalties for vaping, increased police staffing and more regulation of school library books deemed "sexually explicit" or "sexually relevant" this year. Read more here.
Food: Apple cinnamon toast, chicken verde burritos and whole grain maple waffles are among the new dishes being added to HISD school menus this year. Plus, seven HISD schools don't offer free meals to all students. Here's how to know if you're eligible to apply for free or reduced meals.
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Meet The Education Reporters |
Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
Our education reporters have been and will be tirelessly covering HISD this year. If you ever have any questions, tips or want to share your own experiences with the district, you can reach them on Twitter or via email (shared below). SAM GONZÁLEZ KELLY: Hi, I'm Sam and I've been covering HISD since May, just before the takeover. I covered marginalized communities in the Houston area for about two years before that, writing about a wide range of topics including criminal justice, immigration and arts and culture. I try to keep my education coverage focused on the people who experience it firsthand, namely students, teachers and parents, and my foremost priority is to address their questions and concerns with my reporting. This beat keeps us pretty busy, but when I'm not working you can find me at your local basketball court or rock climbing gym. Feel free to come say hi. Twitter: @sgonzalezkelly Email: sam.kelly@houstonchronicle.com MEGAN MENCHACA: Hi — I'm Megan. I joined the team covering HISD in July after reporting on higher education and the Texas Legislature for two years in Austin. My coverage of HISD centers around informing the community about state and district-level policy changes and how they will affect students, parents and employees. When I'm not out reporting, I'm probably curled up with a new book, exploring Houston's restaurants and coffee shops or watching the Texas Longhorns compete in any sport. (Hook 'Em!) If you see me around at HISD board meetings, community events and other public meetings, please say hi! I'm always down to chat about K-12 education or the school district. Twitter: @meganmmenchaca Email: megan.menchaca@houstonchronicle.com ANNA BAUMAN: I started covering HISD shortly before the state takeover announcement in March, and there hasn't been a dull day since. I've really enjoyed meeting so many passionate educators, parents, students and community members while chronicling this historic moment in the district. When I'm not working, I love exploring Houston's amazing food scene or diving into a good book. Twitter: @abauman2 Email: anna.bauman@houstonchronicle.com |
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Best wishes to all the students heading back to class today, and condolences that your summer is now over. Cat DeLaura cat.delaura@houstonchronicle.com |
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