houston education

Education in Houston

As you would expect in a city the size of Houston, educational opportunities and options are abundant and varied. Within the nine-county greater metropolitan area, there are more than 60 school districts, dozens of state-approved charter schools, and roughly 200 private schools from which to choose. The Houston Independent School District (Houston ISD) is the largest public school district in Texas and the seventh largest in the nation. From day care and preschools to community colleges and nationally ranked universities, Houston possesses a full range of educational opportunities for all ages.

Houston Area Independent School Districts

More than 1.3 million students are enrolled in independent school districts (ISDs) and charter schools throughout the Houston region. The largest, Houston ISD, covers a 333-square-mile area with more than 280 campuses and 213,000 enrolled students. To see education accountability ratings by district, click the link below. 

Colleges and Universities

The Houston region has more than 40 two-year community colleges and four-year universities, including three Tier 1 universities: Rice University, University of Houston and the nearby Texas A&M University in College Station. Houston-area colleges and universities educate nearly 430,000 students and graduate more than 100,000 students annually. 

The region also has 50 trade, vocational and business schools specializing in law, healthcare, welding, process technology and various other disciplines that enroll an additional 20,000 students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Click below to see local colleges and universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report. 

Educational Attainment in Houston

Get insight into Houston's well-educated workforce with strengths in the science, engineering and business fields of study.

Neighborhoods & Communities

Houston offers a wide variety of neighborhoods to suit the taste and budget of residents. Find your perfect neighborhood.

Arts & Culture

Houston is one of only a handful of cities in the country with resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines including opera, drama, musical theater, symphony and ballet. There are also 19 different arts and cultural institutions that make up the walkable Museum District.

Sports & Recreation

With four major league sports teams, an abundance of bike and jogging trails and some of largest urban parks in the nation, Houston is a great place to experience the outdoors.

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New Education System

NES and NES-aligned schools had significantly higher academic growth than non-NES schools on mid-year exams.

Source: Preliminary mid-year NWEA MAP data, January 2024

Schools in HISD’s New Education System (NES) receive additional resources and support to dramatically improve academic performance and give students a variety of enriching opportunities.

NES schools:

• Use an innovative staffing model to ensure students receive consistent high-quality instruction. The model also allows teachers to focus on their core work and have better work-life harmony.
• Pay teachers and staff higher salaries and differentiate compensation based on the subject taught as well as rigorous teacher and leader evaluation systems.
• Have a specific instructional program and receive extra resources and support.
• Provide Art of Thinking courses to teach students critical-thinking and problem-solving skills as well as how to assess, evaluate, and effectively use information.
• Provide specialty classes in the areas of fitness, music and fine arts, 21st-century media and technology, and hands-on science. These classes supplement schools’ existing electives and magnet programs and are taught by community consultants with specific knowledge and skills.
• Offer free trips for middle school students to experience new places and cultures.

The NES is the largest and most significant effort to transform K-12 education in the United States. While other districts have tried to improve schools by taking incremental steps—such as adopting a new curriculum or expanding certain programs—the NES involves whole-scale, systemic reform. Launched at underperforming campuses across HISD in the fall of 2023, the NES is designed to dramatically improve academic performance, close achievement gaps, and ensure Houston's students graduate prepared for the modern workplace and world. It is an ambitious effort for our city—and, indeed, the nation—with the potential to remedy decades of ineffective K-12 policies and prove what is possible for America's students.

See the tabs below to learn more about the NES.

Staffing Model

An innovative staffing model is designed to ensure students receive high-quality instruction every day and that teachers can focus on their core work.

Given students' extensive needs, employees at NES campuses earn higher salaries than staff at other HISD schools. Teachers also have a range of resources that promote better work-life harmony and encourage them to stay in the field.

A centralized team creates the daily lessons, which can be customized as necessary, so teachers do not have to spend a great deal of time outside school hours building lessons from scratch. Teachers receive regular coaching from instructional experts and are supported by teacher apprentices and learning coaches.

