Aug 14, 2025 Board Meetings

[00:00:01]

>> GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS NOW CONVEYED AT 5:06 PM.

[CALL TO ORDER]

A QUORUM OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IS PRESENT IN THE BOARD AUDITORIUM.

WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING CORP TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD VICE PRESIDENT ANGELA LEMOND FLOWERS TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PLEDGE LEADER.

>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CAMPO.

CADET MAJOR MARIA SANCHEZ IS A SENIOR AT KASHMIR HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE SHE HAS BEEN ENROLLED IN THE JROTC PROGRAM SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR.

SHE IS SERVING AS THE ARMY JROTC 12TH BATTALION MIGHTY RAMS, BATTALION COMMANDER FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

CADET SANCHEZ IS A MEMBER OF THE JROTC DRILL TEAM AND ACADEMIC TEAM AND CAPTAIN OF THE ARCHERY TEAM.

AMONG HER MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE JROTC PROGRAM, SHE HAS BEEN AWARDED THE SUPERIOR CADET AWARD, DISTINGUISHED CADET AWARD, CADET OF THE MONTH AND NUMEROUS ACADEMIC AND ACHIEVEMENT RIBBONS FOLLOWING HER ATTENDANCE AS JROTC CADET LEADERSHIP CAMP AS A FRESHMAN.

CADET SANCHEZ CURRENTLY HOLDS A 3.8 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.

UPON GRADUATION, SHE PLANS TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND MAJOR IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING. CADET SANCHEZ.

>> PLEASE RISE FOR A MOMENT.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE AND PLEDGE OF THE TEXAS FLAG.

>> THANK YOU, CADET SANCHEZ. APPRECIATE THAT.

BEFORE WE BEGIN SOME OPENING REMARKS,

[RECOGNITIONS]

WE HAVE TRUSTEE SAVANT MORE, BASIDIO GOMEZ HERE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASIO. GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU. WE ALSO HAVE DONNIE HERNANDEZ.

THERE YOU GO. GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO. DID I MISS ANYONE? GREAT. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO OUR MEETING BUSINESS TONIGHT,

[Additional Item]

THIS WEEK MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD YEAR OF THE TRANSFORMATION, AND YOUR HARD WORK IS FUELING OUR STUDENTS GAINS.

THANK YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE CELEBRATED.

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

WE BEGAN THIS YEAR WITH ONLY TWO TEACHER VACANCIES ON OUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

THIS IS A HUGE FEAT FOR A SYSTEM WITH OVER 10,500 TEACHER.

[APPLAUSE] ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THERE WERE NO POWER, WATER OR HVC OUTAGES AT ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, EVEN WITH 100 DEGREE WEATHER.

THIS IS A HERCULEAN FEAT GIVEN OUR AGING BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE.

THANK YOU TO OUR OPERATIONS TEAM FOR THEIR WORK AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENSURE BUILDINGS ARE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE FOR LEARNING. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

THE DISTRICT SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN STUDENTS USING HISD BUS TRANSPORTATION ON THE MORNING OF THE FIRST DAY OF OUR SCHOOL YEAR COMPARED TO 2024.

THIS MEANS MORE FAMILIES ARE CHOOSING HISD TRANSPORTATION.

FAMILIES, THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING HISD TO TRANSPORT YOUR CHILD.

THE TRANSPORTATION CALL CENTER CONTINUES TO WORK WITH FAMILIES TO RESOLVE ISSUES AND TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS GET ROUTED PROPERLY.

BOARD MEMBER ARNOLD, YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SOME SCHOOLS WITH MR. MILES THIS WEEK ON THE FIRST DAY, SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE?

>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CAMPO.

I DID HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING MILNE AND

[00:05:02]

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE HOW TRULY IMPRESSED I WAS.

DURING MY VISITS, STUDENTS WERE ACTIVELY ENGAGED, AND TEACHERS HAD SUCH COMMAND OF THEIR CLASSROOMS. STUDENTS WERE LEARNING BOTH ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND TODAY ON THE THIRD DAY OF SCHOOL, AND I WANT TO SINCERELY EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE TEACHERS WHO WELCOMED ME AND OTHERS INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS. IT WAS SUCH A DELIGHT TO BE IN THEIR PRESENCE TODAY.

I AM HUMBLED IN THEIR PRESENCE.

I ALSO GOT TO CHEER AT ONE OF OUR STUDENT CELEBRATIONS AT VALLEY WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS WEEK.

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE VALLEY WEST MANATEES.

I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR ADDITIONAL EXCITING NEWS FROM THAT CAMPUS.

THEY HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, AND I KNOW THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS TO COME, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU.

>> THANKS FOR YOUR UPDATE.

IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AT THE END, AND THERE'S NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE HERE, SO WE DECIDED THAT WE MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE MEETING.

WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK BOARD MEMBERS FOR ANY COMMENTS.

[BOARD MEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS]

>> I DO. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CAMPO.

LOOK AT THE RISK OF OVERSIMPLIFYING THIS.

OUR JOB AS ONE TEAM THAT'S BOARD, PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADVOCATES, FACULTY STAFF IS TWOFOLD.

TAKE CARE OF STUDENTS, TAKE CARE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.

WE'VE SEEN THE INCREDIBLE RESULTS ON THE TAKE CARE OF STUDENTS' ACADEMIC SIDE SO I THINK WE'LL HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.

BUT I SAW SOMETHING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE FINANCE SIDE, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT, TAKING CARE OF THE TAX DOLLARS.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE HISD TEAM FOR SAVING THE DISTRICT $150 MILLION IN FUTURE INTEREST PAYMENTS BY BOTH PAYING OFF PRINCIPAL EARLY AND REFINANCING OTHER DEBTS AT LOWER RATES.

THIS IS REALLY INCREDIBLE, STAYING ON TOP OF THE GAME, CROSSING THE TS, DOTING THE I'S, BLOCKING AND TACKLING, TYPE OF FINANCE STUFF, AND WE SAVED $150 MILLION ON INTEREST PAYMENTS AND STUFF.

REALLY GOOD STUFF. IT'S NOT JUST US RECOGNIZING THIS.

THE FINANCE TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN AWARDED THE CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS, ASBO.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW YOU SAY IT, BUT ASBO.

AND THE CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.

REALLY GREAT STUFF.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. JIM TERRY AND THE ENTIRE FINANCE TEAM.

YOUR WORK ENSURES WE REMAIN STRONG STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC FUNDS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE] THAT'S GOOD.

LOOK IS GOOD, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

NO STORY IS PERFECT. WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING OUR JOB AND GETTING TO WORK AND DOING THE BASICS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THIS DISTRICT STRONG FINANCIALLY.

THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S GREAT.

>> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS?

>> I'LL GO AHEAD. MY WIFE AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND I GUESS IT WAS AN HONOR LAST WEDNESDAY TO ATTEND THE CONVOCATION THAT WAS HELD AT DELMAR STADIUM JUST NEARBY.

THERE WERE SEVERAL THOUSAND TEACHERS THERE AND PRINCIPALS.

IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT PEP RALLIES I'VE EVER SEEN AND HEARING THE TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT CHEER AND GET EXCITED, COME WITH THEIR SIGNS AND T-SHIRTS AND EVERYTHING, BUT ALSO TO LISTEN TO THE VARIOUS SPEAKERS, THE SKIT THEY PUT ON TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES THAT TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS FACE EVERY DAY AND THEIR TEACHING, THEY HAD A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT IDEAS ON THE STAGE SPEAKING, AND THEN TO HEAR SUPERINTENDENT MILES GIVE HIS PRESENTATION ON THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AT '24, '25.

I THINK THE ONE THING WE CANNOT GIVE ENOUGH CREDIT TO WHILE THE KIDS HAVE OBVIOUSLY DONE EXTRAORDINARY WORK WITHOUT QUESTION, IT'S THEIR WORK THAT WE ARE TRACKING, BUT THAT WORK DOESN'T COME INDIVIDUALLY.

THAT COMES WITH EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT BY THE TEACHERS AND BY THE PRINCIPALS, AND OF COURSE, BY THE ADMINISTRATION ABOVE THEM.

BUT THE DAY TO DAY WORK IT TAKES TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT, I.E.

A SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE AND ONE OF THE GREAT INITIATIVES WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.

I NEVER WANTED TO BE AROUND THAT MANY TEACHERS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I WAS ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT MANY TEACHERS HAD SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM. CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

>> I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT OFF OF MARTY TALKING ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE KIDS.

IT IS THE KIDS THAT ARE TAKING THE TEST THAT ARE LEARNING, AS WELL AS THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPALS.

[00:10:02]

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SCHOOL, MICKEY LELAND SCHOOL, WHO IS NAMED AFTER A GREAT MAN, THAT IS AN INCREDIBLE SCHOOL, AND THE PASSION THAT THE PRINCIPAL HAS FOR THAT SCHOOL IS JUST OVERWHELMING.

I THINK HE'S STARTING HIS SECOND YEAR THERE, AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WITH THAT SCHOOL IS WONDERFUL.

I ALSO WENT TO HENDERSON AND THE PRINCIPAL THERE, THE PASSION AND THE PRIDE THEY HAVE FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT THAT THEY'VE MADE WITH THE STUDENTS.

THEN I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE NAVARRO CELEBRATION, WHO IS ALSO NAMED BY SOMEONE THAT I CALLED A FRIEND AND MAYBE MORE OF A MENTOR AND TO KNOW HOW WELL THAT SCHOOL HAS DONE AND WHAT THEY'VE ACHIEVED, AND THE PRIDE ONCE AGAIN OF THE PRINCIPAL TO STAND BEFORE HIS STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS THERE TO SAY, YOU ALL DID THIS.

IT'S NOT ME. I MAY BE YOUR LEADER, BUT YOU'RE THE ONES MAKING THE DIFFERENCE.

SO I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE AND LOOK FORWARD TO SOME MORE VISITS TOMORROW.

THANK YOU.

>> I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING OUR SUMMER SCHOOL GRADUATION FOR OUR SUMMER GRADUATES FOR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND CHIEF MASSEY GAVE A WONDERFUL COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AND INSPIRING TO OUR KIDS.

IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION OF OUR STUDENTS' RESILIENCE AND THE FACT THAT THEY'VE GOT THAT CAN DO SPIRIT AND THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE AND BE SUCCESSFUL.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION.

TO ADD, AFTER I WENT TO THAT CELEBRATION, I WENT TO CAFE PIQUE, MY FAVORITE LITTLE PLACE TO GET A SNACK, AND I RECOGNIZED FIVE HISD EMPLOYEES FROM BELLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL, TEACHERS AND TEACHER LEADERS.

ONE OF THEIR STUDENTS HAD TO BUS TABLES AND WORK THAT DAY, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM HIS DIPLOMA.

LITERALLY, I WAS JUST THERE GETTING A SNACK AND CAUGHT JUST OUR TEACHERS AND OUR TEACHER LEADERS CARING ABOUT KIDS, GOING THE EXTRA MILE, NOT BECAUSE ANYONE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO CELEBRATE THE SUCCESS OF THEIR STUDENTS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, AND IT WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL CELEBRATION WITH THEM, SO THANKS.

>> THERE WE GO. I JUST WANT TO PILE ON A LITTLE MORE.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, MR. MILES, AND TO YOUR TEAM, EVERY SINGLE ADMINISTRATOR AND TEACHER IN HISD.

I DON'T DOUBT. EVERYONE'S WORKED HARD.

EVERY TEACHER, EVERYONE HAS WORKED HARD, HAS BEEN WORKING HARD, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS, BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS YOU'VE CREATED THE CONDITIONS FOR THAT HARD WORK TO PAY OFF IN DIVIDENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING, THAT ARE JUST ACCELERATING AND ADVANCING IN WAYS WE NEVER EVER EXPECTED TO SEE.

I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD EXPECTING THIS.

THIS HAS BEEN A TARGET, BUT THE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED TO SEE THE RESULTS THAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, REALLY AMAZING, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO WATCH OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS REAP THESE BENEFITS, AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE MORE. THANK YOU.

>> WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT. GREAT UPDATES.

WE'RE GOING TO NOW MOVE TO THE REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.

IT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE UPDATE ON OUR 2024/2025 ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT, AND THEN HE'S GOING TO FOLLOW UP THEN WITH SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS.

[00:16:00]

>> I GOT IT. WE'RE GOOD.

>> THE ANTICIPATION IS BUILDING.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I KNOW.

>> I WOULD TELL A STORY, BUT PROBABLY I SHOULDN'T.

>> BROUGHT IN THE A TEAM.

>> IT'S FUNNY I CAN'T DO THAT BY THE CLOUD.

>> YOU GOT TO DO THIS THE HARD WAY. >> [INAUDIBLE]

>> WE CAN'T DO THIS THROUGH THE INTERNET.

I HAVE TO DO IT THROUGH THE CLOUD.

[BACKGROUND]

>> I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE TESTED THIS FIRST.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE GOING OUT IN PUBLIC.

THEY'RE JUST GIVING US REASON.

SHOOT YOUR FOOT OFF. THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO IT.

[BACKGROUND].

>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> I KNOW.

[00:21:09]

>> HOW DID YOU MEET CHRISTINE?

>> SORRY ABOUT THOSE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS BUT ANYWAY, LET'S GET STARTED.

[REPORTS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT]

I KNOW IT'S LATE IN THE EVENING, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF OTHER ACCOUNTABILITY SCORES, SO I WON'T GIVE YOU A LOT OF GRAPHS, BUT I'LL JUST GIVE YOU THE HEADLINES.

YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKETS A LOT MORE DATA, AND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'LL GIVE YOU EVEN MORE, ESPECIALLY AS THE COMMISSIONER WILL ANNOUNCE FINAL ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS TOMORROW.

AFTER THAT MEETING IF, THERE'S ANY DIFFERENCES, WE DON'T EXPECT MANY IF ANY, TOMORROW, BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION THEN.

TONIGHT, I'LL GO PRETTY FAST.

BUT THE BIGGEST HEADLINE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THIS.

GEOGRAPHY NO LONGER DICTATES DESTINY IN HIC.

IF YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR, YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, WE IN THE PROFESSION HAVE DEALT WITH FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY IN LARGE AND MEDIUM-SIZED URBAN DISTRICTS.

IF YOU GO TO ANY LARGE DISTRICT AND LOOK AT A MAP OF THE CITY, AND IF YOU KNOW THE CITY, YOU ACTUALLY CAN PUT DOTS WHERE YOUR D AND F CAMPUSES ARE OR YOUR STRUGGLING CAMPUSES.

YOU WILL PUT THOSE DOTS IN THE AREAS WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED BY POVERTY OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

THAT ALIGNMENT OF POOR PERFORMING SCHOOLS, STRUGGLING CAMPUSES, AND POVERTY AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS IS PRETTY TIGHT IN MOST LARGE M DISTRICTS, AND WAS THE CASE IN HISD IN 2023.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP.

THE RED DOTS ARE F RATED SCHOOLS, D DOTS ARE PINK D RATED SCHOOLS, AND THERE WERE 121 OF THEM IN 2023.

YES, WE HAVE A&B CAMPUS.

WE HAD 93 A AND B CAMPUSES; THE GREEN DOTS AND THE DARK GREEN DOTS.

YOU COULD DO THIS.

WELL, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO YEARS, BUT EVEN I KNOW SOME OF THE AREAS OF TOWN WHERE THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE CHALLENGED BY POVERTY OR LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

I ALSO KNOW THAT THAT AREA WHERE THERE AREN'T ANY CIRCLES IS OUR HIGHER PERFORMING BUT HIGHER RESOURCE FAMILIES, FOR THE MOST PART.

THAT IS ZIP CODE DICTATING DESTINY.

THIS IS WHAT IT IS TODAY.

[APPLAUSE] IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOUSTON AND YOU LOOK AT A MAP LIKE THIS, AND WE CHALLENGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE AREAS WHERE THE KIDS ARE POOR PERFORMING OR STRUGGLING OR CHALLENGED BY POVERTY,

[00:25:04]

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WHEN WE STARTED SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, NOT ONE HISD STUDENT ATTENDED A FAILING CAMPUS.

[APPLAUSE] WE WENT FROM 56 F RATED CAMPUSES TWO YEARS AGO TO ZERO F CAMPUSES, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE WENT FROM 93 A AND B SCHOOLS, TO 197 A AND B SCHOOLS.

[APPLAUSE] LOOKING AT THAT, WE ARE GIVING OPPORTUNITIES.

WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS.

I GIVE YOU NUMBERS, BUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS, AND I WISH PEOPLE COULD JUST HONOR OUR KIDS FOR A MOMENT AND RESPECT THEIR SUCCESS.

BUT WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS, IS THAT MORE KIDS ARE READING AT GRADE LEVEL DOING MATH AT GRADE LEVEL.

MORE KIDS ARE ATTENDING A AND B CAMPUSES.

YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE 80,000 STUDENTS MORE ATTENDING A AND B SCHOOLS THIS YEAR THAN THEY WERE TWO YEARS AGO? EIGHTY THOUSAND MORE ATTENDING A AND B CAMPUSES.

THE KIDS HAVE DONE REMARKABLY WELL, AND OF COURSE, THEY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT TEACHERS, THEY ALSO CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT PARENTS, AND THEY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.

EVERYWHERE I GO, AND I'VE BEEN IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS, I THINK, SIX THIS WEEK SO FAR, THE KIDS ARE JUST CELEBRATING THEIR SUCCESS.

THEY MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS, BUT THEIR PARENTS DO.

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN READ AT GRADE LEVEL, DO MATH AT GRADE LEVEL, DO SCIENCE AT GRADE LEVEL, THEN THAT MEANS YOUR CAREER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE STRONGER, AND LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, YOU WILL BE MORE COMPETITIVE TO TRY TO GET INTO COLLEGE OR A HIGH WAGE HIGH SKILLED JOB.

THAT IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS.

THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN.

THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THIS, THIS DESTINY IS NOT GEOGRAPHY OR GEOGRAPHY IS NOT DESTINY, IS THAT, WHEN THERE'S A NEED FOR A LOT OF CHANGE IN DESPERATE TIMES, IT STARTS WITH HOPE, AND A BELIEF THAT IT CAN BE DONE.

