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On Saturday, Mike Miles, the superintendent who was chosen by the state to lead the Houston Independent School District’s transformation, stated that he would require a time frame of approximately four to five years to successfully guide it towards the correct trajectory.
During a panel at the Texas Tribune Festival, he emphasized the need to establish a culture centered around exceptional performance. He acknowledged that transforming culture is a gradual process that requires long-term dedication.
He portrayed himself as completely focused on his objective of enhancing educational achievements within Houston ISD. He emphasized the urgency of his actions to prevent further time loss for students and expressed his intention to reinstate the democratically-elected school board.
He mentioned that he was making an effort to complete the task as quickly as possible, but he expressed uncertainty about accomplishing it overnight.
At the event, Miles expressed his anticipation that approximately 70 schools would be rated with a D or F on the state’s A-F scale, which considers state test scores, in the accountability system. One of his primary responsibilities as the district’s leader will be to address this issue: he is obligated to guarantee that none of the schools receive a failing grade for multiple consecutive years.
In addition, he set a deadline for himself to commence generating outcomes.
He stated, “Hold me accountable by firing me if there is no significant progress within two years.”
According to Miles, the absence of accountability poses a challenge within the field of education. In order to address this issue, he proposes linking educators’ compensation to their classroom outcomes. However, teacher unions argue that this approach is unfair and ineffective for evaluating teacher performance. They contend that solely relying on test scores as a measure does not accurately depict students’ overall academic progress, as it only provides a brief snapshot of their learning and may not reflect their true academic achievement.
His uncompromising attitude has been condemned by numerous Houston ISD educators and members of the community. In a defiant statement on Saturday, he reiterated that individuals within the district who disagree with his reforms have the option to depart.
He stated that if they are not interested in working within that type of culture, they should make the decisions that are suitable for them.
Miles has been at the helm of Houston ISD for four months and has wasted no time implementing his vision, facing criticism for the abruptness and rigidity of his plan. Since taking over in June, more than 80 campuses have been placed under his so-called “New Education System,” which he describes as an “innovative staffing model that puts the focus on classroom instruction and improved student outcomes.”
The Texas Education Agency Commissioner, Mike Morath, stated that the state’s intervention in Houston ISD was prompted by multiple factors. These included the prolonged underperformance of Phillis Wheatley High School, allegations of misconduct against school board members, and the continued presence of a conservator who had been monitoring the district for an extended period. Under state law, Morath explained that the agency was obligated to either close Wheatley or appoint a new board to supervise the entire district.
The system has received criticism from numerous parents and teachers for being a one-size-fits-all approach that does not cater to students who have different learning styles. Educators are required to adhere to a rigid teaching schedule provided by district leadership, which aims to save them time typically spent on curriculum preparation. Teachers argue that these plans restrict their ability to customize lessons and frequently require adjustments.
Miles faced criticism from multiple panel attendees who passionately argued in favor of libraries as crucial to a child’s development. This was in response to his decision to convert certain Houston ISD libraries into discipline areas and reassign librarians.
However, Miles dismissed the negative experiences shared by a few participants as mere anecdotes and portrayed them as illustrations of the prevailing “status quo” mindset within the state’s education system.
He stated that we must cease our repetitive actions.
As The Texas Tribune’s signature event of the year, The Texas Tribune Festival brings Texans closer to politics, policy and the day’s news from Texas and beyond. Browse on-demand recordings and catch up on the biggest headlines from Festival events at the Tribune’s Festival news page.