Apprentices are earning their teacher certification. They work alongside the teacher, learning the instructional model and effective teaching practices; co-teaching; substituting as necessary; and participating in the same training as teachers. Apprentices are eligible for promotion to a teaching position at the campus upon receiving their certification. Learning coaches supervise students’ higher-level independent and partner work and handle a variety of time-consuming tasks such as making copies and completing paperwork.

Compensation

In the 2024-2025 school year, there will not be whole-scale reconstitution of any new or exisiting NES campus . Instead, the District will conduct a proficiency screening to determine teachers' eligibility . Individuals who score in the bottom 15 percent on the proficiency screening—which involves mid-year data on quality of instruction as well as student performance and growth—will not be eligible to teach in NES schools.

*All salaries for non-NES teachers include a planned $2,500 increase for the 2024-2025 academic year. In the NES schools, compensation varies by subject matter taught. Thus, the starting salary listed is an average of the teachers’ starting salaries for a school. The five-year salary is also an average of the teachers’ five-year salaries. More information will be included in the HISD Compensation Manual, which will be published in February.

Instructional Program

For students in third through twelfth grade, the format for math and English language arts combines direct instruction with highly differentiated assignments. All English language arts/Spanish language arts and mathematics classes in third through eighth grades are 90 minutes and begin with a Learning Objective for what students should be able to accomplish at the end of the lesson.  The first 40 to 45 minutes are focused on instruction using Multiple Response Strategies (MRS) to maximize student engagement.

These research-proven strategies are embedded into the lesson plan to keep students actively reading, writing, discussing, and participating throughout the lesson. MRS also give teachers a way to gauge whether students are grasping the lesson concepts, so teachers can clarify misconceptions and reinforce students’ understanding in real time. See more information on the various MRS in the tab below.

While teachers teach, principals and assistant principals visit classrooms and observe instruction as part of the daily routine. Administrators provide coaching and instructional support. This regular feedback helps teachers continuously refine their craft with immediate adjustments that positively impact student learning. Coaching is as unobtrusive as possible—a quick whisper or a moment off to the side while students are working on an activity. 

Instruction follows the LSAE (Learner, Securing, Accelerated, Enriched) approach , which is designed to ensure every student receives instruction tailored to their specific needs. See more information on the LSAE levels in the tab below. 

Students who master the day’s DOL—that is, those who are at the S2 (Secured), A (Accelerated), and (E) Enriched levels—go to the Team Center for the last 35 minutes of class, where they do higher-level work independently or in pairs. Learning coaches supervise the Team Center and guide students in that work.

Students who need more help—that is, those who are at the L (Learner) and S1 (Securing) levels—stay in the classroom to keep working with the teacher and the teacher apprentice. Teachers re-teach concepts students missed and provide targeted, small-group support to help them learn the content. 

Multiple Response Strategies

Table Talk  is similar to think-pair-share. Three or four students participate in a group discussion, with each student speaking while the others take notes. It is a systematic way to ensure all students participate and to check how well they understand a concept. 

Whip Around is a strategy that is used when there is a list or several different answers to a question. The teacher asks the entire class to stand up and does a quick whip-around check to hear from every student.  

Modified Whip Around is similar to a whip around; however, students with similar answers sit down once their answers are given by another student. 

Quick Response is a strategy to help students process information, formulate answers, and reply quickly when called upon. 

Oral Choral Response is a high-energy response strategy that requires students to respond in unison. For example: “Energy comes from the SUN!”

Response Card involves a brief but thought-provoking response to a question. Response cards are required in core classes every day. Students use an index card and complete the exercise multiple times an hour, except in math. Teachers pair the response card strategy with Think-Pair-Share or Table Talk . 

White Board is when students are asked to hold up personal white boards and show their answers all at once. The exercise allows the teacher to quickly check students’ understanding and supports multiple learning modalities, including visual and kinesthetic. Teachers can provide immediate feedback or adjust instruction in the moment based on students’ responses. 

LSAE Levels

The student does not fully understand today’s objective but was close. They are still securing their learning and will need more help from the teacher to better grasp today’s lesson. They will stay in the room with the teacher for the remainder of instruction.

The student fully understands today’s objective and has secured their learning today. They will pick up S2 assignments and go to the Team Center for the remainder of the instructional time to work independently or in a pair.