TWO YEARS AGO, A LOT OF PEOPLE DID NOT BELIEVE THIS COULD BE DONE, ESPECIALLY NOT IN TWO YEARS.

NOW MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE DONE AND NOT JUST PEOPLE IN HOUSTON, OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, PEOPLE ARE WATCHING, AND THEY TOO ARE STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT IT MIGHT BE DONE.

THAT'S WHAT HISD STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

I'LL SKIP THESE GRAPHS AND GO TO ANOTHER BIG DATA POINT THAT MAY BE MISSED BECAUSE WE ARE A DISTRICT WITH 82-85% FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.

MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED BY POVERTY, OVERWHELMING MAJORITY.

ALSO, TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THIS DISTRICT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER IN MATH FOR OUR WHITE-BLACK ACHIEVEMENT GAP, IT WAS 41 PERCENTAGE POINTS DIFFERENCE.

TODAY, IT'S ONLY 29.

NOW, THAT'S STILL TOO BIG, I GET THAT, BUT IT'S A HUGE IMPROVEMENT SINCE YEARS BEFORE, AND THE WHITE-HISPANIC GAP WAS 30 IN 2023.

THIRTY PERCENTAGE POINTS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE HISPANIC STUDENT SCORES AND OUR AVERAGE WHITE STUDENT SCORES. NOW IT'S 23.

IN READING, THE GAP IS SMALLER AND STILL TOO LARGE, 39 IN 2023 AND 30 IN 2025, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SAME THING FOR THE WHITE-HISPANIC GAP.

BUT WE ARE CLOSING THE GAP.

THE PROMISE OF AMERICA HAS BEEN BROKEN BY MOST OTHER DISTRICTS, NOT HERE.

THE MISSION THAT WE PUT BEFORE THIS BOARD AND BEFORE THE COMMUNITY AND BEFORE THE STAFF IN 2023, IS TWO THINGS; CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND GET KIDS READY FOR YEAR 2035 WORLD IN WORKPLACE, AND WE'RE DOING BOTH.

NOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

NOBODY OVER THERE IS GOING TO REST ON THE LAURELS, NONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS WILL AND NONE OF OUR TEACHERS WILL.

[00:30:03]

WE STILL HAVE A GAP THAT'S TOO LARGE.

WE STILL HAVE 18 D RATED SCHOOLS.

THAT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF 273, BUT IT'S STILL SCHOOLS THAT ARE D-RATED.

WE HAVE SOME LOW C RATED SCHOOLS, THAT IF WE DO NOT SUPPORT, THEY MAY FALL INTO D OR F STATUS, AND ALL MEANS ALL.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE KIDS EVEN IN SOME OF OUR A AND B SCHOOLS WHERE THE GAP IS TOO LARGE.

THAT AIN'T RIGHT EITHER.

WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN ACROSS THE SYSTEM TO HELP ALL KIDS.

NOW, THIS IS A SURPRISE TO THE STAFF, PROBABLY, BUT I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO HAVE ONLY A AND B-RATED CAMPUSES THREE YEARS FROM NOW.

ONLY LARGE DISTRICT IN AMERICA, THAT 273 A AND B RATED CAMPUSES ONLY.

IS IT POSSIBLE? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

BECAUSE THAT QUESTION WAS ASKED TWO YEARS AGO, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF INTERVENTION STATUS IN JUST A FEW YEARS? VERY FEW THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE.

WE KNEW IT WAS, I'M SAYING IT IS POSSIBLE, AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOOT FOR THAT.

FINALLY, THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION ABOUT NES AND PUA.

THE STORY HERE IS, YOU CAN SEE THAT NES CAMPUSES HAVE GROWN INCREDIBLY.

TWO YEARS AGO, THEY HAD 11 A AND B NES CAMPUSES.

TODAY THEY HAVE 94 A AND B SCHOOLS.

[APPLAUSE] BUT OUR PUA SCHOOLS ALSO HAD 82 A AND B SCHOOLS, AND TODAY THEY HAVE 103 A AND B SCHOOLS, A RISE OF 25%.

[APPLAUSE]

>> WE DIDN'T NARROW THE GAP BY BRINGING DOWN THE SCORES OF OUR STRONGER STUDENTS.

WE NARROWED THE GAP BY BRINGING THE SCORES OF OUR STRONGER STUDENTS UP, AND THEN OUR STRUGGLING CAMPUSES EVEN FURTHER UP.

THAT'S HOW YOU CLOSE AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

AGAIN, I COULD GO WAY MORE DATA, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME MORE ON PAPER AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE SESSION IN THE PROGRESS MONITORING.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, AND IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I WILL MOVE INTO.

>> WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR MEMBERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY, ANYBODY?

>> I WOULD MIKE, WOULD YOU GO BACK A FEW SLIDES, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

GO TO THE ONE WITH THE CIRCLES ON.

I'VE ONLY BEEN IN HOUSTON 20 YEARS, SO I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.

BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE UPPER RIGHT HAND NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE CITY.

VIRTUALLY EVERY SCHOOL IN 2023 WAS EITHER D OR F RATED IN THAT QUADRANT. I'M JUST PICKING ON ONE QUADRANT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE CITY.

GO ONE SLIDE FURTHER.

THERE ISN'T A D OR RATED SCHOOL IN THAT QUADRANT ANY LONGER.

THERE ARE A FEW CS, BUT ALL THE REST OF THEM ARE BS.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THAT IS A REMARKABLE.

>> HOW DOES THAT HAPPENED?

>> YES, SIR. JUST QUICKLY.

>> THAT COULD BE AN HOUR.

>> IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME.

>> VERY SMART.

>> THIS IS A STORY THAT THE NORTH FOREST COMMUNITY IS VERY PROUD OF.

PRIOR TO 2012, THEY HAD THE SAME CIRCLES.

THEN IN 2012, NORTH FOREST SCHOOLS.

MOST OF THOSE ARE NORTH FOREST WAS ANEED BY THIS DISTRICT, AND THEY CONTINUED TO BE STEP CHILDREN.

NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT OF THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.

THE SHORT STORY IS A LOT OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND A LOT OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND COACHING FROM PRINCIPALS.

THAT'S WHAT WE SAID WOULD BE THE REASON.

WE TRAIN ON IT.

WE ARE RIGOROUS IN IT.

EVEN TODAY, THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN SEE THAT WENT TO THE SCHOOLS,

[00:35:05]

BUT YOU CAN SEE FIRSTHAND THEN HOW THE TRAINING GOES, DAY ONE, EFFECTIVE TEACHING.

NOT EVERYBODY, YES.

THERE WERE SOME PROGRESSING TEACHERS, DAY ONE, BUT DAY ONE.

THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES.

THAT'S WHAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IN SHORTHAND.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GREAT.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THEN I WILL MOVE INTO SCHOOL RECOGNITION.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> FOR THIS MONTH'S BOARD SPOTLIGHT, WE ARE THRILLED TO HONOR THREE CAMPUSES THAT HAVE SHOWN EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THESE SCHOOLS DIDN'T JUST IMPROVE THEIR ACADEMIC SCORES.

THEY ARE POWERFUL EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH DEDICATED LEADERSHIP, COMMITTED TEACHERS, AND RESILIENT STUDENTS.

THEY ARE MAKING SURE THAT ZIP CODE NO LONGER DICTATES DESTINY IN HISD.

WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE DISTRICT'S THREE HIGHEST GROWTH CAMPUSES FOR THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR.

MANY SCHOOLS IMPROVE, BUT THESE THREE SCHOOLS ARE TRULY STANDOUTS.

FIRST, WE RECOGNIZE VALLEY WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART THERE THAT THE SCHOOL MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS IN JUST ONE YEAR, LEAPING FROM AN F TO AN A RATING IN 2025.

SEVERAL OF US WERE AT VALLEY WEST, AND IT WAS REALLY A GREAT CELEBRATION.

THESE RESULTS WERE A PRODUCT OF FORMER PRINCIPAL TERRY HAMPTON'S DEDICATED LEADERSHIP.

PRINCIPAL HAMPTON HAS NOW MOVED INTO A NEW ROLE AS A LEADER OF JANE LONG MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE WARMLY WELCOME VALLEY WEST'S NEW PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL TUCKER.

BOTH OF YOU WILL STAND UP.

AGAIN, THESE RESULTS ARE MORE THAN JUST A LETTER GRADE.

TAKE IT FROM A FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER WHO SHARED.

VALLEY WEST IS MORE THAN JUST A SCHOOL. IT'S MY HOME.

OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS CONSISTENTLY COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL FIRST CLASS EDUCATION.

VALLEY WEST IS THE PLACE TO LEARN, GROW, AND WORK.

THANK YOU AGAIN, PRINCIPAL HAMPTON, PRINCIPAL TUCKER, AND THE VALLEY WEST TEACHERS AND STAFF.

NEXT, WE CELEBRATE BROWNING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

[APPLAUSE] THIS SCHOOL IS LED BY PRINCIPAL DR. ELENA SILVA-LEAL, YOU CAN SEE THEY WENT FROM A C RATING TO AN A RATING, AND THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT REFLECTS A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE BUILT ON HIGH EXPECTATIONS, COLLABORATIVE TEACHING, AND A DEEP BELIEF IN EVERY STUDENT'S POTENTIAL.

CHRISTINA RODRIGUEZ, A READING TEACHER, THANK YOU.

A READING TEACHER AND PROUD PARENTS SHARED.

WORKING AT BROWNING HAS TAUGHT ME TO EMBRACE CHALLENGES AND RECOGNIZE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AS A KEY COMPONENT OF SUCCESS ACROSS THE BOARD.

AS A PARENT OF A BROWNING STUDENT, I'VE WITNESSED REMARKABLE GROWTH IN MY SON'S LEARNING AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCES, AND IT MAKES ME A ROAD RUNNER MOM.

COULD DOCTOR SILVA-LEAL AND THE BROWNING STAFF WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE, CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP AND BE RECOGNIZED? [APPLAUSE]

[00:40:01]

SAME THING, YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE A HUGE GROWTH FROM AN F RATING TO A B RATING.

I THINK THEY GOT AN 88.

THEY JUST MISSED THE A.

THEY ARE LED BY PRINCIPAL SHANTA CREEKS.

CREEKS SHANTA. GO AHEAD.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS, THIS IS A THIRD GRADE STUDENT.

WE DO FUN ACTIVITIES THAT HELP US LEARN, LIKE WHIP AROUNDS AND USING WHITEBOARDS.

I LIKE PUSHING MYSELF EVERY DAY AND I FEEL PROUD WHEN I MAKE IT TO THE TEAM CENTER.

THAT IS A THIRD GRADER.

LOOK, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL SCHOOLS.

YOU ARE THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST OF A GROUP OF SCHOOLS THAT HAD INCREDIBLE GROWTH THIS YEAR.

JUST KNOW THAT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT REALLY TAKES.

IT'S EASY TO THROW NUMBERS UP THERE.

IT'S EASY TO GET A PLUS.

BUT THE REAL PLUS FOR YOU ALL, I KNOW, HAPPENS WHEN NOBODY'S WATCHING IN THE QUIET OF THE NIGHT OR IN BETWEEN CLASSES.

WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THAT SCHOOL WORK, TO MOTIVATE KIDS, TO GET THEM GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, ALL AT THE SAME TIME, SUPPORT TEACHERS.

IT'S HUGE AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT. I'M DONE.

>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT THE PREVIOUS A THROUGH A&B STUDENTS.

I SAW A NUMBER THAT SAID 70,000 STUDENTS.

WE HAVE 70,000 STUDENTS MORE IN A AND B SCHOOLS TODAY THAN WE DID IN 2023, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT 70,000 MORE STUDENTS.

>> SEVENTY THOUSAND TODAY. GOOD.

>> THAN BEFORE. WE HAVE OVER 130,000 A&B SCHOOLS.

SEVENTY THOUSAND MORE THAN WE HAD A YEAR AGO.

OVER 130,000.

KIDS ATTENDING A&B SCHOOLS.

>> GOT IT. A 70,000 INCREASE FROM THE BEGINNING?

>> YES.

>> I JUST WANTED TO GET THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT.

WE'RE NOW GOING TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING

[PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE STATE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION EVALUATION SUMMARY]

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SUPERINTENDENT BENA MILES, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE US THROUGH THIS, THIS PUBLIC HEARING?

>> YES, SIR. JUSTIN.

>> JUSTIN. THANK YOU.

THIS IS A TWO MINUTE. YOU'RE ON.

>> GOOD EVENING BOARD.

I'M HERE JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

WE'RE GOING TO JUST QUICKLY GO THROUGH THIS.

NEXT SLIDE. STATE COMP ED, IT IS DESIGNATED BY TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, CHAPTER 39, SUBCHAPTER B.

IT IS DESIGNATED TO REDUCE THE DROPOUT RATE AND INCREASE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF AT RISK STUDENTS.

THERE ARE 14 AT RISK INDICATORS, AND THIS PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO HELP MAKE SURE THEY STAY IN SCHOOL AND CONFORM WELL. NEXT SLIDE.

EVERY YEAR, BASED ON LAW, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PUT TOGETHER A REPORT THAT EVALUATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF STATE COMP ED AND THE EFFORTS THAT THIS DISTRICT IS MAKING.

THE REPORT IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEW AS OF TODAY.

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

[00:45:04]

>> WE'RE DOING OKAY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THAT'S THE KEY.

SUPERINTENDENT MILES, YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT

[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS (Part 1 of 2)]

>> YES, SIR. AND CHIEF KRISTIN HILL WILL PRESENT THOSE PROGRESS MONITOR METRICS.

>> THANK YOU [BACKGROUND].

>> WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS, I WANT TO REMIND BOARD MEMBERS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL THE END AND SAYING, PLEASE GO BACK TO SLIDE 5 OR SLIDE 6 OR WHATEVER, WE'RE GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION ON A SLIDE, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND WAVE, AND WE'LL STOP THE DISCUSSION AND YOU'RE GOING TO ASK YOUR QUESTION ON THAT SLIDE RATHER THAN WAITING AND SAVING IT FOR THE END. GO AHEAD.

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.

TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PROGRESS MONITORING UPDATE FOR THE END OF YEAR RESULTS FOR OUR GOAL 1, OUR GOAL 2, AND WE'LL ALSO GO OVER THE END OF YEAR RESULTS FOR ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED GPMS. WE'LL START WITH GOAL ONE, WHICH IS THE PERCENT OF THIRD GRADE STUDENTS IN HOUSTON EARNING MEETS GRADE LEVEL ON THE STAR READING TEST.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF GOAL 1, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS.

WE HAVE MET THE TARGET FOR THE GOAL AS WELL AS ALL OF THE GPMS UNDER THAT GOAL.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS THE GOAL ITSELF SO FOR THIS YEAR, OUR TARGET WAS 44 PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS MEETING GRADE LEVEL, AND WE REACHED THAT TARGET AT 44 PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS MEETING GRADE LEVEL.

WE ALSO LOOK AT THIS BROKEN OUT BY STUDENT GROUP.

YOU CAN SEE FOR MANY OF THE STUDENT GROUPS, WE HAVE IMPROVED, AND WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS MEETING GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND STUDENTS WITH TWO PLUS RACES, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 14% OF THE POPULATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND 2% FOR THE TWO PLUS RACES.

WE'RE GOING TO STAY EXTREMELY FOCUSED ON THESE STUDENT GROUPS GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> THIS IS THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT PARTICULARLY THE LARGER COMMUNITIES, WHICH ARE THE BLACK AND HISPANICS AND THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE HAD THERE.

AS WAS EXPRESSED EARLIER, THERE'S STILL SOME QUESTION ABOUT THAT GAP.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS GOING ON IN THE WHITE AND ASIAN COMMUNITIES, THAT HOW DO YOU SEE THAT GAP CLOSING OVER TIME AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT?

>> IN THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, WE DO SEE THAT FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC GROUPS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY OUR LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENTS,

[00:50:02]

WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE POSITIVE RESULTS THIS YEAR.

BUT THIS GOAL IS BASED ON THIRD GRADE.

WHAT WE KNOW IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THIS AND TO CONTINUE TO CLOSE THIS ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS ACTUALLY THE DEDICATED FOCUS TO PRE K AND THEN KINDER THROUGH SECOND BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY KIDS ARE SPENDING TIME REALLY LEARNING HOW TO READ.

THEY'RE BUILDING THEIR SCIENCE OF READING SKILLS, LEARNING LETTERS, LEARNING HOW TO PUT LETTERS TOGETHER INTO WORDS.

WE ALSO HAVE TO STAY INCREDIBLY FOCUSED ON THOSE GRADES TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS ACHIEVEMENT GAP CLOSE.

WE ALSO LOOK AT THIS DATA.

>> ANOTHER QUESTION HERE. GO AHEAD.

>> CAN YOU DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT ON THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY? THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE MEASURED IMPROVEMENTS, AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS? IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, SO WE SEE THIS HERE.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT FOR THIS GROUP OF KIDS OR HOW ARE WE ITERATING ON DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE?

>> YES, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STAY INCREDIBLY FOCUSED ON IN INSTRUCTION AND IN CURRICULUM IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BUILD IN SCAFFOLDS AND SUPPORTS FOR THESE STUDENTS.

EMBEDDING TOOLS IN THE CURRICULUM TO HELP THEM BETTER MAINTAIN THEIR ABILITY TO THINK ABOUT AND PERFORM AT GRADE LEVEL IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK EVEN THIS YEAR TO IMPROVE CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTS TO SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS.

WE ALSO HAVE A DEDICATED TIME IN EVERY SINGLE PRINCIPALS MEETING PLAN THIS YEAR SPECIFICALLY FOR HOW TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> HI. THANK YOU. THERE ARE SOME SCORES LIKE DIBBLES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN GIVE US AN EARLY INDICATION OF WHAT FUTURE YEARS WILL LOOK LIKE.

HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE EARLY INDICATOR TESTS INTO THE STRATEGY GOING FORWARD TO DO EXACTLY WHAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID AND ACCELERATE CLOSING THIS GAP?

>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS AS ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES, BUT WE HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW KINDER THROUGH SECOND GRADE ACCELERATED COURSE, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE SHOWING THAT THEY ARE NOT MEETING THE GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS FROM TESTS LIKE DOUBLES IN THEIR BEGINNING MIDDLE AND END OF YOUR SCORES.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A TARGETED COURSE WHERE THOSE STUDENTS GET ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION IN THE SCIENCE OF READING TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT.

