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Hello Houston,
Hope you enjoyed your break — and you're maybe counting down the days to the next!
You may have missed it, but we published a look at the top HISD officials under state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. You can check out the cabinet's experience, plus details on their salaries — all over $200K.
Another must-read is the latest lawsuit over Texas' law to put the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. More local districts, including Katy and Pearland, joined HISD and others challenging the state law.
And, good news for anyone who reads this newsletter on their phone! Newsletter links now open instantly in our news app. That means faster load times, a cleaner reading experience and no more getting logged out on your phone. Download or update it now: iPhone | Android
 | Claire Partain, HISD reporter |
Photo by: Houston Chronicle
SAT scores in Houston and Texas continue to decline, including in HISD, most recent data shows
New SAT scores are out, and HISD landed just below the middle of the region, with the class of 2024 earning an average score of 924 — six points lower than the year prior.
Statewide SAT scores have slipped for at least six straight years, a trend reflected in the Houston area.
At 88.4%, HISD's participation rate was in the top third of local districts. Still, it was slightly lower than I expected since it was one of the first districts in the country to offer free, in-school SAT testing.
Like many districts, HISD's SAT scores haven't recovered since the pandemic, when they dropped by more than 30 points. Those losses have hit some students and campuses harder, with widening gaps for Black and Hispanic students.
This spring, HISD expanded SAT test prep, teacher training and boot camps. We'll be following up to see how those efforts help prepare Houston students for college.
Reporter's Notebook
Back in September, I visited courts across Houston to see how evictions were impacting local families and students.
Justice of the Peace Steve Duble's court read my article and learned about HISD's Sunrise Centers, leading to his court holding a tenants' rights meeting at the Brock Sunrise Center last month.
It was a packed crowd of raised hands. Some families rocked infants in strollers as they listened, while others scribbled notes or grabbed colorful flyers offering resources.
The workshop gave me hope. When Duble opened the workshop, he celebrated Harris County giving $4 million in rental assistance after months of uncertainty. Also, since the original article, evictions-rights attorney Mark Melton expanded his outreach with a new eviction advocacy center to all Harris County tenants,
Still, this workshop only reached a few. Every day, hundreds appear in evictions courts across Houston. The court will host another workshop in Acres Homes in January.
What Else Happened This Week
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The Calendar Ahead
• Dec. 9: Phase One of HISD's school choice applications opens
• Dec. 11: HISD Board of Managers meeting at HMW at 5 p.m.
• Dec. 22: Winter break begins
Meet The Team
Photo by: Susan Barber
Our HISD coverage is fueled by reporting from Megan Menchaca, Nusaiba Mizan and Claire Partain. Laura Isensee is our education editor, and Jennifer Radcliffe is local news editor.
You can reach out to any of them by emailing them at their firstname.lastname@houstonchronicle.com, filling out this survey or by replying directly to this email.
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