The student is working at an accelerated pace and has mastered today’s objective. They will pick up A assignments and go to the Team Center for the remainder of the instructional time to work independently or in a pair.

The student is working beyond a standard accelerated pace. They may have the opportunity to work in the Team Center on special projects that involve a high level of creativity and critical thinking.

Student Experiences

NES schools help students learn by building knowledge, perspective, and experience.

For HISD graduates to get good jobs in the future, they need to know how to think critically, solve problems, work in teams, evaluate and use information, and communicate effectively.

Students in grades three through eight take specialty Dyad classes in the areas of fitness, music and fine arts, 21st-century media and technology, and hands-on science. Classes supplement schools’ existing electives and magnet programs and are taught by community consultants with specific knowledge and skills. Through Dyad, students gain access to a variety of free, in-school enrichment opportunities they didn’t have before. They engage in experiential learning with their instructors and peers and explore ways to get involved in their community.

Art of Thinking

Students in grades three through 10 take  Art of Thinking three times a week. The class is focused on teaching critical thinking and problem solving and how to assess, evaluate, and effectively use information. These are essential skills for students to process the large volume of information they receive through daily conversations, social media, and other digital channels.

In Art of Thinking, students learn about perspective, a view or attitude toward something. They are taught to be wary of information posted anonymously; why it is important to reserve judgment and question what is presented as fact; and how to look for primary sources, consider possible agendas, and identify bias.

Lessons also cover how to become a discerning user of data and facts. That is, how to consider sample size and how to recognize that data and facts can be "true" but can be used in ways to mislead and misinform—for example, when one data point or anecdote is accurate but should not be generalized to summarize an entire dataset or situation. Art of Thinking helps students understand how a person's point of view is influenced by experiences and the information to which they are exposed. Students also learn how broader perspective leads to better understanding and better decision making.

Student Travel

Eligible students get to travel and experience new places and cultures. In spring 2024—at no cost to their families—eligible seventh graders will travel to Washington, D.C., and eligible eighth graders will travel to Japan.

School staff provide intensive support throughout the entire planning process. They hold informational sessions for families, help students obtain their passports, and serve as chaperones on the trips. Leading up to the trips, campuses host fun events so students and their families get a sense of what the travelers will see and do.

Team Centers

Team Centers are open spaces that are used in different ways. The rooms have desks and chairs for students. When students show in the DOL, a mini quiz after the first half of class, that they are working at an accelerated or proficient level, they go to the Team Center to do more challenging assignments independently or in pairs. Learning coaches supervise the Team Center and guide students in their higher-level work.

There are a number of things students say they like about the Team Centers. For example, students who have strong command of the day's material are eager to show this, so they can move to the Team Center and on to other content. This approach helps students stay engaged and keeps them from becoming bored in school. Many students also like that the Team Centers are quiet, which allows them to concentrate.

School Culture

There are clear expectations for maintaining a culture of respect and a safe and productive learning environment.

Students must follow three overarching rules:

• Do not disrespect teachers or classmates,
• Do not disrupt the learning environment, and
• No bullying. 

Discipline is handled by administrators so teachers do not have to step away from instruction. Students who are disruptive are sent out of the classroom to take a time out, get counseled, or access other services and support. Most students who are removed from class for minor infractions rejoin their class remotely via Zoom until the next class period.

Building Hours

To better support students and working families, NES campuses have extended hours.

All buildings open at 6:30 a.m.

• The instructional day for students in Pre-K through second grade runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• The instructional day for students in third through fifth grade runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Middle and high schools stay open until 5:30 p.m. The instructional day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Educational Attainment

An indicator correlated with many life outcomes, educational attainment profoundly affects individual and regional prosperity.

Though the average Houstonian today has more education than they did 10 years ago, significant disparities across race/ethnicity persist.

The percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher in the three-county region has increased to 34.2% in 2019 from 25.4% in 1990.

The percentage of Latino residents in Houston’s three-county region with a high school diploma increased to 65% in 2019 from 44% in 2010.

67.6% of women in Montgomery County hold bachelor’s degrees compared to 62.3% of men.