WE ALSO LOOK AT THIS BY NES AND PUA CAMPUSES.

AGAIN, IN BOTH OF THESE SITUATIONS, WE SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THIRD GRADE READING SCORES FOR BOTH TYPES OF SCHOOLS.

>> QUICK QUESTION IS, WE SEE THIS GREAT GROWTH IN THE NES SIDE OF THE EQUATION.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE GROWTH IN THE PUA CAMPUSES?

>> WE WANT TO AGAIN, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION IN ALL SCHOOLS AND CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO GRADE LEVEL CONTENT, INSTRUCTION, AND THEN COACHING FOR TEACHERS.

IT'S THE SAME FOCUS IN BOTH, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THAT IN THE PUA AS WELL.

YOU DO SEE THAT IT THEY HAD A DIP LAST YEAR, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THIS YEAR, WHICH I THINK IS A TESTAMENT TO THAT FOCUS.

GPM 1.1, THIS IS THE GPM THAT SPECIFICALLY LOOKS AT THE MAP TEST, AND WE LOOK AT THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS WHO ARE PROJECTED TO MEET GRADE LEVEL ON STAR.

THIS PARTICULAR METRIC IS CORRELATED WITH THE SR ASSESSMENT.

LAST YEAR WHEN WE RAN THIS, THERE WAS ONLY 6% OF KIDS THAT THIS PARTICULAR METRIC UNDER PROJECTED.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD INDICATION THAT IF THEY MEET PROJECTION ON MATH, THEY WILL ALSO MEET ON STAR.

OUR TARGET FOR THIS PARTICULAR METRIC WAS 49% OF STUDENTS AND WE REACHED THAT AT 50% OF STUDENTS THIS YEAR.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE ALSO AGAIN BREAK IT OUT BY STUDENT GROUP.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR METRIC, ALMOST ALL STUDENT GROUPS INCREASED AGAIN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO PLUS RACES.

WE ALSO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT GROUP.

THEN IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT GPM, THE NEXT GPM IS THE SAME METRIC.

AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE PROJECTED TO MEET ON STAR.

HOWEVER, THIS METRIC IS FOCUSED JUST ON NES.

SO IT'S THE SAME METRIC, BUT FOR OUR NES SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY, OUR TARGET WAS 42, AND WE HIT THAT TARGET AT 42 FOR THIS YEAR.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AGAIN, WE LOOK AT THIS BY STUDENT GROUP.

WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST NES SCHOOLS, AGAIN, MOST ALL STUDENT GROUPS INCREASE, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.

HOWEVER, WE ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO OUR ASIAN STUDENT POPULATION WHERE WE DID SEE A DECREASE THIS PAST YEAR.

[00:55:04]

I THINK THIS ADDRESSES EVEN MAKING SURE WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO SECOND GRADE.

WHAT THIS GPM LOOKS AT IS THE STUDENTS WHO ARE MOVING UP A LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN SECOND GRADE AND OR MEETING OR CONTINUING TO MEET THAT LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY IN MAP.

WHAT WE SEE HERE IS OUR TARGET WAS 45, AND WE REACHED THAT TARGET AT 48.

BUT THIS HELPS US STAY REALLY FOCUSED ON OUR SECOND GRADE STUDENTS AS A PROGRESS MEASURE FOR THIRD GRADE.

>> ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE.

>> IT HAS TO DO WITH ARE THESE TESTS THAT ARE BEING ADMINISTERED TO ALL OF OUR SECOND GRADERS AND THIRD GRADERS, OR WHAT'S THE SAMPLE SIZE? IS REALLY WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE?

>> YES. IF YOU GO BACK.

YES. FOR SECOND GRADE MAP FOR READING, YES, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR SECOND GRADERS.

>> WE ARE TESTING ALL OF OUR SECOND GRADERS AND ALL OF OUR THIRD GRADERS ON THE MAP TEST.

>> YES, SIR. WE HAVE AN EXCEPTION PROCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WHERE IF IT'S IN THE IEP, THEN WE ADDRESS THAT ACCORDINGLY, BUT THAT'S REALLY IT.

LOOKING AT THE OVERALL STRATEGIES.

THE PREVIOUS STRATEGIES, I WOULD SAY, WE ARE CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON.

FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM, STAYING FOCUSED ON QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION AND STAYING FOCUSED ON INCREASING ACCESS TO PRE-K. THOSE STRATEGIES WILL CONTINUE.

HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL ONES.

FIRST, WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR HIGH QUALITY TIER ONE INSTRUCTION AGAIN.

WE'LL ALWAYS THAT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE EXPANDED THE PLANNING TOOLS AND CONTENT INTERNALIZATION FOR TEACHERS AND LEADERS.

WE'VE BUILT OUT FOR EVERY SINGLE COURSE RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT TEACHERS AND PLANNING FOR THOSE LESSONS.

SOME EXAMPLES ARE EVERY LESSON HAS A VIDEO, TWO TO THREE MINUTE VIDEO THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF THE LESSON, AS WELL AS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT A TEACHER MIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH STUDENTS IN THAT DAY.

THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES WILL REALLY SUPPORT TEACHERS AND INTERNALIZING AND PLANNING FOR THEIR LESSON.

I ACTUALLY ALREADY REFERENCED STRATEGY THREE, WHICH IS THE K2 LITERACY PLAN SUPPORTING STUDENTS, WHERE WE HAVE THAT TARGETED COURSE IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE, FOCUSED ON ACCELERATED LITERACY, AND THEN FINALLY CONTINUING PRE-K EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

THAT IS THE END OF GOAL 1. GO AHEAD.

>> TWO THINGS. WE TALK ABOUT SCIENCE OR READING, BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THAT MEANS OR WHY WE'RE DOING IT OR WHY IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE? THEN THE SAME THING YOU SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITERACY PLAN.

CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT WHAT YOU MEAN BY THOSE TWO THINGS?

>> YES MA'AM. WHEN WE SAY SCIENCE OF READING, THAT TERM IS GENERALLY USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY ABOUT HOW A KID LEARNS TO READ? WHAT'S THE BRAIN SCIENCE THAT MUST BE TRUE FOR A STUDENT TO LEARN TO READ? FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS CAN NATURALLY LEARN TO SPEAK, BUT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO TEACH A KID A CODE TO READ.

THEY HAVE TO KNOW THEIR LETTERS, THEY HAVE TO KNOW THE SOUNDS, THOSE LETTERS AND THEY HAVE TO KNOW THAT WHEN THOSE LETTERS WITH PARTICULAR SOUNDS COME TOGETHER, THAT THAT MAKES A WORD.

YOU HAVE TO TEACH A KID THE CODE FOR READING, AND THE SCIENCE OF READING RESEARCH REALLY IS RESEARCH THAT SHOWS WHAT THAT CODE IS AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO HELP A KID CRACK THAT CODE.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE REFER TO THE SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM, JUST REALLY MAKING SURE THE WAY IN WHICH WE TEACH READING SUPPORTS WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT HOW THE BRAIN HELPS A STUDENT LEARN TO READ.

>> WHO ARE THOSE TEACHERS TEACHING THAT?

>> IN OUR EARLY GRADES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COURSE FOR READING AND WRITING, AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER COURSE FOR SCIENCE OF READING.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE TEACHERS.

OUR READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS ARE REALLY TEACHING THAT COURSE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I MEAN, THEY'RE READING LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS THAT ARE TEACHING SCIENCE OF READING. THANK YOU.

>> CHIEF, HAVE JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

YOU'RE ALL OVER THIS. THIS IS AMAZING.

THANK YOU FOR LAYING THIS OUT.

I HAVE MORE OF A QUESTION ABOUT THE MOMENTUM OF STUDENTS WHO STAY IN OUR DISTRICT FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.

DO WE SEE LEARNING MOMENTUM OCCURRING? THIS IS COMPARED AGAINST A STUDENT WHO MAYBE PARACHUTES IN FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR AS EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS WORKING, AND THE LONGER YOU STAY IN THE SYSTEM, THE MORE MOMENTUM YOU WILL HAVE, AND THE MORE GAINS YOU WILL HAVE.

CAN YOU SPEAK ON THAT CONCEPTUALLY, HOW YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

>> YES, MR. MILES TERMS THE FLYWHEEL EFFECT SOMETIMES.

BUT YES, I DO BELIEVE THE HOPE IS AS YOU GET

[01:00:01]

YOU'LL HAVE MORE STUDENTS AGAIN WHO ARE ABLE TO MEET GRADE LEVEL.

TO REACH MR. MILES' GOAL OF A AND B CAMPUSES IN THREE YEARS.

REALLY, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO GET MORE STUDENTS ON GRADE LEVEL AND STAYING ON GRADE LEVEL IN A PARTICULAR COURSE AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE FOCUS, AND THAT'S WHY WE REPORT ON GRADE LEVEL AND ABOVE ALL OF THE TIME BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY HOW YOU ACHIEVE ALL A AND B SCHOOLS.

IF YOU'RE PICKING AND SUPPORTING KIDS IN KINDER FIRST AND SECOND AND THIRD AND READING, IT'S REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD INTO THE GRADES, OUR STANDARDS DON'T ACTUALLY FOCUS AS MUCH ON TEACHING HOW TO READ, IT EXPECTS THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO READ, AND YOU ACTUALLY JUST NOW HAVE TO COMPREHEND.

AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE EXPECT THIS TO IMPROVE OVER TIME.

IF WE GET BETTER IN THESE EARLY GRADES, IN FUTURE GRADES, THOSE KIDS WILL DO BETTER.

SAME FOR MATH. MATH CONCEPTS BUILD ON EACH OTHER OFTEN VERTICALLY FROM ONE GRADE TO ANOTHER.

IF YOU DO REALLY WELL IN ONE GRADE, THE CHANCES YOU DO BETTER IN A FUTURE GRADE ARE INCREDIBLY HIGH.

>> A FEW OF US ARE NEW TO THE BOARD.

I REMEMBER HEARING YOU PRESENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOND PROPOSAL ABOUT PLANS FOR EXPANDING PRE-K. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW WITHOUT THE BOND?

>> YES. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE OF THE REALLY HARD THINGS ABOUT PRE-K IS WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO REACH FAMILIES TO LET THEM KNOW WE HAVE HIGH QUALITY PRE-K WITHOUT REALLY SIGNIFICANT ON THE GROUND WORK, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE CONTACT WITH THOSE FAMILIES, WE DON'T HAVE THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO TELL THEM UNLESS WE INVEST IN MARKETING AND REALLY GOING DOOR TO DOOR IN SOME WAYS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SERVICE, AND FOR MANY FAMILIES, THAT THAT SERVICE IS FREE.

YOU CAN HAVE A FAMILY WITH A 3-YEAR-OLD OR A 4-YEAR-OLD WHERE IN ORDER TO REACH THAT FAMILY, THEY HAVE TO KNOW.

THE BOND WOULD HAVE REALLY HELPED US, I THINK, GET THE WORD OUT THERE TO THOSE FAMILIES FOR ONE.

BUT THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH PRE-K IS THAT ACROSS THE DISTRICT, IN SOME ZONES, AND SOME CAMPUSES, WE HAVE OPEN SEATS, AND THOSE SEATS ARE WHERE WE CAN EXPAND BECAUSE THERE'S STAR AT THE CAMPUS.

BUT IN SOME PLACES AND IN SOME ZONES, THAT CAMPUS IS FULLY MAXED OUT.

WE'RE AT CAPACITY AND IN SOME INSTANCES, THAT THOSE ZONES HAVE A LOT OF DEMAND, AND WE JUST CAN'T MEET THAT DEMAND WITHOUT SOME INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO THAT.

I'D SAY IT WAS MOST IMPORTANT FOR THOSE PLACES WHERE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S REALLY HIGH DEMAND FOR PRE-K, BUT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE BUILDING SPACE AT THOSE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT IT.

>> AS I LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, THE LOWEST PERCENTAGES OF METER EXCEEDS GRADE LEVEL, EMERGENT BILINGUAL JUMPS OUT AT YOU.

IT LOOKS LIKE IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS.

IS THAT WHERE EFFORTS ARE CENTERED, WHERE THERE IS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS?

>> I CAN LOOK AT THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT FOR PRE-K, WE KNOW OUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE IS IN THE WEST.

IN THE WEST WE HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT THERE ARE CAMPUSES WITH INCREDIBLY HIGH WEIGHT LISTS FOR PRE-K, WHERE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE SPACE.

WE DO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF NEWCOMER STUDENTS IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

>> CAN YOU GET A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC THAN THE WEST? BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE THE DISTRICT WAS ALL THE WAY OUT TO WEST SIDE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE LIKE THE GULFTON AREA?

>> I WAS REFERRING TO THE WEST DIVISION.

WE ACTUALLY CAN GET YOU A LIST OF CAMPUSES WHERE, HEY, THIS CAMPUS, THERE'S DEMAND, WE SEE IT ON THE WAIT LIST, BUT WE'RE FULL.

THAT'S TRUE FOR A LOT OF ZONES.

IT'S NOT JUST IN THE WEST, BUT IT USUALLY IS IT'S DEFINITELY A TREND IN THE WEST.

>> GREAT. GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU CHIEF. I'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON MR. GORE'S EXCELLENT QUESTION AROUND MOMENTUM.

SINCE IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND I KNOW MAP TESTING BEGINS NEXT WEEK.

I'M WONDERING IF YOU ANTICIPATE ANY SHIFTS AROUND MOMENTUM WITH RESPECT TO READING AND SUMMER LEARNING LOSS.

IF SO, ARE THERE ANY STRATEGIES TO TARGET THAT ACUTELY AND LONG TERM WITH RESPECT TO LEARNING LOSS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE RESEARCH SAYS WITH LEARNING LOSS IS THAT I AT THE SHORTER THE SUMMER, THE LESS THE LEARNING LOSS.

ONE THING THE DISTRICT DID DO THAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS IS RIGHT OFF THE BAT,

[01:05:02]

THAT'S MOVING FROM, I THINK 172 OR THREE, IF I REMEMBER.

THAT IS ACTUALLY THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE ACROSS JUST THE US THAT THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY HELP WITH LEARNING LOSS.

BUT I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS A REALLY STRONG FOCUS AND TESTAMENT TO ALL OF OUR DIVISIONS IS FROM THE DAY ONE WE START, KIDS ARE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM.

ALL OF THE CLASSROOMS, I'VE WALKED THROUGH CLASSROOMS MYSELF.

YOU'VE HEARD OUR FOLKS TALK ABOUT IT.

THEY ARE LEARNING FROM DAY ONE, AND THAT IS THE BEST THING I THINK WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS LEARNING LOSS THAT IT'S ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY.

>> THANK YOU. ON THE STRATEGY SLIDE HERE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

MAY I GET YOUR HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE STRATEGY 2 ON THE LEFT, WHICH IS A STRONGER IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION VERSUS THIS UP.

I'M ASSUMING STRATEGY 1 IS AN EXTENSION OF THAT OR FURTHERING THAT STRATEGY I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT.

MAYBE IF YOU COULD HELP UNDERSTAND GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE WHAT THAT MEANS.

>> I THINK AS A DISTRICT, WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THE SUPPORT FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION. EVEN MR. MILES, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF, WE HAD THE GRADE EIGHT LAST YEAR, WHICH IS EIGHT THINGS THAT PRINCIPALS CAN FOCUS ON AND TEACHERS CAN FOCUS ON TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

WE ADDED ANOTHER EIGHT TO THAT THIS YEAR, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT REFINEMENT.

I'LL LET HIM SPEAK TO THAT TOO.

>> YES AND ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE CLASS PERIOD, HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE EVERYWHERE, YES.

BUT BECAUSE WE DIFFERENTIATE THE LAST 30 MINUTES, WE ALSO WANT THE INSTRUCTION, WE CALL IT TIER 1, THE STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL NEEDING TO LEARN THE OBJECTIVE OR NEED MORE PRACTICE WITH IT FOR THAT INSTRUCTION TO ALSO BE REALLY HIGH QUALITY, THAT IT'S NOT A INTERVENTION TIME PER SE, IT'S A STRONGER PRACTICE WITH A TEACHER.

>> TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S CONTINUATION OF THAT STRATEGY AND FOCUS ON THE TIER 1 STUDENTS?

>> YES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT GOAL.

>> GOAL 2 IS THIRD GRADERS WHO ARE MEETING EXPECTATIONS, BUT FOR MATH, AND THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LEVEL HERE, WHICH IS ALSO GREAT NEWS.

GOAL 2 WAS MET AND THEN ALL OF THE GPMS WITHIN GOAL 2 WERE ALSO MET.

IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, OUR TARGET FOR THIS WAS 41%, AND WE EXCEEDED THIS TARGET AT 46%, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS FOR THIRD GRADE MATH STUDENTS.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU SEE THIS AGAIN BROKEN DOWN BY STUDENT GROUP, AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT GROUP WENT UP, WHICH IS JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THEN FINALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT NES VERSUS OUR PUA CAMPUS, AGAIN, YOU SEE AN INCREASE FOR BOTH SCHOOL TYPES.

IF YOU LOOK AT 2.1 SPECIFICALLY, AGAIN, THIS IS BACK TO MAP AND IT'S MAP'S ABILITY TO PROJECT THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO WILL MEET EXPECTATIONS ON STAAR.

OUR GOAL WAS 46% AS A TARGET AND WE EXCEEDED THAT AT 49%, SO WE MET THAT TARGET.

AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK DOWN HERE BY STUDENT GROUP, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT GROUP IMPROVED PROFICIENCY IN THIS PARTICULAR METRIC.

THE NEXT 2.2 IS THE SAME METRIC AGAIN, BUT IT'S FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON NES.

HERE, OUR TARGET WAS 40, AND WE EXCEEDED THAT AT 42%.

THEN AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT STUDENT GROUPS BY NES, WE HAVE ALL STUDENT GROUPS IMPROVING IN PROFICIENCY EXCEPT OR ASIAN POPULATION, WHICH AGAIN IS A POPULATION WE WILL STAY FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR, GIVEN THAT IT WAS THE SIMILAR STORY IN READING.

