The controversial reforms underway in Houston ISD rival the most dramatic overhauls of public schools in U.S. history. Educators and researchers are taking notes.
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Asher Lehrer-Small
Asher Lehrer-Small is a K-12 education reporter for the Houston Landing. He previously spent three years covering schools for The 74 where he was recognized by the Education Writers Association as one of the top three education beat reporters in the nation working at a small newsroom. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe, Fast Company, The Guardian and others. He graduated from Brown University studying education policy and previously worked as a summer school math teacher in Providence, Rhode Island. Off the clock, you can find him tending to houseplants or frying up homemade donuts for a crowd.
In unexpectedly close vote, HISD board approves big budget cuts, added overhaul spending
In a rare split, Houston ISD’s board of managers voted 5-4 to slash central office spending and invest deeper in overhauling more than 100 schools.
Houston ISD elementary, middle school test scores improved in 2024, early data shows
Houston ISD’s elementary and middle school test scores improved in 2024 when compared to 2023, with some of the biggest gains seen at campuses overhauled by first-year Superintendent Mike Miles, early data shows.
‘Elephant in the room’: Houston ISD bond plan includes $150M for small, half-empty schools
Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles wants to invest in low-enrollment schools with the bond, despite the potential for inefficient spending.
Use our search tool to see how Houston ISD’s bond proposal would impact each school
Houston ISD officials are pitching upgrades ranging from $80,000 to $180 million across each of the district’s nearly 270 campuses as part of a $4.4 billion package.
What’s in Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion bond plan? Here are 5 key takeaways.
Houston ISD elementary and middle schools would benefit most from the package, with about 35 campuses slated for major rebuilds or renovations.
Houston ISD high schoolers show gains on state tests, early data show
Houston ISD’s improvement on the state standardized exams outpaced Texas averages, Superintendent Mike Miles said Wednesday.
Young, homeless and illegally suspended: 5 takeaways from Houston Landing investigation
Hundreds of Texas school districts have combined to illegally suspend thousands of students living without stable housing.
Exclusive: Texas schools illegally suspended thousands of homeless students — and nobody stopped them
Hundreds of Texas school districts are violating a 2019 law that banned most suspensions of homeless kids, a Houston Landing investigation found.
Four Houstonians got suspended from school while homeless. Here’s how it changed their lives.
Now young adults, the former students recount missed opportunities and feelings of abandonment when school staff kicked them into the streets.