Why educational attainment matters to Houston

The benefits of obtaining an education beyond the 12 mandatory years extend not only to earning potential, health, and quality of life, but also to the collective well-being and economy of our region, and—potentially—future generations. People with a bachelor’s degree have lifetime average earnings that are $1.3 million higher than those with a high school diploma only. 1,2 They also enjoy the lowest unemployment rates . Adults with stable, well-paying jobs are less likely to rely on the social safety net (nutritional assistance, subsidized housing, etc.) and less likely to interact with the criminal legal system. 3 People with higher education tend to be healthier and live longer. 4,5,6 Regions that are home to highly-skilled and educated workers attract and keep employers that provide good jobs, which attract additional skilled workers, fueling the cycle. A region thrives with revenue from additional investment and a growing population of skilled workers. People with higher education are also more likely to vote , 7,8 which advances civic engagement in the region. Becoming the first person in a family to earn a college degree can positively affect the trajectory of their and their family’s lives, potentially for future generations. 9 However, only a minority successfully walk through this door of opportunity for myriad reasons. This is partly because of discriminatory and illegal practices that have existed since our nation’s founding (such as redlining and school segregation), exacerbated by present-day inequities (segregation’s lasting impact, poverty , disinvestment in public schools). Compounded over generations, the result is educational attainment levels that vary significantly by race/ethnicity. The more we work to improve overall levels of educational attainment — and eliminate disparities — the closer we get to a more vibrant region with opportunity for all.

Low Educational Attainment Hurts Economic Prosperity

What does educational attainment mean? Educational attainment refers to the highest level of education an individual has completed. As the shift continues toward a knowledge-based economy, higher levels of educational attainment have become increasingly important to social mobility. 10 This doesn’t mean a bachelor’s degree is always necessary to secure a “good job,” but some kind of education beyond high school (also called post-secondary education ) — such as a certificate, credential, apprenticeship, or associate degree — is critical to meeting the demands of the current workforce and to unlock future individual opportunities. 

Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment

National unemployment rate (annual average, seasonally adjusted) by level of educational attainment of adults 25 years and older

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Note: Retrieved on 9/13/21

Workers with higher educational attainment tend to have the lowest unemployment rates, a trend seen during the COVID-19 pandemic . In 2020, the national unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher averaged 4.8% compared to 9.1% for those with a high school diploma only and 11.9% for those without a high school diploma. Not only are lower education levels associated with higher unemployment, they are also associated with lower annual earnings and lower lifetime average earnings. 11

In 2020, the national unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher averaged 4.8% compared to 9.1% for those with a high school diploma only and 11.9% for those without a high school diploma.

Educational attainment rates in the region continue upward trend, but with significant racial/ethnic disparities.

Educational attainment in Texas lags behind the nation. The state of Texas ranks second to last nationwide in the percentage of residents with at least a high school diploma at 84.6%, compared to the national average of 88.6%. Educational attainment levels in Harris County are lower than the state average, with 82.3% of adult residents having a high school diploma. Fort Bend and Montgomery counties fare better than the state and national averages at 90.7% and 88.2%, respectively.

Percent of population 25 years and older by level of educational attainment, 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey Note: Retrieved 9/10/21 from Social Explorer.

Texas also ranks low in the percentage of the population over the age of 25 with bachelor’s degrees. Three out of 10 Texans (30.8%) have a bachelor’s degree or above — placing the state 28th among all states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) — compared to 33.1% at the national level. Nearly half of all adults in Fort Bend County have earned a bachelor’s degree (46.2%), the highest attainment rate in the three-county region. If Fort Bend County were a state, it would rank second in the nation — just behind D.C. (59.7%) and ahead of Massachusetts (45.0%). The proportion of adults without a high school diploma is highest in Harris County (17.7%). Adults in Montgomery County are most likely among the three counties to have some college education without a four-year degree (31.1%).

If Fort Bend County were a state, it would rank second in the country with the highest percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree.

Educational attainment, historical.