WE'RE GOING TO PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THAT.

THEN 2.3 IS, AGAIN, IT'S BACK TO SECOND GRADE.

WE REALLY LOOK AT THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE IMPROVING A PROFICIENCY LEVEL AND OR STAYING AT MEETS.

HERE OUR TARGET WAS 40%, AND WE EXCEEDED THAT AT 44%.

AGAIN, INCREDIBLE NEWS.

PREVIOUS STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN THE USE OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES AND STRONG IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE MATERIALS.

THEN GOING FORWARD, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT MONITORING OF HIGH QUALITY TIER 1 INSTRUCTION.

AGAIN, FOCUSED ON THOSE CRITICAL AREAS OF FOCUS THAT MR. MILES HAS HIGHLIGHTED BEFORE.

WE HAVE EXPANDED PLANNING TOOLS FOR CONTENT INTERNALIZATION FOR TEACHERS AND LEADERS, SIMILAR STORIES TO RLA.

HERE IN MATH TEACHERS HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT THEY'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE TO SUPPORT PLANNING.

THEY HAVE VIDEOS THAT SUPPORT THEM IN INTERNALIZING THAT LESSON WITH

[01:10:04]

THEN FINALLY, INCREASED MATH LANGUAGE AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CURRICULUM.

THIS IS AGAIN, THAT CONTINUED FOCUS TO HELP A STUDENT UNDERSTAND THE WHY BEHIND THE MATH AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE PROCEDURE BEHIND THE MATH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER AROUND FUTURE GRADES.

IF YOU AREN'T ALSO BUILDING THAT CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AS MATH GETS MORE DIFFICULT IN FUTURE GRADES, THEY COULD STRUGGLE.

AGAIN, WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON BOTH HERE.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION, SORRY.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> FOR SCHOOLS NOT USING HISD CURRICULUM, FOR A SCHOOL LIKE THAT, IT WOULD BE THE PRINCIPAL'S CHOICE OF STRATEGY OF HOW TO IMPLEMENT ON THEIR CAMPUS BECAUSE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES TALK ABOUT THE CURRICULUM, BUT IF THEY'RE USING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHO'S IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE ALL THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.

>> IN THE PUA SCHOOLS, WE GAVE PUAS MULTIPLE OPTIONS OF CURRICULUM TO SELECT THAT WE WOULD FUND CENTRALLY.

FOR MATH AND READING, WE GAVE THEM THREE OPTIONS, AND OUR CURRICULUM TEAM DID VET THOSE OPTIONS.

EVEN PRIOR TO THE START OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, SOME OF THE CAMPUSES WE'RE USING EUREKA AND CARNEGIE, THOSE ARE VETTED AND APPROVED RESOURCES BY THE STATE.

THEY DO FOLLOW THE THINKING BEHIND WHAT MAKES INSTRUCTION AND A STRONG MATH CURRICULUM.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WILL ALSO FOCUS ON BUILDING CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND PROCEDURAL UNDERSTANDING.

I THINK WHAT WE'VE JUST TRIED TO DO WITH HISD CURRICULUM IS MAKE IT REALLY EASY FOR TEACHERS TO USE.

THAT'S BEEN OUR FOCUS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEM THAT ARE STILL DEEMED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AS HIGH QUALITY RESOURCES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE LAST ONE TO REPORT ON FOR TODAY IS CONSTRAINT 1, WHICH IS NOT ALLOWING THE NUMBER OF MULTI-YEAR D OR F CAMPUSES WITH A PRIOR UNACCEPTABLE RATING TO GROW.

MR. MILES SPOKE ON THIS A LITTLE BIT TODAY, BUT A YEAR AGO, WE HAD 41 D AND F CAMPUSES, AND TODAY WE HAVE ONLY 18 WITH ZERO OF THOSE BEING F. BUT THIS METRIC SPECIFICALLY LOOKS AT THE MULTI-YEAR D AND F CAMPUSES, AND SO A YEAR AGO, WE HAD 30 AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT DOWN TO FOUR.

BUT I THINK AGAIN, WITH THIS LONG TERM VISION OF DEFINITELY NO D AND FS, BUT EVEN MORE A AND BS, WE WILL REMAIN INCREDIBLY FOCUSED ON THIS PARTICULAR CONSTRAINT. THAT'S IT?

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

>> THANK YOU ALL.

>> THANK YOU. GREAT NEWS.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO SPEAKERS TO THE AGENDA ITEMS AND HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS & HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY]

WE'LL BEGIN WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOLLOWED BY STUDENT SPEAKERS, BOTH IN PERSON AND ON ZOOM.

I THINK OUR ZOOM IS FIXED NOW, ISN'T IT? HOPEFULLY. WE WILL THEN HEAR FROM IN PERSON SPEAKERS TO BOTH THE AGENDA AND HEARING COMMIT FOLLOWED BY ALL REMAINING ZOOM SPEAKERS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT SPANISH LIVE CAPTIONING IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE VIEWING THE MEETING VIA LIVE STREAM, AND LIVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN PERSON IN THE AUDITORIUM.

WE HAVE 80 REGISTERED SPEAKERS TONIGHT WHO WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE EACH PER BOARD POLICY AS WE HAVE MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TONIGHT.

WE ASK THAT YOU STAY ON TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM NAMING INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS AS THEIR IDENTITY IS PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW.

BUT YOU MAY NAME YOUR OWN CHILD.

I ASK YOU, PLEASE RESPECT OUR PROCEDURES AND THE OTHER SPEAKERS AND YOUR COMMENTS PROMPTLY WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, AND THE TIME RINGS.

WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO, YOU'RE UP FIRST.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

[APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD EVENING BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT.

>> TRY THIS ONE. THERE WE GO.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

>> YOU'RE GOOD, GO AHEAD.

>> GOOD EVENING BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT.

MY NAME IS MARIO CASTILLO, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT H. I WANT TO START BY WISHING ALL THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE SCHOOL YEAR.

I AM HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE PARENTS OF DURHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MY DISTRICT.

THIS IS A TITLE I IB DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOL.

I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH DURHAM.

IT'S GONE THROUGH SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT HAVE RAISED CONCERNS.

CHANGES TO THE CURRICULUM RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED.

[01:15:03]

WHAT HISD IS GOING TO DO TO SUPPORT DURHAM THROUGH THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

I SUPPORT MAKING CHANGES TO INCREASE STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND TEST SCORES.

I THINK WE ALL DO.

THIS ARE ISSUES FOR CONCERN. MY ASK TONIGHT IS TO MEET TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IT AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SUPPORT THAT WILL BE PROVIDED MOVING FORWARD TO INCLUDE TEACHER COMMUNICATION, TO INCLUDE ON CAMPUS SUPPORT, AND TO ENSURE THAT AS MORE DECISIONS ARE MADE, HISD WORKS WITH THE PARENTS, WITH THE PTO TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE DONE TO BETTER SUPPORT THE STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] NEXT UP, WE HAVE TRUSTEE SAVANT MOORE.

>> GOOD EVENING. ONCE I LEAVE, MY DAUGHTERS IN THE HOSPITAL HAVE BEEN SO FOR THIS WEEK, SO EXCUSE ME AFTERWARDS.

BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

I'M VERY FOCUSED ON HYPER LOCAL ISSUES, AND AT THE ROOT CAUSE, MOST TIMES IS PUBLIC EDUCATION.

WE HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON READING INTERVENTION.

I CHALLENGE EVERY COMMUNITY LEADER, EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER SIGN UP FOR VIPS.

IT WILL BE PUBLIC RECORD, WHAT SCHOOLS ARE C, D, B IT THOSE SCHOOLS.

FOR MY CITY MEMBERS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE ME, GO TO A SCHOOL THAT LOOKS LIKE ME SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.

THE DIVISION BETWEEN ALL OF US, IT HAS TO STOP.

WE SEE THAT IN STATE POLITICS, WE SEE IT ON A LOCAL LEVEL.

WE GOT TO HELP THESE KIDS.

JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS FIGHTING FOR A KID'S LIFE IN THE COURTHOUSE.

IT STARTED WITH THE SCHOOL.

US IN THESE ROOMS, WE CAN PREVENT ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY IF WE SHOW UP.

THE PERSON AS THE LEADER.

IT IS ABOUT THOSE CHILDREN.

I KNOW WHAT ALL THIS IS.

I KNOW ALL THE ISSUES.

I LOVE MY CITY.

I LOVE MY STATE.

LASTLY ON SUNDAY, I WAS AT CHURCH, AND I SAW HAL CELEBRITY SUPERINTENDENT WHAT DID THAT PASTOR DO? HE SHOWED APPRECIATION TO THE TEACHERS.

LET'S APPRECIATE THOSE TEACHERS, ALSO THE UNION LEADERS AND LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

GOD BLESS YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.

UP NEXT IS TRUSTEE GOMEZ. GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU. I'M PLACIDO GOMEZ FROM DISTRICT VIII.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN NES STUDENTS TAKE ALGEBRA 1 AND BIOLOGY 1.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE FAR BEHIND ACADEMICALLY, IT'S PROBABLY BEST THAT THEY TAKE THESE COURSES LATER.

BUT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE READY FOR ALGEBRA 1 AND EIGHTH GRADE OR EVEN SEVENTH GRADE, IT IS A HUGE DISSERVICE TO MAKE THEM WAIT BECAUSE IT LIMITS THEIR ACCESS TO ADVANCED LEVEL COURSES IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WENT TO A ROUGH HIGH SCHOOL WITH A LOT OF ISSUES, BUT WE HAD A FANTASTIC MATH TEACHER WHO LET ME TAKE ALGEBRA 2 AS A FRESHMAN AND PRECALCULUS AS A SOPHOMORE SO THAT I COULD TAKE AP CALCULUS AND BE READY FOR RICE UNIVERSITY AND LATER HARVARD, WHERE I KNEW I COULD COMPETE WITH ANY STUDENT IN MATH BECAUSE I HAD A GREAT TEACHER WHO PUSHED ME IN HIGH SCHOOL.

WHEN HISD, WEALTHY STUDENTS OR STUDENTS FROM WEALTHY COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO ADVANCED LEVEL COURSES, AND THAT'S GREAT.

I OBVIOUSLY WANT THAT TO CONTINUE.

BUT AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WITH BOTH HIGH AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN MY DISTRICT, I DEMAND THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE HERNANDEZ?

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF MANAGERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES, AND HAPPY FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF.

LET ME CELEBRATE WITH YOU THAT THERE ARE NO STUDENTS ATTENDING F SCHOOLS IN HISD.

ON TUESDAY EVENING, THE ELECTED BOARD DISCUSSED STUDENT OUTCOMES IN HISD.

WE DISCUSSED QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD OVER THE PROGRESS MONITORING REPORT THAT WAS ALREADY PRESENTED TODAY.

THE ELECTED BOARD DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE DISTRICT BUSINESS, BUT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A FOCUS ON STUDENT OUTCOMES BY THE COMMUNITY,

[01:20:04]

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, ACCORDING TO LONE STAR GOVERNANCE, IS THAT THE BOARD SPENDS AT LEAST 50% OF THEIR MEETING TIME ON STUDENT MONITORING.

THE JUNE MEETING HAD SEVEN MINUTES OF PROGRESS MONITORING.

TODAY'S MEETING 25 MINUTES.

YOU COULD DO THE MATH THERE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE IS NEXT.

YOU SHOULD HAVE THE LIST OF QUESTIONS IN YOUR DESK.

WE ALSO EMAILED IT TO YOU.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER MEETING AS WELL IN AUGUST SEPTEMBER COMING UP, SEPTEMBER 9 OR 10. PLEASE WATCH.

WE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH STUDENTS.

WE WANT TO FOCUS ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THAT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

NEXT, WE'LL HEAR FROM SPEAKERS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS STUDENTS WHEN THEY CHECKED IN THIS EVENING.

SPEAKERS, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THE TOPIC WHEN YOU STEP UP TO THE MIC FROM MISS SMITH, YOU CAN CALL UP THE STUDENTS, PLEASE.

>> I'D LIKE TO ASK ALL STUDENTS TO COME TO THE FRONT ROW, PLEASE.

WE'LL START WITH SIMON CONTRERAS, FOLLOWED BY MICA GABE.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME IS SIMON CONTRERAS, AND I'M 11-YEARS-OLD.

I GO TO LANIER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN HSD, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. SCHOOL LUNCHES.

I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT KIDS IN HOUSTON.

THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP TO MAKE SCHOOL LUNCHES BETTER. LET ME EXPLAIN.

EVERY DAY, THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN HISD SCHOOLS ARE READY FOR A DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS MEAL.

I KNEW TO THE DISTRICT LAST YEAR AND I WAS INSTANTLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE LOW QUALITY MEALS OFFERED.

FOOD PROVIDED BY HISD NUTRITION SERVICES, FOCUSED ON CHEAP ULTRA PROCESSING INGREDIENTS, WHICH CAN CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES.

AT ALMOST EVERY LUNCH, I'D RATHER GO HUNGRY THAN EAT THE FOOD, AND THAT'S NOT OKAY.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ONE OF MY EXPERIENCES INVOLVING THE STEAM CARROTS.

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT VEGETABLES HAVE A GREAT NUTRITIONAL VALUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE STEAMED.

BUT ONE DAY WHEN I WAS GETTING MY STEAMED CARROTS, I SAT DOWN TO SEE MUCOUS LIKE SUBSTANCE ON THE.

>> PLEASE PUT HIS MIC BACK ON.

>> I WAS ON THE HIC NUTRITION SERVICES PAGE READING ABOUT THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION.

I FOUND SEVERAL BITS OF FALSE ADVERTISING.

FIRSTLY, THERE ARE NUMEROUS PHOTOS DISPLAYING VIBRANT FRESH FRUITS LIKE BLUEBERRIES, AVOCADO, KIWI, AND GRAPE FRUIT.

NONE OF THOSE ARE EVER OFFERED AT SCHOOL.

ADDITIONALLY, ONE IMAGE CONTAINED PERFECTLY ARRANGED FRESH CARROT AND ZUCCHINI STICKS, WHILE ANOTHER SHOWED A YUMMY SALMON FILLET.

THESE IMAGES ARE VERY MISLEADING.

ALSO HERE'S A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE WEBSITE.

MENUS ARE PLANNED BY A REGISTERED DIETITIAN USING RECIPES CREATED BY HST PROFESSIONAL CHEFS.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE TRUTH.

JUST ADMIT IT. LITERALLY, EVERYTHING THEY SERVE IS PROCESSED, PREMADE OF LOW NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

WE NEED FOOD THAT'S FRESH AND HEALTHY.

BUT ALSO TASTE GOOD AND FILLS US UP.

KIDS CAN'T LEARN ON EMPTY STOMACHS AND WE CAN'T GROW STRONG IF WE DON'T EAT WELL.

EVEN SMALL CHANGES CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE LIKE HAVING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT DON'T COME FROM A CAN OR LETTING US HAVE A SAVE OF WHAT'S ON THE MENU.

I'M NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I CAN BELIEVE WE CAN FIX THIS.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.

I HOPE YOU WILL MAKE HSD, SCHOOL LUNCHES, SOMETHING WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF.

I'M REPRESENTING ALL OF THE KIDS IN HIC IN AMERICA, AND I HOPE THIS MESSAGE WILL MAKE FUTURE GENERATIONS HEALTHIER. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MICA GABE, FOLLOWED BY LEONA GOTTLIEB.

>> GOOD EVENING. IT ON?

>> IT SHOULD BE ON.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M MICA GABE.

TODAY, I WANT TO SPEAK ON EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED AT MY SCHOOL SINCE THE TAKEOVER, INCLUDING THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE WRAP AROUND SPECIALIST.

I WALKED INTO SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST DAY ON TUESDAY AND ALMOST ALL THE TEACHERS ARE NEW.

THE FACES WE TRUSTED ARE GONE.

YOU YOU BRAG ABOUT GROWTH, BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS.

[01:25:04]

LAST YEAR, I WATCHED THREE OF MY MOST FAVORITE EDUCATORS DISAPPEAR.

ONE OF THEM WAS FIRED FOR SITTING AT THEIR DESK DURING INDEPENDENT WORK, AND ANOTHER WAS DISCIPLINED IN FRONT OF HIS STUDENTS.

THAT ISN'T TEACHING STUDENTS HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT, IS IT? THESE WERE TEACHERS WHO STAYED LATE, BELIEVED IN US.

NOW REPLACED BY SUBSTITUTES OR REVOLVING DOOR OF NEW FACES.

EVERY TIME WE FALL.

>> MIC SHOULD BE ON.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> WHAT'S LEFT IS A SELECT FEW.

TAKE THAT AWAY, AND STUDENTS LOSE HOPE.

WE GET BORED, FRUSTRATED, AND THEN PUNISHED FOR IT.

EVEN THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES ARE BROKEN.

I CAME TO SCHOOL SOAKED ONE DAY LOOKING FOR HELP.

NO ONE WAS THERE.

I SAT IN WITH CLOTHES ALL DAY.

THAT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT. THAT'S A POLICY.

THIS ISN'T REFORM IT'S SABOTAGE.

THEY CALL IT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT WHO'S HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE? WE ARE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER UP.

PLEASE YOU UP. THE NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU.

>> ELION GATE, FOLLOWED BY MARK EDMUND PLEASE.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELION GATE.

I'M A NINTH GRADER AT HS PVA, AND I'M EXCITED TO START ANOTHER YEAR AT HISD.

AS MANY OF OUR PARENTS TOLD US THIS WEEK WHEN WE LEFT FOR SCHOOL, MAKE GOOD CHOICES AND REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO FOLLOW THIS PARENTAL ADVICE THIS YEAR.

FIRST, MAKE THE CHOICES.

ASK YOURSELF, DOES THE CHOICE I'M MAKING BENEFIT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF HISD? IS THE CHOICE I'M MAKING FAIR AND EQUITABLE AND IS THE CHOICE I'M MAKING TRANSPARENT? MAKE CHOICES.

SECOND, REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.

THE TEA SAYS YOUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR HISD STUDENTS BY REPRESENTING THE VISION AND VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY AND BY FOLLOWING OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE VISION AND VALUES ARE BEING HONORED.

REMEMBER YOU ARE SERVING A COMMUNITY.