Percent of population 25 years and older by level of educational attainment, 1990 to 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 & 2000 Decennial Census; 2010 & 2019 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates Note: "Some College" includes adults who have taken at least one postsecondary course, earned a certificate, or received an Associate degree. Retrieved 9/10/21 from Social Explorer.

Educational attainment beyond high school has been increasing, however. Between 1990 and 2019, the percentage of adults without a high school diploma in Texas and the three-county area fell by 12.5 and 8.6 percentage points, respectively. Additionally, the share with bachelor’s degree or higher in the three-county area increased to 34.2% from 25.4%. 

Continue reading about education in Greater Houston on our Early Childhood Education page.

Educational attainment rates are unequal across race, ethnicity and gender

Because of a lengthy history of discriminatory and illegal practices since the nation’s founding, which have been exacerbated by present-day inequities, levels of educational attainment in the United States vary greatly by race/ethnicity.The three-county region is no exception, and these disparities are the direct and intended result of harmful policies, compounded over decades and are not related to any group’s intrinsic talents or priorities.

Educational Attainment by Race/Ethnicity

Percent of population 25 years and over, 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey Note: "Some College" includes adults who have taken at least one postsecondary course, earned a certificate, or received an Associate degree. Data for Asian Americans or Black/African Americans in Montgomery County not available. "Hispanic" includes people of all races. Retrieved 1/10/22 from Data.Census.Gov.

Asian Americans — a group of people originating from about 50 different countries with distinct political and immigration histories — report the highest levels of education at the national, state, and regional levels. However, it is important to note that there is significant variation even within this large population. According to a 2021 report from the Pew Research Center , 75% of Indian Americans have a bachelor’s degree, while only 16% of Laotians and 15% of Bhutanese do. Indian Americans make up the largest Asian-American origin group in Texas, which contributes to the high levels of educational attainment for Asian Americans in the state.

More than 42% of Black adults in Fort Bend County have a bachelor’s degree or higher — 20 percentage points higher than the national average for Black adults (22.5%). However, that figure falls to 26% in Harris County, a rate on par with that of Texas overall, according to 2019 estimates.

Consistent with national trends, Hispanic/Latino adults in the Houston area report lower levels of educational attainment. About 26% of Hispanic residents in Fort Bend County, 36% in Harris County, and 35% in Montgomery County do not have a high school diploma. For comparison, the national average is 29.5%.

Because the general terms “Hispanic” or ”Latino” are used to describe a group of people who originate from a wide variety of Spanish-speaking or Latin American countries, and who understand their identity in different ways, the diversity within that broad group can often go unnoticed. There are differences in the levels of education between Latinos who are foreign-born versus native-born. For example, 12% of Hispanic immigrants in the three-county region have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 20% of Hispanic adults born in the U.S. 12 Research from the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) at the University of Houston found that recent Latino immigrants are more likely to be better educated than those who arrived before them — 27% of immigrants who arrived in the last five years had a bachelor’s degree or higher. For those who have been here for at least 11 years, less than 10% had a degree. 13

Adults with High School Diploma by Race/Ethnicity

Percent of Population 25 years and over, 2000 to 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; 2010 & 2019 American Community Survey Note: Data for Asian Americans in Montgomery County not available for 2019. "Hispanic" includes people of all races; "White" excludes those of Hispanic/Latino origin; "Black" and "Asian" includes those of Hispanic/Latino origin. Retrieved 9/31/21 from Social Explorer.

As educational attainment levels within each racial/ethnic group have increased in the three-county area, so have high school diploma attainment rates. Between 2000 and 2019, the percentage of residents in Houston’s three-county region with a high school diploma increased the most for Hispanics, rising to 65% from 44%. The percentage of Black residents who completed high school also increased to 92% from 78%.

In 2005, for the first time in the nation’s history, women were more likely than men to have an education beyond a high school diploma. By 2020, 65% of women had some post-secondary education compared to 61% of men.

In 2005, for the first time in the nation’s history, women were more likely than men to have an education beyond a high school diploma.

Adults with postsecondary education by gender.

Percent of population 25 years and over, 2000 to 2019

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; 2010 & 2019 American Community Survey Note: Retrieved 9/31/21 from Social Explorer.

The trend of women being more likely to pursue and attain higher education is also  occurring in Houston’s three-county region and in Texas overall.

In 2000, women lagged behind men in the share of the population with a post-secondary education. However, by 2010, the share of women in the three-county region with post-secondary education was slightly above that of men (57.7% compared to 56.2%). Women have continued their progress in postsecondary educational attainment, increasing five percentage points between 2010 and 2019 compared to a three-percentage-point increase among men.

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References:

• There are, of course, differences across age, gender, race/ethnicity, and occupation.
• Carnevale, A. P., Cheah, B., & Rose, S. J. (2021). The College Payoff: More Education Doesn’t Always Mean More Earnings . Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Retrieved from https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/the-college-payoff/ .
• Ewert, S., & Wildhagen, T. (2011). Educational characteristics of prisoners: Data from the ACS . Presentation at the Population Association of America. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2011/demo/SEHSD-WP2011-08.html .
• Raghupathi, V., Raghupathi, W. The influence of education on health: an empirical assessment of OECD countries for the period 1995–2015 . Arch Public Health 78, 20 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-020-00402-5
• Zajacova, A., & Lawrence, E. M. (2018). The Relationship Between Education and Health: Reducing Disparities Through a Contextual Approach . Annual review of public health, 39, 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044628
• Roy, B., Kiefe, C. I., Jacobs, D. R., Goff, D. C., Lloyd-Jones, D., Shikany, J. M., Reis, J. P., Gordon-Larsen, P., & Lewis, C. E. (2020). Education, Race/Ethnicity, and Causes of Premature Mortality Among Middle-Aged Adults in 4 US Urban Communities: Results From CARDIA, 1985-2017. American Journal of Public Health, 110 (4), 530–536. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305506
• Milligan, K., Moretti, E., & Oreopoulos, P. (2004). Does education improve citizenship? Evidence from the United States and the United Kingdom . Journal of Public Economics,88(9–10), 1667–1695.
• Sondheimer, R. M., & Green, D. P. (2010). Using experiments to estimate the effects of education on voter turnout . American Journal of Political Science,54(1), 174–189.
• Kaushal, N. (2014). Intergenerational Payoffs of Education. The Future of Children, 24 (1), 61–78. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23723383
• Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Three Educational Pathways to Good Jobs: High School, Middle Skills, and Bachelor’s Degree , 2018. Retrieved from https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/3pathways/ .
• Carnevale, A. P., Cheah, B., & Rose, S. J. (2021).
• Understanding Houston analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates, Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) for the population 25 years and older.
• Sánchez-Soto, Gabriela. (2020). The Latinx Population in Greater Houston . Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Houston. Retrieved from https://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/july-2020/07212020cmas-latino-report.php .

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HISD unveils plan to slash $500M from budget — but still doesn’t detail specific cuts

Houston ISD likely will cut a significant number of jobs and programs to slash $500 million in spending, yet administrators still aren’t outlining clear plans.

Split Humble ISD board places Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen on paid leave

‘Find something else to cut’: HISD parents, local leaders knock plan to slash wraparound jobs

Humble ISD’s superintendent faces another potential vote on her job status. Here’s why.

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Exclusive: Federal officials investigating whether Katy ISD’s gender policy is discriminatory

Cy-Fair ISD community in an uproar over superintendent’s plan to cut librarians amid budget crunch

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Spring Branch ISD’s latest move to tackle tight budget: More out-of-district transfers

Investigators: Former Fort Bend ISD superintendent, top deputies to blame for bond shortfall

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Southeast Texas schools announce reopening plans following destructive storm

TEXAS (KTRK) -- In the wake of Thursday's severe weather, school districts across southeast Texas have announced their decisions on whether to reopen on Monday as they continue to recover from the storm's impact.

Tomball ISD officials announced that classes will resume on Monday. Their decision comes after extensive debris cleanup and the restoration of electricity to all schools and buildings within the district.

For Houston ISD, the situation is mixed; some schools will reopen but others will remain are closed. Parents are advised to check if their student's school has been listed among those expected to reopen on Monday.