REMEMBER YOU REMEMBER TO LISTEN TO THAT COMMUNITY.

REMEMBER TO HONOR THAT COMMUNITY.

REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.

MUST FEEL LIKE YOU GOOD CHOICES OR REMEMBER YOUR MISSION.

IT'S A NEW YEAR AND A NEW START.

I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THIS ADVICE.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> WE'LL JUST SLOW IT FOR YOU. THEY GO.

>> HI. MY NAME IS MARK EDMUND.

I'M IN THIRD GRADE AT DURHAM ELEMENTARY.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU, MR. MILES ABOUT MY SECOND GRADE MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS.

THEY TAUGHT ME A LOT.

THEY WERE THE BEST BECAUSE THEY HELPED ME LEARN AND MADE IT FUN.

MY GRADES WERE VERY HIGH AND I SCORED OVER 200 ONLINE MAP TESTS, SCIENCE, MATH AND READING.

MY SCIENCE TEACHERS GOT SWITCHED IT'S NOT FAIR FOR THE STUDENTS.

I FEEL LIKE THEY'LL HAVE AS GOOD EXPERIENCE AS ME.

MY OLD TEACHERS WERE REALLY GOOD AT TEACHING SAW THE DAY BEFORE.

THEY WERE VERY SAD ABOUT SWITCHING SUBJECTS.

I WAS WORRIED THEIR NEW STUDENTS WON'T GET AS GOOD AS A GRADE.

MY TEACHERS WERE REALLY GOOD AT TEACHING THE SUBJECTS THEY LIKE.

WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR JOBS RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, MR. MILES? THAT'S NOT REALLY FAIR TO MY TEACHERS OR FRIENDS IN SECOND GRADE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> LADY PIPER. ARE THERE ANY OTHER STUDENTS? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO ZOOM.

FOR A STUDENT SPEAKER.

ADDA SAGE BITTNER.

>> IS IT WORKING NOW?

>> WE'RE WAITING FOR THEM TO TURN ON THEIR VIDEO. YOU MAY BEGIN.

>> HI. MY NAME IS ADITI SH BITTNER,

[01:30:02]

MY NEW SCHOOL ISN'T NES, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT.

ON DAY ONE, WE WENT STRAIGHT INTO LESSONS, NO TIME TO CONNECT WITH CLASSMATES OR TEACHERS.

I LIKE LEARNING, BUT I NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND VALUED FIRST.

ONE TEACHER EVEN SAID SHE HAD TO START TEACHING RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE MIKE MILES SAID SO.

I'M MORE THAN A BRAIN TO FILL WITH FACTS.

I'M A KID WITH DREAMS, STRENGTHS, INSECURITIES, AND FEELINGS.

I NEED TO KNOW I CAN ASK A QUESTION WITHOUT BEING LAUGHED AT AND MAKE A MISTAKE WITHOUT BEING EMBARRASSED.

TEST SCORES DON'T SHOW WHO I'M OR WHAT I CAN BECOME.

PLEASE, HELP ME EXCLUDE A PLACE WHERE KIDS LIKE ME FEEL SAFE TO TAKE RISKS.

BE OURSELVES AND GROWING TO CITIZENS READY TO SOLVE THE BIG PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE'LL CALL IN PERSON SPEAKERS TO THE MICROPHONE AND GROUPS, BEGINNING WITH THE SPEAKER NUMBERS ONE THROUGH TEN.

WE HAVE SEATS IN THE FRONT ROW RESERVED FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS, SO PLEASE OCCUPY THOSE SEATS.

IF YOU'RE UP NEXT, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE IN THE NUMBERED ORDER AND SAY YOUR NAME.

MISS SMITH, WILL YOU CALL PEOPLE? THANK YOU.

>> WE BEGIN WITH SPEAKER ONE.

>> HELLO, HI, DON. I'M HERE.

MY NAME IS DARRYL PRANK. I STAY IN NORTH WO MANA AREA.

THEY TOOK ALL THE BUSES OUT IN NORTH WIN MANA, ALL THE BUSES FROM THE ELEMENTARY TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS.

NOW MY SON HAS TO WALK DOWN THE BACK STREET, IT'S SUBURBAN, AND NO SIDE WALKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET.

IF I STAND IN THE DITCH, YOU CAN'T SEE ME IN THE DITCH.

THEN HE HAD TO CROSS THE MAIN STREET, WHICH T BE EAST MOUNT, HOUSTON, TO GET TO THE BUS STOP.

THE BUS STOP IS IN FRONT OF A TRAILER PARK.

NOBODY KNOWS WHO STAYS BACK THERE.

I I'VE BEEN NO WITH MINA SINCE I WAS A KID.

I GREW UP THERE. I NEVER KNEW THAT TRAILER PARK WAS BACK THERE.

AND WHAT SIDE, FULLER WOODS, DUMPSTERS AND EVERYTHING.

THAT'S A 30 MINUTE WALK FROM MY HOUSE FOR HIM TO GET TO THE BUS STOP.

IF IT'S RAINING, OR THE FLOOD, HE HAD TO GET OUT AND WALK 30 MINUTES THROUGH THE WATER TO GET EITHER HOME OR TO THE BUS STOP.

HE DOES GET TO SCHOOL.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HI. MY NAME IS TEKIA MCCLINTON.

THIS IS MY SON, ZION.

MR. GORDON HAS SPOKE ABOUT FAMILIES WORKING TOGETHER WITH PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AND PUTTING THE KIDS FIRST.

I'M NOT FROM TEXAS.

HIM GOING TO SCHOOL IS BRAND NEW TO ME.

I REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL SINCE 2023, AND NO ONE HAS HELPED ME AT THAT SCHOOL.

HE WAS SUPPOSED TO START SCHOOL ON TUESDAY.

HE HAS AUTISM. HE SPECIAL NEEDS.

NOBODY HAS HELPED ME WITH ANYTHING.

HE CANNOT START IN SCHOOL.

THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT HE HAS TO STAY HOME UNTIL THEY FIGURE IT OUT.

I HAVE TO WORK. I'M A TRAUMA THERAPIST.

I'M SITTING THERE TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT TRAUMA, AND MY SON IS COMING INTO THE ROOM.

NOT ONLY THAT.

I'M GETTING A RUN AROUND FROM EVERYONE.

I PUT IN COMPLAINTS.

I'M GOING BACK AND FORTH FOR PEOPLE, AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO EVEN COME HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO CARE ANYWAY.

NOW I'M STANDING HERE ASKING SOMEBODY TO HELP ME GET MY CHILD IN SCHOOL SO HE CAN GET THE SERVICES THAT HE DESERVES.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING. CHARLES COLLINS, FORMER MATH TEACHER AT CHALLENGE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL.

I THANK THE BOARD FOR VOTING TO OVERTURN MY NON RENEWAL BACK IN DECEMBER 2024.

HOWEVER, I WAS NOT OFFER A CONTRACT, AND MY EMPLOYMENT WAS NOT REINSTATED BY THE BOARD.

I WAS INSTEAD THREATENED WITH TERMINATION, HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED BY CENTRAL DIVISION LEADERSHIP.

I WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, FOR WHICH HIDS AND MY FORMER PRINCIPAL DID NOTHING BUT RETALIATE.

I RECENTLY FILED AT THIS COMPLAINT WITH TEA.

I ALSO FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE STATE AUDITOR AND THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS BECAUSE OF FRAUD IN COMPUTER TEMPORARY TO COVER MY NON RENEWAL IN CONTRACT EXPIRATION.

HISD CONTINUES TO INFLICT HARM ON ME.

I AM ASKING THE BOARD TO INVESTIGATE THIS UNLAWFUL CONDUCT AND TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

[01:35:09]

>> JESSE DUGAN, HIST PARENT.

>> MR. ROSALES, AS A NEWLY APPOINTED BOARD MEMBER, YOU SAID IN INTERVIEWS, YOU HOPE IN A YEAR THAT PARENTS WILL WAKE UP AND SEE THE GAINS OF HISD, WHILE YOU JUST GOT APPOINTED TO THIS PUPPET BOARD, BECAUSE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, NO ONE HERE VOTED FOR YOU.

NO. I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO WAKE UP.

WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT PARENTS HAVE REJECTED MIKE MILES YEAR AFTER YEAR.

JUST LOOK AT THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, NUMBERS THEY DID NOT SHOW YOU TONIGHT.

WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT MIKE MILES IS HOLDING BLACK AND BROWN KIDS BACK TO MAKE HIS NUMBERS LOOK BETTER WHILE THE TRUE OUTCOMES GET WORSE.

WAKE UP TO THE FACT THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS GETTING GUTTED WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PRIORITY TO END THIS TAKEOVER.

MY KID IS IN SPECIAL ED.

WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR HIM WHEN YOU TURN ALL THESE SCHOOLS TO CHARTER? YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AUTISTIC KIDS DO NOT GET A PLACE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS. NO PRIVATE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS CATHERINE. I'M THE PARENT OF TWO HISD STUDENTS.

HIGH PERFORMING TEACHER ATTRITION SHOULD BE A RED FLAG FOR THIS BOARD.

I WILL NOW READ A LETTER ON BEHALF OF ONE FORMER HIGH PERFORMING HISD TEACHER.

THE 2024 25 SCHOOL YEAR MARKS MY FINAL YEAR AS AN HISD EDUCATOR.

I LEFT THE DISTRICT NOT BECAUSE I WAS INEFFECTIVE, BUT BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER TRUST THE SYSTEM.

I HAVE BEEN TEACHING FOR 16 YEARS AND CONSISTENTLY RECEIVED SPOT SCORES 11-14.

BUT THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED WAS INCONSISTENT.

IT WAS NOT MEANINGFUL.

IT CERTAINLY DID NOT HELP ME GROW AS AN EDUCATOR.

IT FELT MORE LIKE MY SCORE WAS BEING KEPT HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP ME CONTENT, BUT LOW ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY A LOWER WAGE.

IT'S A GAME I COULD NOT WIN, SO I CHOSE NOT TO PLAY.

MOST TEACHERS, I WELCOME REAL FEEDBACK.

I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN, BUT THE PRESSURE ADMINISTRATORS ARE UNDER CREATES A STRESSFUL AND DEMORALIZING ENVIRONMENT.

WHEN LEADERSHIP IS DRIVEN BY FEAR AND METRICS, BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS BECOME NOTHING MORE THAN NUMBERS. IT WILL CONTINUE WITH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HI, MY NAME IS KATE ANDERSON.

I'M AN HISD PARENT.

JUST TO CONTINUE HER LETTER.

I HAD STUDENTS CRYING AT THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET THEIR GOAL, AND OTHERS CRYING BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT HISD WOULD SAY THAT I WAS NOT A GOOD TEACHER.

I TOLD THEM, I DO NOT NEED A SCORE TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE GROWN AND I DO NOT BASE MY WORTH OFF OF ONE TEST.

YOU SHOD NOT EITHER.

THE MESSAGE BEING SENT TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO EDUCATORS IS.

EXPERIENCE IS NOT VALUED.

TEACHERS ARE TREATED AS WE ARE EASILY REPLACEABLE, AND THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE MATTER.

WE DO NOT JUST MANAGE CLASSROOMS, WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, ADAPT INSTRUCTION, AND HELP KIDS THRIVE.

HISD IS NOT LOSING VETERAN TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT TEACH.

IT IS LOSING THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT RESPECTED.

YOU CANNOT BUILD A STRONG DISTRICT BY DEVALUING THE VERY PEOPLE HOLDING IT TOGETHER.

LAST YEAR, HISD LOST 3,500 VETERAN TEACHERS FROM OUR SCHOOLS.

THIS TREND IS UNSUSTAINABLE.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 7.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNE EAGLETON, AND I FEEL LIKE I MADE THE MISTAKE OF TAKING A LOOK AT THE LONE STAR GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK YOURSELF APPRAISAL.

IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT SO MUCH TIME IS SPENT ON WHAT REALLY IS JUST BUREAUCRATIC CRAP, BUT ONE THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THERE IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION THIS YEAR ABOUT CLOSING 10 SCHOOLS, AND YOU HAVE TAKEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFF OF YOUR JOBS OR ANYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO BE RATED ON.

WHAT IS THE PLAN? ARE YOU PLANNING ON FIGURING OUT THE CLOSURES IN CLOSED SESSION, OR ARE YOU ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY? I WILL TELL YOU BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN THIS DISTRICT LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW, ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE IF YOU DO NOT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE A REAL, MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.

THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS, ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, MR. MILES AND HIS ADMINISTRATION SHOULD HAVE A FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE GOAL, AND I HAVE NOT EVER SEEN A PRINTED [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] PLEASE GET THAT DONE.

[01:40:01]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> I'M READING A SPEECH BY THE STUDENT WHO HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE YOU'LL WASTED OUR TIME IN THE BEGINNING.

MY NAME IS LANIE.

BEFORE THE TAKEOVER OF HISD, MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS A THRIVING AND HAPPY PLACE WHERE KIDS HAD FUN LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCED TEACHERS.

SINCE THEN, ALL THE FUN WAS TAKEN AWAY AND ALL WE DID WERE BORING WORKSHEETS ALL DAY.

THE ONLY THING WE WERE LEARNING TO DO ALL YEAR WAS HOW TO PASS THE STAAR TEST.

MOST OF OUR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS LEFT AND THE ONES WHO STAYED WERE CONSTANTLY STRESSED OUT BY VISITORS, WHICH WAS A LOT.

I'M JUST A KID AND EVEN I KNOW THAT THAT IS A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT.

THE SCHOOL I WENT TO IN KINDERGARTEN TO THIRD GRADE IS NOT THE SAME SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO IN FOURTH AND FIFTH.

MY EXPERIENCES I HAD IN SECOND GRADE WOULD NOT BE THE SAME AS THE ONES MY SISTER WOULD HAVE HAD THIS YEAR.

MY LITTLE SISTER AND MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE LEFT FOR OTHER DISTRICTS OR NON-NES SCHOOLS.

SURE, NES IS WORKING AT INCREASING STAAR SCORES, BUT AT WHAT COST TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.

THEN IN MY OWN WORDS, I WILL STAY MAD AT YOU FOR THE TEARS MY CHILDREN [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] OUTCOME, WE HAD TO LEAVE OUR BELOVED SCHOOL DISTRICT, NES, TO MASQUERADE AS AN EDUCATIONAL FAILURE WHEN YOU'RE REALLY JUST A DELUSIONAL [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SPEAKER NUMBER 9.

SPEAKERS 10-20, PLEASE MOVE TO THE FRONT ROOM.

>> I'M ADELE DANIEL LOVE, ELEMENTARY PARENT.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HISD'S POOR COMMUNICATION.

ON JULY 22ND, PARENTS WERE INFORMED THAT OUR PRINCIPAL WAS LEAVING.

HISD SENT OUT A SURVEY ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL SEARCH ON JULY 24TH, STATING IT WOULD CLOSE ON JULY 30TH.

DURING A 4:00 PM MEETING WITH HISD ADMINISTRATORS ON JULY 30TH, TWO PTO MEMBERS WERE TOLD THERE WAS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE NEW PRINCIPAL.

SHORTLY AFTER 5:00 PM, HISD ANNOUNCED THIS PERSON AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL WITH A FLYER TO MEET HER AT THE WRONG ADDRESS IN LESS THAN 72 HOURS.

[LAUGHTER] THE PTO REQUESTED A LONGER MEETING AND/OR A LATER TIME.

THE FLYER WAS CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT ADDRESS, BUT AN EVEN SHORTER MEETING.

MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T EVEN FILL OUT THE SURVEY SINCE A NEW PRINCIPAL HAD ALREADY BEEN PICKED WITH VERY LITTLE INPUT FROM THE PARENTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS CAUSED BY HUBRIS AND APTITUDE OR APATHY, BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO REBUILD TRUST.

[NOISE]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HI. MY NAME IS JOHN GARZA, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT AND A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

I ALSO CARRY THE VOICES OF MORE THAN 70 FAMILIES WHO WROTE TO HISD LEADERSHIP THIS LAST WEEK.

TWO DAYS BEFORE OUR SCHOOL YEAR STARTED, THE STABILITY OF OUR SCHOOL WAS SHAKEN.

THIS IS THE STORY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR TONIGHT.

ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH, THE DURHAM SCHOOL HOSTED MEET THE TEACHER, AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WERE EXCITED TO MEET THEIR TEACHERS, EXPLORE THEIR CLASSROOMS, AND SEE THE ROUTINES THAT WOULD SET THE STAGE FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL YEAR.

PARENTS WERE REASSURED THAT MONTHS OF CAREFUL PLANNING HAD PREPARED TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE FOR A SMOOTH START.

BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH, EVERYTHING CHANGED.

THIS IS GOING TO BE CONTINUED.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES, BUT WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NATALIE CARMOUCHE, AND I'M HERE AS WELL TO SUPPORT DURHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE DAY AFTER MEET THE TEACHER, ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH, WITH ONLY ONE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY LEFT, THIRD GRADE TEACHERS WERE REASSIGNED TO ENTIRELY NEW SUBJECTS.

THIRD GRADE TEACHERS WERE TOLD OF MAJOR CHANGES TO CLASSROOMS AND TEACHING SUBJECTS WITH ALMOST NO TIME TO PREPARE.

AS IF THAT WERE NOT ENOUGH, THIRD GRADE TEACHERS WERE ALSO TOLD THEY COULD NO LONGER USE EUREKA, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD DIFFERENTLY TONIGHT, BUT WITH THAT WE HAD TO START USING THE HISD CURRICULA.

THAT'S A HUGE CHANGE. IN SOME CASES, THE SUBJECT IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.

LET ME REMIND YOU, THIRD GRADE IS A CRITICAL YEAR FOR STAAR TESTING.

THE SUDDEN SHIFTS LEFT TEACHERS SCRAMBLING TO PREPARE, RISKING STUDENT SUCCESS BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN BEGAN.

TO BE CONTINUED. WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

[01:45:01]

>> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS ANGELIE VARGAS, AND I AM HERE NIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVED.

AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH, STUDENTS MET THEIR TEACHERS, AND THEN ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH, THIRD GRADE WAS INFORMED OF NEW SUBJECTS, NEW TEACHING CONTENT, AND NEW CURRICULUM.