SEE HISD'S LIST OF OPEN SCHOOLS HERE

According to HISD, the listed schools have power, functioning cooling systems, and food. Any campus not listed by 9 p.m. on Sunday will not be open Monday.

SEE ORIGINAL REPORT: HISD releases list of select campuses that will open on Monday after closures due to deadly storm

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD has announced that all its schools will remain closed. In a statement, the district cited travel safety concerns due to the number of broken traffic lights and debris on the roads. Additionally, many of their campuses and families are still without power. CFISD plans to reassess the situation and will provide an update on Monday about Tuesday's status.

Spring Branch ISD has also announced that it will be closed. The district said that as of noon Sunday, about 70% of their campuses still lacked power. They plan to continue monitoring their facilities and power restoration and will provide a daily update by 4 p.m. Monday regarding school for Tuesday.

In contrast, Cleveland ISD will open Monday. In a statement they confirmed that all their campuses and facilities will be open and operating as normal.

Parents and students are encouraged to stay informed through district communications for the latest updates.

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Houston isd superintendent mike miles responds to allegations he diverted texas school funds to his colorado schools, teachers union and parent group call for federal investigation.

Karen Araiza , Digital Content Lead , Houston

Moriah Ballard , Digital Producer/Reporter

HOUSTON – Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles is calling allegations that he diverted Texas school money to his charter schools in Colorado “irresponsibly inaccurate.”

His Thursday response comes after a report by Spectrum News that resulted in calls for a federal investigation by the Houston Teachers Federation, a coalition group of parents, teachers, and students, and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Miles is also enduring tumultuous backlash from some parents and teachers after widespread job cuts to close a $450 million budget gap, along with a growing number of teachers and principals finding out they will not be asked back next year.

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• Teacher turnover and more job cuts for Houston ISD

The Spectrum News report accused Miles of using Texas Public Education Funds -- taxpayer funds -- for his charter schools in Texas to cover costs for his Third Future Schools charter operation in Colorado.

Miles said the report intentionally misrepresents the financial practices of Third Future Schools, which he has not worked at for more than a year.

“I have an obligation to make very clear that during my tenure Third Future Schools was always a responsible steward of every public dollar received, all financial agreements and obligations were approved by local boards of directors, authorizers, and in our Texas schools, the school district with which TFS partnered. Eight different districts in three states have trusted Third Future Schools with the education of their most underserved students and have overseen TFS’s overall financial health and propriety. Third Future Schools has a consistent track record of clean audits year over year, and I have no reason to believe that is any different now. These baseless claims cheapen the hard work and dedication of thousands of staff and students,” Miles said.

The report alleges that Miles’s three charter schools in Colorado were struggling. No longer the CEO, but in a consulting role, the report says Miles recommended they close a school due to declining enrollment and asked the board of directors to find the money needed to pay off the debt they’d incurred, and that two million dollars was sent to the Colorado operation.

SEE ALSO: Pink slip Friday at Houston ISD with jobs being eliminated and changed

In his letter, Miles explains that the central office that oversees charter schools in both states is located in Colorado, and that this is a common practice.

“Administrative fees are applied to all schools in all states in order for the central office to oversee and monitor the schools as well as provide network-wide supports (such as finance and human resources) from people and departments in the central office, which is located in Colorado. This is common practice for charters and other independent partnership schools and is not only allowed, but anticipated by Texas’ education law. Spectrum News either intentionally or, through gross incompetence, mischaracterized these commonplace financial arrangements between charter schools and the charter management organizations that support them,” Miles said.

Miles accused the Spectrum News report of working to undermine progress he said was made in Dallas ISD.

• Houston ISD’s teacher evaluation system offers on-the-spot training and evaluations, but is it making a difference?

“It appears he is resurrecting old tactics that are not worth more time and attention. I do not intend to comment further on these spurious assertions. I am committed to staying focused on the tremendous challenge of improving Texas’ largest district,” Miles said.

SEE ALSO: Teacher turnover and more job cuts for Houston ISD

REACTION TO THE REPORT

Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson called the allegations in the report about Miles a “betrayal of trust.”

Anderson said Miles is treating the HISD public school system as his own personal piggy bank.

“Just days after learning that Mike Miles is laying off hundreds of custodians, librarians and removing popular principals from our schools, we are now learning that he’s treating our public school system as his own personal piggy bank,” said Jackie Anderson. “The diversion of Texas public funds to shore up his private charter school company in Colorado is an outrageous betrayal of trust and requires a federal criminal investigation. The corruption of this deal stretches beyond just Mike Miles - the board of managers is also complicit in this shadowy scheme by failing to provide oversight and transparency. Greg Abbott’s takeover of our schools has failed. Teachers, students, and their families deserve better and in response, we are demanding the immediate resignation of Mike Miles and the immediate exit of the TEA from HISD.” - Anderson

SEE ALSO: Houston ISD parents, teachers protest ‘resign or terminate’ ultimatum given to principal

Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said he was shocked by what he saw in the report.

“This also calls into question every dollar he has spent as superintendent. While teacher benefits are being slashed, libraries are being closed, and support staff are being let go, HISD parents and taxpayers deserve a robust and timely investigation to ensure that tax dollars are being used appropriately and ethically. This is especially true at a time when the district is under the direct control of the State and not accountable to a locally elected board.”

Community Voices for Education (CVPE), a coalition of teachers, parents, and students is also calling for an investigation.

“The results of this bombshell investigation should serve as a wakeup call for parents, students, and teachers who aren’t already outraged about Greg Abbott’s takeover of our school system,” said Ruth Kravetz, a former HISD chemistry teacher and co-founder of the Community for Voices of Public Education. “Greg Abbott opened the door to this type of fraud by installing an unelected board of managers and putting Mike Miles in charge of our schools. We’ve warned for years that laundering taxpayer dollars and giving it to private schools was part of their plan, and now we have the receipts to prove it. This scheme goes beyond bad policy or governance, it’s corruption and we’re calling for a federal investigation into this scheme along with the immediate resignation of Miles. Houston deserves a public education system run by competent, democratically elected representatives who share our values and are in it for the right reasons. We won’t stop fighting until that happens.”

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About the Authors

Karen araiza.

Houston bred and super excited to be back home! I grew up in The Heights with my 8 brothers and sisters and moved back in 2024. My career as a journalist spans a lot of years -- I like to say there's a lot of tread on these tires! I'm passionate about helping people. I also really love sharing success stories and stories of redemption. Email me!

Moriah Ballard

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.

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Humble isd superintendent placed on administrative leave.

Fagen was one of five people in the running for a superintendent position at Washoe County School District in Nevada until Tuesday, when the Nevada district’s board of trustees approved a different finalist.

Humble ISD Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen was placed on paid administrative leave after an overwhelming school board vote on Tuesday night.

Trustees made no discussion of the move to place Fagen on administrative leave before four members voted in favor of the motion, two voted against and one abstained. Following the vote, trustees overwhelmingly approved the selection of Deputy Superintendent Roger Brown to serve as the district’s interim superintendent.

The vote came weeks after Troy Kite, Fagen’s husband, retired from his position as the district’s athletic director after a Title IX investigation revealed he had violated the federal law by creating a hostile work environment through sexually-charged comments he made to other staffers.

Fagen’s position was called into question during a board meeting April 9, when trustees had planned to discuss and take possible action on her employment before that meeting item was withdrawn. During that meeting, trustees also narrowly voted in favor of releasing the district’s findings of the Title IX investigation.

“I am furious this evening of the idea that (Fagen’s) team has been disparaged and attacked by different people and that she would have an agenda item on this agenda tonight that is unwarranted,” Trustee Lemond Dixon said during the April 9 school board meeting. “We are better than this, and I for one cannot stomach it.”

RELATED: Humble ISD superintendent up for job in Nevada in wake of Title IX investigation into her husband

The board’s decision on Tuesday came just hours after a potential job opportunity passed her by.

“During its regular meeting, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees unanimously selected Joe Ernst, M.Ed. to serve as superintendent of schools for the district,” according to a Tuesday press release from the school district . “The Board of Trustees will now begin contract negotiations with Mr. Ernst and a final decision on the contract is expected during the public meeting on May 28.”

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