ON MONDAY, AUGUST 11TH, THE LAST TEACHER WORK DAY AND LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE STUDENTS WOULD GRACE THE HALLS, THE SECOND GRADE TEACHERS RECEIVED THE SAME NEWS, NEW SUBJECTS, NEW CURRICULUM, AND SOMETIMES NEW LANGUAGES.

IMAGINE SPENDING AN ENTIRE SUMMER PREPARING, DEDICATING TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK.

PLANNING AND BEING TOLD HOURS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS THAT EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE TO REFLECT NEW SUBJECTS, INCLUDING THE EDUCATIONAL REFERENCES ON YOUR WALLS.

THE STORY WILL BE CONTINUED.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> MICHELLE WITKOWSKI, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ALSO AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT.

TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT ABOUT RESISTING CHANGE.

WE WELCOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT ENHANCE OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING, BUT THIS IS ABOUT REJECTING CHANGE THAT COMES WITHOUT ENOUGH TIME AND RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT IT SUCCESSFULLY.

THESE LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENTS DO FAR MORE THAN SHUFFLE NAMES ON A ROSTER.

THEY LEAVE NO TIME TO ADJUST, PUT STUDENT ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AT RISK, UNDERMINE TEACHER MORALE, AND JEOPARDIZE THE TRUST BETWEEN HISD AND THE FAMILIES THAT SERVES.

TO BE CONTINUED. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> HI. MY NAME IS SARAH MOLLER, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVE.

WHY DID THESE SUDDEN SWEEPING CHANGES HAPPEN LAST MINUTE AT DURHAM? WE WERE TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL WAS A NEWLY DESIGNATED SCHOOL OF FOCUS DUE TO TESTING SCORES ON AUGUST 1ST.

DURING THE AUGUST 12TH PRESS CONFERENCE, WHEN AN AUDIENCE MEMBER ASKED SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MILES ABOUT THE LAST MINUTE CHANGES AT DURHAM, HE SUGGESTED WE WERE A D OR D MINUS SCHOOL, AND THEREFORE A SCHOOL OF FOCUS.

THIS WAS NEWS TO DURHAM PARENTS, AND IT WAS NOT ACCURATE.

TO BE CONTINUED.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO CHANGE.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTIONS WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS DEVY GARZA, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVED.

AS MENTIONED AT THE HISD PRESS CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY, SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MILES SUGGESTED THAT WE WERE LIKELY A D OR D MINUS SCHOOL, CONSIDERING THE CHANGES DESCRIBED.

DURHAM IS ACTUALLY A C SCHOOL THIS YEAR.

YES, OUR SCORES DROPPED FROM 81 TO 75, A SIX-POINT DECLINE.

ON AUGUST 12TH, THE SAME DAY AS THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SIX-POINT DROP, REGARDLESS OF LETTER GRADE TRIGGERED DURHAM SCHOOL A FOCUS DESIGNATION.

WHEN WE ASKED DISTRICT OFFICIALS IF SUPERINTENDENT MILES STATEMENT WAS INCORRECT, WE WERE TOLD IT WAS NOT INCORRECT BUT INCOMPLETE.

THE REALITY IS THAT A SCHOOL CAN BE LABELED A SCHOOL OF FOCUS EVEN WITHOUT A D RATING, IF IF SCORES ARE SUBJECTIVELY DEEMED TO HAVE DECREASED TOO MUCH.

TO BE CONTINUED. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> MY NAME IS COURTNEY BROWN, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVED.

ON JULY 31ST, DURHAM ELEMENTARY WAS ASSIGNED A BRAND NEW PRINCIPAL.

THE VERY NEXT DAY, AUGUST 1ST, WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR CAMPUS HAD BEEN DESIGNATED A SCHOOL OF FOCUS.

FOR ANY SCHOOL, EITHER OF THESE CHANGES ON ITS OWN WOULD REQUIRE TIME, PLANNING, AND STRONG SUPPORT.

HAVING THEM BACK TO BACK MEANT OUR CAMPUS WAS NAVIGATING A GREAT DEAL AND A VERY SHORT WINDOW.

GIVEN THE SCOPE OF THESE CHANGES, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE DEDICATED GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF AND NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM.

THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL AUGUST 8TH, JUST DAYS BEFORE THE START OF SCHOOL, WHEN MANY OF THE MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJUSTMENTS BEGAN.

[01:50:05]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MY NAME IS ABBY STARGHILL, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE THE STUDENTS ARRIVED.

OUR NEW PRINCIPAL FACED A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE STEPPING INTO THE ROLE SO CLOSE TO THE START OF SCHOOL.

SUPPORT FROM THE DISTRICT BEFORE AUGUST 8TH, WOULD HAVE GREATLY HELPED TO ENSURE A SMOOTHER TRANSITION.

WHEN TEACHERS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING SO MANY CHANGES RECEIVE THE INFORMATION ONLY DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS, IT CAUSES A CRITICAL DISRUPTION.

IN SOME CASES, HOURS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVED, TEACHERS WERE WORKING HARD TO PREPARE FOR THEM TO COME.

WE KNOW THAT WHEN A SCHOOL'S RATING DROPS, ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY, BUT THE POINT WE'RE MAKING TODAY IS HOW THOSE CHANGES ARE MADE MATTERS.

IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE CHANGES THEMSELVES ABOUT HOW THEY'RE ROLLED OUT AND IMPLEMENTED SO THAT EVERYONE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

[NOISE] THE SITUATION, THE TIMING, AND LIMITED GUIDANCE LED TO UNNECESSARY DISRUPTIONS, LEAVING US IN A SITUATION WHERE WE COULD HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA GARCIA, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF CHANGES AT OUR SCHOOL DAYS BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVED.

ENFORCING LAST MINUTE REASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MEET DISTRICT POLICY AND THE INFLEXIBLE HISD CURRICULUM HAS CONSEQUENCES.

LAST YEAR'S THIRD GRADE CLASS USING EUREKA MATH SCORED 10 POINTS HIGHER ON THE MATH STAAR THAN THE DISTRICT AVERAGE.

IN CONTRAST, OUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WHO WERE ALREADY USING THE HISD MATH CURRICULUM SCORED AT OR BELOW THE DISTRICT AVERAGE.

LAST YEAR, SECOND AND THIRD GRADE STUDENTS THRIVED BY RECEIVING A CAREFULLY PLANNED CURRICULUM, AND THEIR SCORES SUPPORT THIS.

THIS YEAR, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE BEING FORCED INTO A SYSTEM THAT HAS NOT PRODUCED THE SAME LEVEL OF SUCCESS AND WITH ALMOST NO TIME FOR TEACHERS TO ADJUST.

THE STORY IS TO BE CONTINUED.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LORI NIEMEYER, I'M ALSO A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE STORY DOESN'T END THERE EVEN AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AFTER STUDENTS HAD SETTLED INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS. TEACHERS WERE INFORMED OF YET ANOTHER LAST MINUTE CHANGE.

DESPITE HAVING MS. BALDERAS, ANOTHER DISTRICT LEADERSHIP ON SITE, DURING MUCH OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TIME ON CAMPUS, TEACHERS WERE REQUIRED TO REARRANGE THEIR CLASSROOMS, DESKS DURING THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

SOME WERE REARRANGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.

WHILE OTHERS WERE AT LEAST GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO REARRANGE DESKS AFTER SCHOOL.

THE NEXT DAY, CHILDREN WALK INTO THEIR SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL, FOUND CLASSROOMS WITH UNFAMILIAR LAYOUTS.

THEIR ROUTINES WERE DISRUPTED, THEIR SENSE OF DISABILITY SHAKEN.

THEIR ABILITY OF FOCUS WERE AFFECTED BEFORE THE DAY EVEN BEGAN.

FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT IS FOUNDATIONAL, AND FOR TEACHERS, IT MEANT ANOTHER DAY OF SCRAMBLING TO ADAPT.

IF CLASSROOM LAYOUTS WERE UNACCEPTABLE, THERE WAS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK PRIOR TO STUDENTS ARRIVING ON CAMPUS.

MR. MILES, YOUR COMMENTS TODAY EARLIER CONVEYED TO ME A RESPECT AND REVERENCE FOR TEACHERS.

THIS IS NOT THAT. IT'S DISRESPECT.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKERS 21-30, PLEASE MOVE TO THE FRONT ROW.

>> SHOULD I WAIT?

>> NO, GO AHEAD.

>> NICOLE FALIZE, ANOTHER DURHAM PARENT. THANK YOU.

THE PATTERN OF LAST MINUTE HIGH IMPACT CHANGES HIGHLIGHTS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.

IT'S NOT THE CHANGE ITSELF, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

DURHAM ELEMENTARY WELCOMES THOUGHTFUL ADJUSTMENTS AND THAT IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN CHANGES ARE MADE SUDDENLY WITHOUT TIME TO PREPARE, ADAPT, OR COMMUNICATE.

IT UNDERMINES THE VERY GOALS THESE CHANGES WERE MEANT TO SUPPORT.

THIS BRINGS US TO A LARGER POINT.

NOT EVERY CAMPUS IS THE SAME, JUST LIKE NOT EVERY STUDENT IS THE SAME.

DURHAM ELEMENTARY HAS UNIQUE STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, AND PROGRAMS FROM DUAL LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS TO IB INSTRUCTION.

A COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH DOES NOT FIT.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. TO BE CONTINUED.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGE.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

[01:55:04]

>> MY NAME IS KYLE TUCKER, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT TO CONTINUE THIS STORY.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES CHANGES MUST BE MADE.

YOU BELIEVE OUR SIX-POINT DROP TO A TEA RATING OF A MID C MADE ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY.

BUT THE WAY CHANGES ARE IMPLEMENTED MATTERS.

JUST AS MUCH AS THE CHANGES THEMSELVES, DECISIONS MADE OVERNIGHT WITHOUT TIME TO PLAN OR ADAPT OR COORDINATE WITH TEACHERS AND FAMILIES RISK UNDOING THE VERY PROGRESS THE CHANGE IS MEANT TO SUPPORT.

THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS WORKING WELL ON OUR CAMPUS VERSUS MAKING BLANKET DISRUPTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD IN ALL CLASSROOMS SHOWS THAT HISD LEADERSHIP IS DISCONNECTED FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND ILL EQUIPPED TO MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE'RE NOT A NUMBER. CREATIVE CAMPUS SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS ARE POSSIBLE.

THEY ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN QUALITY INSTRUCTION, RESPECT THE EXERCISE OF EXPERTISE OF OUR TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES WHILE STILL MEETING DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS.

THE STORY OF DURHAM SHOWS THAT SUDDEN UNIFORM MANDATES CAN DISRUPT STUDENT LEARNING, UNDERMINE TEACHER MORALE, AND FRACTURE TRUST BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES.

[NOISE] WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO NECESSARY CHANGES.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO POORLY PLANNED DISRUPTION WITHOUT PROPER SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> HI. MY NAME IS ERIN SIMPSON.

I'M HERE TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT DURHAM ELEMENTARY.

AS OTHERS BEFORE ME HAVE SAID, CHANGE, IF CHANGE IS JUSTIFIED, IF CHANGE IS NEEDED, CHANGE IS OKAY.

CHANGE THAT CANNOT BE PROPERLY COMMUNICATED, CONSISTENTLY COMMUNICATED MR. MILES BY YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM.

WE HEARD FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP THIS WEEK THAT AS A PUA CAMPUS, WE HAVE NO CHOICE.

WE HEARD DIFFERENTLY TONIGHT FROM MS. HALL WHEN SHE SAID A PUA CAMPUS IS ABLE TO CHOOSE CURRICULUMS. INCONSISTENT MESSAGING FROM LEADERSHIP AMONGST THIS TEAM SHOWS THAT THESE CHANGES ARE NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THEM.

HOW CAN WE EXPECT THE TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE CHANGES ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THEM OR IMPACT THEM IN THE CLASSROOM? THEM HAVING NO TIME, THE TEACHERS HAVING NO TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS CONSTANT LEVEL OF CHANGE IS DISRESPECTFUL TO OUR STAFF.

WE ARE NOT GOING THROUGH THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME AS DURHAM PARENTS.

OUR CAMPUS HAS EXPERIENCED CONSTANT CHANGE.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> DANA LADNER, FIFTH YEAR DURHAM ELEMENTARY PARENT HERE TO CONTINUE THE STORY.

THE MAIN POINT I HOPE YOU TOOK FROM OUR STORY IS THAT PARENTS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMING OF THESE CHANGES.

I STILL DO NOT FEEL THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A CLEAR EXPLANATION FROM ANYONE ABOUT THE GAP BETWEEN DURHAM'S DESIGNATION AS A SCHOOL OF FOCUS AND THE COMMUNICATION OF THESE CHANGES TO TEACHERS ON AUGUST 8TH AND AUGUST 11TH.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO LOOK INTO THE REASONS FOR THE COMMUNICATION DELAY BECAUSE IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

EVEN SHARING THIS INFORMATION AT THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY 1 WEEK BEFORE IT STARTED, RATHER THAN THE LAST, COULD HAVE LED TO MORE SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS.

THE ROOT CAUSE MUST BE IDENTIFIED.

TEACHER RETENTION IS A CORNERSTONE OF A GOOD SCHOOL, AND THE ACTIONS THAT WAS TAKEN AT DURHAM OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS HAVE SACRIFICED OUR TRUST IN HISD, AND WILL CAUSE TEACHERS TO LEAVE OUR SCHOOL.

THAT IS NOT SETTING UP ANYONE FOR SUCCESS, AND THAT IS AGAINST THE MANDATE OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> [FOREIGN]

>> THANK YOU.

>> [FOREIGN]

>> YOU CAN START. YOU NEED TO START YOUR ENGLISH TRANSLATION NOW AND STOP BECAUSE YOU'VE A MINUTE.

NOW YOU CAN DO YOUR ENGLISH TRANSLATION.

>> [FOREIGN]

>> YOU KNOW THE RULES. IT'S A ONE MINUTE, IT'S NOT TWO MINUTES OF SPANISH.

[02:00:04]

>> [FOREIGN]

>> I'M GIVING YOU A WARNING NOW.

>> [FOREIGN]

>> YOU UNDERSTAND THE RULES; CORRECT?

>> [FOREIGN]

>> I'M GIVING YOU A WARNING NOW.

>> [FOREIGN]

>> YOU NEED TO STOP.

>> [FOREIGN]

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. I'M GIVING YOU ANOTHER WARNING AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE ROOM.

YOUR SECOND WARNING HAS HAPPENED.

PLEASE REMOVE HER FROM THE ROOM.

[APPLAUSE]

>> NOVEMBER 19, 1863 OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE.

LINCOLN, A SOCIETY'S CONSCIOUS IS ELIMINATED NOT ONLY BY ITS LAW AND CUSTOMS, BUT BY THE DAILY DECISION IT MAKES FOR ITS YOUNGEST MEMBERS, THEIR WELL BEING, SAFETY, AND GROWTH ARE WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF ITS MORAL IDENTITY.

WHEN A COMMUNITY PLACES COMPASSION AND JUSTICE AT THE CENTER OF ITS EFFORTS TO NURTURE THE NEXT GENERATION, IT REVEALS A SPIRIT, BOTH RESILIENT AND GENEROUS.

THE BRIGHTEST HOPES OF TOMORROW ARE SHAPED IN THE TENDERNESS WE SHOW TODAY, REMINDING US THAT THE TRUE TREASURE OF HUMANITY LIES IN THE CARE AND DIGNITY WE AFFORD TO EVERY CHILD.

WE ASK THAT YOU BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY BY SAVING THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES.

JUNE 1, 2023 UP MILES BY MILES, FOR THE MILES, BOM. THAT'S YOUR MODEL.

MILES, DO YOU RECALL WHEN YOU QUOTED THE LATE FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT, MANDELA.

THERE CAN BE NO KEENER REVELATION OF SOCIETY'S SOUL THAT THE WAY IN WHICH IT TREATS ITS CHILDREN.

IS THIS ANOTHER OOPS ERROR? MIKE, HOW ABOUT BREAKING THE CYCLE OF DECEIT?

>> THANK YOU.

>> SAVE OUR CHILDREN.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MY CHILD STARTED HER THIRD YEAR WITH FEWER RETURNING CLASSMATES AND ON HER THIRD PRINCIPAL.

LAST YEAR'S PRINCIPAL EXITED ALONGSIDE HER UNCERTIFIED TEACHER, A FITTING RESULT TO THE SCHOOL'S FIRST YEAR ON THE NEW MIS EDUCATION SYSTEM.

HAVING AN UNCERTIFIED TEACHER IS LIKE HAVING SURGERY PERFORMED BY SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T GO TO MED SCHOOL.

OUR SCHOOLS ARE MADE BETTER WITH CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHOSE COMPETENCE IS VERIFIED BEFORE THEY STEP INTO THE CLASSROOM.

TEACHING IS A PROFESSION.

THIS DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF TEACHERS.

WE CANNOT HAVE A SUSTAINING DEMOCRACY WITH AN IGNORANT CITIZENRY. IT WILL NOT WORK.

IT WILL NOT LAST.

WHEN YOU DEMEAN TEACHERS, YOU KILL AMERICA.

WE DESERVE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS WHO STRIVE FOR LONGEVITY, ADDING TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE AND WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THEIR PROFESSION, TEACHERS WHO ARE RESPECTED AND GIVEN CREATIVE FREEDOM TO SHAPE THE MINDS OF FUTURE LEADERS, YOUR SMOKING MIRRORS TO HIDE THE FAILURES OF THE NEW MIS EDUCATION SYSTEM BY MANIPULATING TEST FORCE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FIRST PROVES WE ARE HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GIVE US OUR SCHOOLS BACK IN THE TAKEOVER AND SEND MY MILES BACK.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MY NAME IS FELSY BETA.

I'M IN HISD ALUMN.

I LIVE ON THE NORTH SIDE, AND MY KID IS A FUTURE STUDENT AT JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS AN NES SCHOOL.

I'M A DATA SCIENTIST.

I'VE GOT OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE STUDYING THE SCIENCE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

I GOT INTO THIS WORK BECAUSE I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOM WHO STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.

I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DO HOMEWORK BY CANDLE LIGHT.

BUT I ALSO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO ESCAPE TO A DIFFERENT WORLD, WHERE MY TEACHERS WERE ALLOWED TO GO OFF SCRIPT AND SUPPORT ME IN THE WAYS THAT MY MOM COULDN'T.

WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING OUR KIDS WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY THEIR LIBRARIES? WHEN YOU SHUT DOWN THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY HELP KIDS DO BETTER IN SCHOOL.

WHEN YOU TELL THEM, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE BIOLOGY.

JUST SO YOU CAN MANIPULATE SOME TEST SCORES.

THESE NES SCHOOLS, MOSTLY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE NOT GETTING INNOVATIVE EDUCATION, IT'S EDUCATIONAL MALPRACTICE.

YOU'RE TELLING OUR MOST VULNERABLE KIDS THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BE CURIOUS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TIME YOU STOP TREATING OUR KIDS LIKE DATA POINTS AND TAKE THAT HISTORY WILL.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MICHELLE WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION,

[02:05:01]

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION DID NOT TELL THAT MISS DURHAM WAS BEING REMOVED.

THIS ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HISD TEACHERS, PARENTS, OR STUDENTS.

BENBROOK WAS A THRIVING SCHOOL UNTIL MR. MILES WAS APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT.

UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS CABINET HAS CAUSED A DECLINE OF BENBROOK ELEMENTARY IN BERWICK MIDDLE SCHOOL, JUST TO NAME A FEW.

NOW THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED NES MODEL AT BENBROOK, WHICH FORCES TEACHER TO VIOLATE THE CODE OF CONDUCT.

THE CODE OF ETHICS, AND OUR TEACHING STANDARDS AND TO COMMIT EDUCATIONAL MALPRACTICE BY DENYING EMERGING BILINGUAL AND ESPECIALLY ED STUDENTS, EXTRA TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW TO READ IN ENGLISH.

TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, STAMP THIS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE USELESS STRATEGIES.

WE DON'T WANT YOUR THANK YOU'S.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SPEAKERS 30-40, PLEASE MOVE TO THE FRONT ROW.

>> HI, MY NAME IS MADELEINE DAVE, AND I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER WHO IS A TEACHER AT HOUSTON, HISD.

I ALSO ATTENDED HOUSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD.

THIS SUMMER, I GRADUATED WITH MY MASTERS FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, AND I CREDIT MY EDUCATION TO THE TEACHERS WHO RAISED ME.

THOSE ARE THE SAME TEACHERS WHICH THIS BOARD SEEKS TO SILENCE.

MR. MILES, YOU CAME HERE TODAY AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

AGENDA ITEM 5 WOULD REMOVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OBLIGATION TO MEET WITH THE TEACHERS UNION ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THAT? TEACHERS DESERVE A SAY IN REFORMING OUR DISTRICT, MORE SO THAN AN UNELECTED BOARD OF YES MEN AND WOMEN.

WE ALL HEARD FROM A STUDENT TODAY ABOUT THE LOSS OF HER TREASURED TEACHERS.

IF YOU DO NOT GIVE TEACHERS A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THEY WILL MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN OTHER WAYS, INCLUDING LEAVING A DISTRICT, WHICH SYSTEMATICALLY SIDELINES THEM. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> WELL, I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, DURHAM PARENTS, YOU ARE IN GOOD YOU ARE IN THE COMPANY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN BOOED AND HISSED AT WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.

COULDN'T EVEN GIVE OUT SCHOOL BACKPACKS, AND YOU THINK THEY'RE LISTENING NOW? COULDN'T BUY IT.

SINCE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO WRITE IN THE NEWSPAPERS ARE FILLED, 2,300.

TEACHERS WALKED OUT IN JUST JUNE, YOU HAVE A DROP IN ATTENDANCE, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 70,000.

IN THE NORTHEAST AREA WHERE I PAY TAXES AND LIVE.

EVERY YEAR, NORTH FOREST HAD AN S18 NATIONAL MERIT SCHOOL WINNER OUT OF BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS.

YOU GO AHEAD AND TRY AND INSULT ANOTHER GROUP OF BLACK PEOPLE.

BUT OF COURSE, YOU WEREN'T ELECTED, AND I DON'T THINK YOU'D GET TO VOTE.

OKAY, BABY? THE PEOPLE AT THE CONVOCATION AT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THEY WANT TO KNOW [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.

>> [INAUDIBLE] .

>> NO, YOU'RE NOT.

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. YOU'RE DISRESPECTING THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS.

MA'AM, YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE PODIUM.

IT'S YOUR FIRST WARNING, YOUR FIRST WARNING.

DO YOU WANT TO GO HOME? MA'AM, THIS IS YOUR SECOND WARNING.

WOULD YOU PLEASE ESCORT HER OUT OF THE BUILDING, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD.

>> MY NAME IS MCKENZIE BOYER, AND I'M ADDRESSING THE TEACHER EVALUATION POLICY CHANGES.

I TAUGHT FOR HISD LAST YEAR AND DECIDED NOT TO RETURN.

I'M STILL DEEPLY INVESTED IN HOUSTON SCHOOLS AND FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO VOICE MY THOUGHTS REGARDING YOUR HARMFUL EVALUATION SYSTEM.

I'VE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND THE MICROMANAGEMENT OF TEACHERS, WHICH INEVITABLY HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE STUDENTS.

LESSONS ARE OVERLY RIGID WHILE SURPRISE ADMINISTRATIVE VISITS SERVE TO CHECK BOXES RATHER THAN PROVIDE QUALITY CLASSROOM SUPPORT.

THIS SYSTEM HAS CAUSED ENOUGH STRESS FOR TEACHERS THAT DOCTORS ARE EVEN ADVISING THEIR RESIGNATION FOR THE GOOD OF THEIR HEALTH.

[02:10:01]

THE MOVING TARGETS SET TEACHERS UP TO FAIL AND UNDERVALUES THEIR WORK BY USING SUBJECTIVE CRITERIA TO BASE THEIR PAY.

THE CHRONICLE HAS CONFIRMED THAT TEACHER RETENTION IS AN ISSUE.

BEFORE YOU APPROVE ANY CHANGES, PLEASE ASK, I THIS ACTUALLY HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, OR WILL THE SYSTEM KEEP DRIVING GOOD TEACHERS AWAY AND REPLACING THEM WITH UNCERTIFIED STAFF.

TEACHERS AND STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> BOARD WEAKNESS AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT BEGAN WITH QUADRUPLING MILES SPENDING AUTHORITY TO $1 MILLION, DIRECTLY LEADING TO THE EMBARRASSMENT OF THE BOARD LATER HAVING TO RETROACTIVELY APPROVE ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS IN CONTRACTS.

MILES GETS PRE APPROVAL OF HIS SCHEMES POLICY CHANGES.

HE BALANCED LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WITH $80 MILLION IN PROPERTY SALES WITH NO DETAILS PROVIDED.

LATER NO INDIVIDUAL SALES COULD BE VETOED.

MILES NOW DELETES THE MINIMUM DOLLARS IN THE NAMING RIGHTS POLICY, GIVING HIM COMPLETE DISCRETION.

IN 2016, HISD SOLD NAMING RIGHTS TO A HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE POLICY MINIMUM AT THAT TIME OF 7.5 MILLION, BUT THEY RECEIVED ONLY 5.5 MILLION WITH THE REST GOING TO THE FUNDRAISER THAT BROKERED THE DEAL.

THE NEW BUILDING AT LAMAR BEARS THE NAME OF AN ALUMNUS WHO PLEDGED A MILLION DOLLARS TO ANOTHER FUNDRAISER THAT HAD NO RIGHT TO SELL.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL MCDENUG.

I SPENT 31 YEARS IN HISD AS A MATH TEACHER, SOCCER COACH, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

MY WIFE WORKED IN THE DISTRICT FOR 17 YEARS, AND OUR TWO DAUGHTERS ARE HISD GRADS.

THIS CURRENT VISION VERSION OF HISD IS NO LONGER RECOGNIZABLE.

A MENTOR OF MINE SAID ABOUT SCHOOL LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ARE EITHER RUNNING IT OR RUNNING AROUND IN IT.

RIGHT NOW, AS A RESULT OF SLOPPY LEADERSHIP AT THE HIGHEST DISTRICT LEVELS, OUR HARDWORKING TEACHERS AND CAMPUS LEADERS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE RUNNING AROUND IN IT.

A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE SPOT FORM THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED OVER THE LAST 10 DAYS.

INSTEAD OF OUR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS FOCUSING ON LAUNCHING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY ARE TRYING TO PACIFY A LONG LIST OF SUPERVISORS WHO ARE SCARED OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.

CHAOS FROM THE THIRD FLOOR OF HAIME WHITE LEADS TO CHAOS THROUGHOUT THE FEEDER PATTERNS, AND THAT CHAOS THEN SEEPS INTO CLASSROOMS. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

IT'S NOT SUPPORTIVE OF OUR TEACHERS, AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT FAIR TO OUR KIDS.

I IMPLORE THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO CHANGE COURSE AND LEAD THROUGH A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, NOT CHAOS.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HI. MIN DON TRAN.

I'M A HIC TEACHER SPEAKING ON TEACHER STUFF.

IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE TAKEOVER, HIC BLED AWAY OVER 40% OF ITS 10,000 TEACHERS.

THIS PAST YEAR, MILES' FAVORITE PUBLICATION, THE CHRONICLE, REPORTED A LOSS OF MORE THAN 30% OF TEACHERS AND STAFF.

I BET THIS NUMBER WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER IF THE COMPENSATION MANUAL HAD BEEN RELEASED WITH ENOUGH TIME BEFORE THE DEADLINE FOR TEACHERS TO RESIGN WITHOUT PENALTY.

NOW TEACHERS ARE TRAPPED IN THIS DICTATORSHIP BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO FIND NEW POSITIONS IN DISTRICTS THAT ACTUALLY VALUE A PROFESSION.

IF THIS BOARD TRULY BELIEVED IN PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS, IT WOULDN'T CELEBRATE THE CLOSURE OF TEACHING POSITIONS.

IT WOULDN'T CELEBRATE THE POSITIONS FILLED WITH INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS INSTEAD OF WITH VETERANS WHO FLED THE DISTRICT.

THE BOARD WOULD NOT TRY TO REMOVE CONSULTATION WITH THE UNIONS.

IF THE BOARD TRULY BELIEVED IN CERTIFICATION, THAT MILES WOULD GET HIS.

WE KNOW WHAT TEACHERS NEED, AND WE'LL KEEP FIGHTING FOR OUR MEMBERS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> [INAUDIBLE] READ BUT I LOVE TO BE READ TO AND GO TO THE LIBRARY. PLEASE STAND UP.

>> THANK YOU. KIDS, GRANDCHILDREN, THANK YOU.

MILES BELIEVES CHILDREN WHO CAN'T READ CAN'T ENJOY LIBRARIES, WHICH SHOWS HOW LITTLE HE KNOWS ABOUT READING OR CHILDREN.

WITH MILES AT THE HELM IN DALLAS, MIDDLE SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES, MIDDLE SCHOOL, SKYROCKETED FROM 0.6-1.1%, WHILE THE STATE AND THE REGION WERE STEADY AT 0.3 AND 0.4.

WHAT'S WORSE? THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB AS ALL THE CHILDREN WHO WERE SUBJECTED TO HIS HORRIBLE CURRICULUM IN THE EARLY GRADES MOVED UP AT 2022, '23, 2.3% OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS DROPPED OUT IN DALLAS.

HE CLAIMS TO BE AN EXPERT ON HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

LISTEN, YOU CAN CALL IT SPAGHETTI.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.

IT'S MY NUMBINGLY BORING REPETITIVE TEST PREP THAT IS NOT PREPARING KIDS FOR ANYTHING BUT FAILURE.

NOW, LISTEN, I DON'T BLAME THE RABID DOG FOR BITING.

RABBIT DOGS BITE. IT'S WHAT THEY DO.

I BLAME THE PEOPLE WHO LET HIM OUT OF THE YARD. THAT'S YOU.

[02:15:03]

>> [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

>> I'M KRISTINE MICHELLE BREWSTER, YOUR RETIRED SCHOOL NURSE OF 35 YEARS OF SERVICE.

HOUSTON ISD IS OFFICIALLY OPEN, AT LEAST BY TEA GUIDELINES.

WE STILL HAVE A UNIQUE ID NUMBER, BUT WE'RE OFFICIALLY CLOSED.

TECHNICALLY, CLOSE TO REAL PROGRESS.

WE USE MATH BY MILES, THE SCOREBOARD IN THAT ORLANDO, AND WE GOT MANIPULATED TEST SCORES.

ONLY CERTAIN CHILDREN GET TO TAKE CERTAIN TESTS AT CERTAIN TIMES.

WE'RE STILL PUSHING THE NES CURRICULUM.

YOU KNOW THAT NOT EDUCATING STUDENTS WHERE WE HAVE 100% TEST PREP.

WE CLOSE TO RESPECTFULNESS.

TEACHERS ARE NOT BEING JUST TALL IN THEIR EAR.

THEY GOT SLIDES SAYING, GO FAST. INCREASE THE PACE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE IEP AND 504 GUIDELINES FOR THE CHILDREN WHO NEED IT? WE'RE CLOSE TO CARE.

HAVE Y'ALL SEEN THE PROPERTIES? THE CAMPUSES, LOOK LIKE REFORM SCHOOLS, FORECLOSED SCHOOLS.

THIS FREE BUS BUSINESS ON METRO.

PEOPLE GETTING MUGGED RIGHT NOW.

YOU GOING TO PUT MY CHILDREN ON THE BUS FOR FREE? [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HELLO, I'M SISTER MAMA SANG AND ALUMNUS OF HASD.

THESE ARE YOUR 10 COMMITMENTS.

THOU SHALT NOT GIVE A BONUS AND RAISE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAS A FAILING JOB REVIEW SCORE OF 65%.

TWO, THOU SHALT NOT CLOSE LIBRARIES AND DEPRIVE OUR STUDENTS OF THE LOVE OF READING.

NUMBER 3, THOU SHALT NOT DISMANTLE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND DEPRIVE STUDENTS OF NEEDED SERVICES.

NUMBER 4, THOU SHALT NOT FIRE CUSTODIANS AND HIRE THEM BACK AT A LOWER SALARY WITH NO BENEFITS.

FIVE, THOU SHALT NOT REFUSE TO BE CERTIFIED, MIKE MILES, YET FIRE TEACHERS WHO ARE UNCERTIFIED.

SIX. THOU SHALT NOT DISRESPECT TEACHERS, SCHOLARS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND ANY EMPLOYEE OF HISD.

SEVEN. THOU SHALT NOT MANIPULATE DATA TO SHOW THE TEST SCORES HAVE IMPROVED WHEN WE KNOW THEY HAVEN'T.

EIGHT, THOU SHALT NOT BE TRUMPSTERS, FOLLOW DONALD TRUMP AND DO INSERT PROJECT 2025, CULLEN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

NUMBER 9, THOU SHALT NOT SPEND AND SPEND BANKRUPTCY [OVERLAPPING]

>> THANK YOU.

>> FUTURES, COME ON. Y'ALL REALLY CARE ABOUT US.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> I'M ELLEN WALTER. IN FIRST GRADE, MY CHILD IS LEARNING ABOUT THE PARTS OF A BOOK.

KNOWING HOW TO FIND THE SETTING, CHARACTERS, AND BEING ABLE TO PROCESS THE CORRECT FLOW OF A STORY IS SOMETHING THEY WILL BE TESTED AND GRADED ON FOR THE FIRST SCHOOL PERIOD.

IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT TEACHERS AREN'T ALLOWED TO READ BOOKS TO THE KIDS.

IN FIRST GRADE, THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT BOOKS THROUGH SHORT PASSAGES.

ADD TO THAT, WE DON'T HAVE A WORKING LIBRARY.

ONCE YOU ARE OUT OF KINDERGARTENS, WE HAVE ZERO ACCESS TO FULL BOOKS.

TELL ME HOW HISD PLANS ON RAISING KIDS WHO LOVE READING WITHOUT ACTUAL READING? THE UPCOMING SELF CHECKOUT SYSTEM THAT YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING WON'T WORK WITH YOUNG KIDS.

WE NEED TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO READ FULL BOOKS.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SPEAKERS 40 THROUGH 50, PLEASE MOVE TO THE FRONT ROW.

SPEAKERS 40 THROUGH 50.

>> HI. MY NAME IS KRISTIN.

I AM NOT A PARENT, AND I AM NOT LOCATED IN HISD, BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF WATCHING THIS BOARD IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT BE TAKEN OVER BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I HAVE WORKED IN OIL AND GAS, NOT IN EDUCATION, BUT I HAVE THE MOST PASSIONATE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A TEST? YOU WANT YOUR THIRD GRADERS WHO WERE IN THE PANDEMIC TO PASS A TEST, REALLY? THEN NO DOUBLE STANDARDS.

I KNOW EACH OF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE TRAINING.

I'LL WATCH FOR IT. PLEASE GET YOUR CERTIFICATION.

IT'S BEEN SINCE 2018.

YOU'VE TRIED THIS TOP DOWN APPROACH FOR 20 YEARS AND YOU'VE BEEN CRITICIZED THE ENTIRE TIME, AND THE TEACHER TURNOVER HAS BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME.

I GREW UP IN KDST, AND THE BEST PART ABOUT IT WERE MY TEACHERS.

IT WASN'T WHAT I WAS TAUGHT.

IT WAS HOW I FELT WHEN I WALKED INTO A CLASSROOM.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

[02:20:05]

>> GOOD EVENING. WELCOME BACK.

KELLY BLICKER, HISD PARENT.

I WAS DISHEARTENED TO READ IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE THAT THE FOUR MEMBERS REMOVED FROM THIS BOARD WERE ALSO THE ONES WHO MADE MOST OF THE FORMAL INFORMATION REQUEST.

SUPERINTENDENT MILES WHO IS NOT HERE, WAS IT BECAUSE OF THESE QUESTIONS? IF IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THESE QUESTIONS, WHY WERE THEY REMOVED? I'M ASKING BECAUSE I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION.

WHEN MY SON HEARS SOMETHING HE WANTS TO BELIEVE, I TELL HIM, "DON'T STOP THERE.

KEEP DIGGING, GET MORE INFORMATION." THAT'S HOW WE GET TO THE TRUTH.

BETTER DECISIONS START WITH BRAVE QUESTIONS.

TO THE BOARD, PLEASE ASK THOSE BRAVE QUESTIONS.

LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE LIVING THE IMPACT OF YOUR DECISIONS.

ACT ONLY WHEN YOU'VE DONE THE WORK TO KNOW.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> SHIA NAGEL, PARENT OF A NINTH GRADER AT WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS NOT OFFICIALLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

EVERY NINTH GRADER AT WESTSIDE HAS BEEN PLACED IN BOTH A READING AND AN ENGLISH CLASS.

THE SCHOOL SAYS THIS IS DUE TO A DIRECTIVE FROM HISD.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL, ITS ADMINISTRATORS, OR ITS TEACHERS.

MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ARE FOR HISD.

FIRST, WHY? NOT ALL HSD HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT.

NUMBER 2, WHEN STUDENTS CHOSE THEIR CLASSES, THEY WERE NOT TOLD OF THIS EXTRA READING CLASS.

THEREFORE, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT IN THEIR CHOSEN ELECTIVE CLASSES.

I HELD A MASTER'S IN ENGLISH EDUCATION.

I AM NOT OPPOSED TO FIRST YEAR STUDENTS HAVING EXTRA TIME IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASS, PROVIDED THE TIME IS USED FOR INSTRUCTION THAT ACTUALLY HELPS OUR STUDENTS LIKE READING COMPLETE WORKS OF LITERATURE.

HOWEVER, THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SCHOOL HAVE CONFIRMED MY WORST FEARS, OUR NINTH GRADERS APPARENTLY NOW HAVE NOT ONE, BUT TWO ENTIRE CLASS PERIODS, 90 MINUTES EVERY DAY, TWO SLOG THROUGH MIKE MILES TEST PREP PACKETS.

I FOUND FIVE ERRORS IN THE FIRST ONE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE INCREASED FOCUS ON FIDELITY TO THE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HOW DO WE EXPECT OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HELLO. I'M A PROUD IPS APPROVED PARENT VOLUNTEER FOR OVER 19 YEARS IN COUNTING.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE NEW BOARD OF MANAGERS TO TAKE A TOUR OF NAVARRO MIDDLE SCHOOL, YOLANDA BLACK NAVARRO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AGAIN, FOR THE THIRD TIME, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE POOL.

NEW BOARD OF MANAGERS DO NOT KNOW A DUE DILIGENCE THAT RICK COMP ALREADY KNOWS THE POOL IS AN ASSET BECAUSE YOU ARE THE OWNER OF A REAL ESTATE.

CAMDEN? A POOL IS AN ACID NEEDS TO BE UTILIZED AS A DIET PROGRAM THAT MR. MILES IMPLEMENTED SO THAT OUR SCHOLARS CAN IMPROVE ON THEIR GRADES AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH TO REACH THE DESIRED CAREERS SUCH AS OUR NEXT GENERATIONS OF OLYMPIC SWIMMERS, NAVY COAST GUARDS, OCEANOGRAPHERS, AND LIFEGUARDS, WILL YOU BE DREAM MAKERS OR DREAM TAKERS? THIS IS THE THIRD TIME.

I HOPE NEXT TIME, OR I HOPE THAT THIS YEAR, OR IF NOT NEXT YEAR, THAT YOU GUYS OPEN NAVARRO MIDDLE SCHOOL POOL. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HELLO. MY NAME IS AUDREY NATH, AND I'M THE PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS IN HISD SCHOOLS, AND I'M ALSO A PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST.

IN THE AGENDA ON PAGE 25, IT SAYS THE COMMISSIONER MAY AUTHORIZE A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION WHEN EXCESSIVE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE ASSESSED MODIFY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS.

IT THEN SAYS THAT THE RESULTS OF A SPECIAL INVESTIGATION CAN LOWER CAMPUS'S PERFORMANCE RATING.

I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS IMPLIES THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS GETTING MODIFIED ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO THEIR LEARNING LEVEL CAN RESULT IN A CAMPUS'S PERFORMANCE RATING BEING LOWERED.

MY OWN SON HAS DYSLEXIA, GOT AN IEP, HE HAS SOME MODIFICATIONS, AND WE NEED TO STOP WEAPONIZING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HI. I'M MELISSA REBROKE, FORMER HISD TEACHER, FOUR MONTHS INTO WHEN THAT GUY STARTED, BUT ANYWAYS, I AGREE.

THE SCORES THAT ARE DROPPING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MAY BE DUE TO MILES' RIGID CLASSROOM PRACTICES THAT VIOLATE FEDERAL AND STATE EDUCATION LAWS.

[02:25:03]

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH.

IT USES AN AI GENERATED UNVALIDATED CURRICULUM THAT IS NEITHER RESEARCH BASED NOR PEER REVIEWED, WHICH GOES AGAINST IDEAS PEER REVIEW REQUIREMENT.

IT ELIMINATES RESOURCE ROOMS, CO TEACHING, AND SMALL GROUP SUPPORT, FORCING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES INTO WHOLE GROUP SETTINGS AND DENYING IDEAS FIT AND LRE REQUIREMENTS.

STUDENTS EXHIBITING DISABILITY RELATED BEHAVIORS ARE REMOVED FROM CLASS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> MANDATE. I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW, AND I HAVE ONE MORE.

IT IMPOSES MINUTE BY MINUTE SCRIPTING THAT PROHIBITS ACCOMMODATION, SUCH AS EXTENDED TIME AND SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS.

SYSTEM NON IMPLEMENTATION OF IEPS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BROOK LONGORIA, AND I'M A FORMER HISD PARENT.

TWENTY YEARS AGO, HISD LEADERS CLAIMED UNPRECEDENTED ACADEMIC GAINS.

SCHOLARLY REVIEW SHOWED THOSE GAINS WERE ACHIEVED THROUGH TEST SCORE MANIPULATION, NOT SUSTAINED STUDENT LEARNING.

TODAY, MILES CLAIMS HISDS HISTORIC GAINS ARE THE BIGGEST IN US HISTORY.

SADLY, THIS IS ALL A BLUEPRINT FOR MANIPULATING RATINGS, AND MANY SCHOLARS ASSERT THAT STAR TESTING DOESN'T EVEN ADEQUATELY ASSESS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

MILES HAS NOT IMPROVED EDUCATION IN HISD.

INSTEAD, HE'S RAISED STAR SCORES BY CHANGING WHO GETS TESTED AND WHAT CLASSES KIDS CAN TAKE.

MILES TACTICS INCLUDE PULLING TOP STUDENTS OUT OF ADVANCED CLASSES, HOLDING LOW SCORING STUDENTS BACK FROM TESTING GRADES, TURNING CORE SUBJECTS INTO NONSTOP TEST PREP, AND TRAGICALLY REPLACING THOUSANDS OF EXPERIENCED TEACHERS WITH PEOPLE WHO READ FROM AI GENERATED SCRIPTS ALL DAY.

MY FRIEND RUTH WILL SHARE EXAMPLES OF THIS UNCONSCIONABLE MANIPULATION.

THIS IS A MAIN REASON WHY. [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RUTH KRAVITZ.

IN YEAR 1, MILES ONLY LET NS PRE AP STUDENTS TAKE BIOLOGY PUSHING THE REST INTO NON TESTED REMEDIAL SCIENCE.

SURE, SCORES GOT UP, WENT UP, BUT OUR KIDS LOST AP PATHWAYS.

IN YEAR 2, HE PUT TOP NINTH GRADERS IN PHYSICS BEFORE THEY'D EVEN TAKEN AN ALGEBRA.

KIDS WHO DREAMED OF BECOMING DOCTOR STARTED DOUBTING THEMSELVES.

IN MANY NS SCHOOLS, EIGHTH GRADE ALGEBRA HAS BEEN GUTTED.

ALL SCHOOLS HAVE BRIGHT STARS WHO'VE PROVEN THEY'RE READY.

HIST FORCED THEM INTO EASIER MATH, DELAYING ALGEBRA UNTIL NINTH GRADE JUST TO BOOST RATINGS.

EVEN GOOD REASON HOUSTON SAYS ALGEBRA BY EIGHTH GRADE IMPROVES COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES.

FINALLY, NS ENGLISH 1 STAR TESTERS DROPPED 27%, BUT ENROLLMENT FELL ONLY 12%.

KIDS ARE VANISHING.

THEY'RE BEING PUSHED OUT BETWEEN OCTOBER ENROLLMENT SNAPSHOT DAY AND SPRING TESTING.

THANK YOU, HIST, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND Y'ALL FOR WORKING SO HARD IN IMPOSSIBLE CONDITIONS.

YOUR EFFORTS ARE REAL, THE HISTORIC [BACKGROUND]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> I AM LIZETTE PRESWICH.

THIS IS ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 26, THE CHALLENGE COMMITTEE FOR CHALLENGES TO REMOVE BOOKS FROM LIBRARIES.

CONSIDERING BOOKS WILL BE TAKEN OFF THE SHELF AS SOON AS THE CHALLENGE IS RECEIVED, AND FOR TWO YEARS, IF APPROVED, THE COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWS AND MAKES THE FINAL DECISION TO TAKE KNOWLEDGE FROM OUR KIDS IS CRITICAL AND SHOULD INCLUDE PARENTS.

I ASK THAT YOU PREEMPTIVELY USE THE REQUIREMENTS FROM TEXAS SENATE BILL 13 FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY ADVISORY COUNCILS, WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1 OF THIS YEAR.

IT REQUIRES THAT COUNSELS BE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND A MAJORITY OF THE VOTING MEMBERS MUST BE PARENTS OF STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT WHO ARE NOT DISTRICT EMPLOYEES.

CURRENTLY, THE SUPERINTENDENT APPOINTS THE COMMITTEE AND THE PARENTS MAY OR MAY NOT BE INCLUDED.

WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY OUR LIBRARIES, A PETITION BY 50 PARENTS WILL REQUIRE THE SCHOOL BOARD CREATE THIS COUNSEL, BUT IT IS ONLY BY YOUR GOOD WILL THAT IT WILL BE DONE TIMELY AND EFFICIENTLY.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> MY NAME IS CAMILLE BRO.

OVER A YEAR AGO, I SAT THROUGH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS PITCHING BENEFITS OF NES BEFORE WE TRANSITIONED.

MORE STAFFING, FREE AFTERCARE, WITH HOMEWORK HELP, AND THE SAME FUN ACTIVITIES THAT MAKE SCHOOL EXCITING AND LET KIDS SIMPLY BE KIDS, BUT THAT PROMISE RINGS HOLLOW IN THE REALITY AFTER OUR FIRST YEAR OF NES.

[02:30:04]

WE FACED UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO WERE EVENTUALLY PUSHED OUT AND SEASONED TEACHERS BURNT OUT FROM CONSTANT CHANGES, WALK THROUGHS EVALUATIONS, AND TIME CORRECTING WORKSHEETS FROM CENTRAL.

NO ONE DARED TAKE A SICK DAY SPELLING ONLY MORE WORK FOR ALREADY STRETCHED CO WORKERS BECAUSE NES SCHOOLS DON'T ALLOW SUBSTITUTES.

CELEBRATIONS WERE ABANDONED CLASSROOMS UNTIL THE VERY LAST DAY, BECAUSE INSTRUCTION HAD TO CONTINUE, NO EXCEPTIONS.

OUR KIDS ANXIETY OVER STAR SCORES WAS RAMPANT, TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT FAILURE MEANT NOT MOVING ON TO THE NEXT GRADE.

THAT TRICKLE DOWN FEAR IS TOXIC AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE TAINTED, AND ALL THE WHILE [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> WHO IS WATCHING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

ONE DAY THE CHILDREN WILL SEE [INAUDIBLE].

>> THANK YOU.

>> [INAUDIBLE] .

>> YOUR TIME IS UP. [APPLAUSE]

>> DANA CANDIDA PARENT OF A THIRD GRADER.

PER THE LONE STAR GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK, THE BOARD EXISTS TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY'S VISION AND VALUES AND HAS PROMISED TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES.

SO FAR, THE BOARD HAS FAILED.

STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE SUFFERING.

EARLY IN THE TAKEOVER, MIKE MILES WAS GIVEN THE POWER TO SPEND UP TO $1 MILLION WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL.

SINCE THEN, HE'S FUNNELED MONEY INTO VENDORS OF HIS CHOICE AND HIS UNPROVEN NES SYSTEM.

BALLOONED HIGH SALARY ADMIN ROLLS FROM APPROXIMATELY 60 TO OVER 200 AND REPLACED 250 CAMPUS BASED WRAP AROUND SPECIALISTS CONVENIENTLY LOCATED FOR FAMILIES IN NEED WITH 48 SPECIALISTS AND EIGHT SUNRISE CENTERS.

LIBRARIES, MOSTLY IN LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN CLOSED, DEEPENING INEQUITY.

MEANWHILE, MILES MANIPULATES TEST PARTICIPATION TO INFLATE RESULTS, MISLEADING THE PUBLIC WHILE HARMING STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL AND FINANCIAL FUTURES.

THE ALARMING TEACHER TURNOVER AND THE DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT, PARTICULARLY AT NES SCHOOLS, SHOWS MIKE MILES IS BAD FOR HOUSTON.

DON'T BE COMPLICIT IN THE DISMANTLING OF HISD.

FIRE MIKE MILES. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> COULD THE REMAINING SPEAKERS MOVE TO THE FRONT ROW, PLEASE?

>> MY NAME IS LAURA HENRY.

I'M A PARENT AND A FORMER TEACHER WHO NOW TEACHES ENGLISH IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.

TODAY, I HAD A FAR TRANSFER THANK ME BECAUSE THEY LEARNED THINGS WHICH DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR THEM IN HISD.

AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER, I SEE ON LEVEL, NOT ADVANCED, BUT ON LEVEL UNDER SERVED FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS GET ADMITTED TO COLLEGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WHEN A STUDENT GETS TO BOSTON COLLEGE AND HASN'T READ MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF BOOKS OR DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GET PAST THE GOOGLE SEARCH PAGE WHEN THEY RESEARCH BECAUSE THOSE SKILLS AREN'T ON THE STAR, THAT STUDENT COMES HOME.

WHEN HISD LEAVES NON TESTED TEQUS OUT OF THE CURRICULUM, YOU AREN'T FOLLOWING THE LAW, EVEN IF YOU GET HIGHER TEST SCORES.

WHEN YOU FORCE NINTH GRADERS TO TAKE DOUBLE BLOCK STAR CLASSES AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER COURSES, THEY AREN'T COMPETITIVE WITH THEIR PEERS.

I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES FOR VALIDITY, BUT A STUDENT WHO MADE A MASTER'S IN 2024 SCORED IN THE 84TH PERCENTILE ON THE EOC1.THAT SAME STUDENT HAD TO SCORE IN THE 93RD PERCENTILE TO SHOW GROWTH IN 2025.

WE'RE GIVING KIDS IN THE 84% [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> I'M BECKY SMITH, HISD PARENT OF A FIFTH GRADER.

IN 2020, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP PUBLISHED A REPORT TITLED MIDDLE SKILLS MATTER TO GREATER HOUSTON, WHICH IDENTIFIED THE SKILLS CRITICAL TO MEET THE DEMAND IN HOUSTON'S LABOR MARKET.

THE LOWEST LEVEL REQUIRING ONLY SOME HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND ACCOUNTING FOR 24% OF THE EMPLOYMENT SHARE INCLUDED ONE, STRONG LITERACY, NUMERACY, TWO, TIME MANAGEMENT, AND THREE COMMUNICATIONS.

NON STOP TEST PREP WITH TIMERS GOING OFF EVERY FOUR MINUTES, NO PROJECTS, NO FULL NOVELS, NO STUDENT PRESENTATIONS, IS NOT A CURRICULUM THAT TEACHES EVEN THESE LOWEST LEVEL SKILLS.

ANY KID WHO ATTENDS A TEST PREP COURSE FOR THE SAT OR THE STAR WILL SHOW IMPROVEMENT ON THAT TEST.

IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT EXCELLING AT MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS PREDICTS COLLEGE OR CAREER SUCCESS, WILL JUST BLESS YOUR HEARTS.

THAT'S MY DEAR DEPARTED, LONG TIME TEACHER MOTHER'S GENTLE WAY OF SAYING, YOU'RE WRONG.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> HELLO, I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THIS WAY BECAUSE MARTY, LAUREN, AND MARCUS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACTUALLY LISTENING.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOUR COLLEAGUES DON'T DO, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SHUTOUT FOR THAT.

I WANTED TO MARTY, YOU ASKED MILES EARLIER,

[02:35:01]

I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER THERE FOR TEN YEARS.

FIRST YEAR OF THE MIRACULOUS NES PROGRAM.

WE WENT FROM AN F TO AN A AS WELL.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S A SCAM.

WHAT HAPPENED IN REALITY WAS THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS GOT PUSHED OUT, SO WE WENT FROM HAVING 68 UNHOUSED CHILDREN TO DOWN TO THREE.

THAT'S ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN GO FROM AN F TO AN A.

ANOTHER THING THAT ALSO, LAUREN, I SAW YOU GOT REALLY EXCITED WHEN MILES TALKED ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> YOUR TIME'S UP.

>> [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IN A MINUTES A MINUTE.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> YOU'RE DONE NOW.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>> SARA RIVLIN.

>> HI, I'M SARA RIVLIN.

I'M A FORMER HISD TEACHER.

DID YOU KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF NES HIGH SCHOOLS ARE NOT GIVING THEIR STUDENTS ONE TO ONE LAPTOPS THIS YEAR? OUR POWER IT GUY WAS LAID OFF WHEN WE WENT NES AND NOW NO ONE IS MAINTAINING THE LAPTOPS THAT WE DID HAVE AND THEY ARE NOT BEING REPLACED.

THERE ARE OTHER BASIC SERVICES THAT NES HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE NOT RECEIVING THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING BEFORE THE TAKEOVER.

ONE, HELP WITH COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS.

TWO, A CONSISTENT SPORTS SCHEDULE BECAUSE STADIUMS RECEIVE NEEDED REPAIRS.

THREE, EXPERIENCE READING ROMEO AND JULIET AND OTHER LITERARY CLASSICS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.

FOUR, TEACHERS WHO KNOW THEM ALL FOUR YEARS.

HISD HAS BECOME A DISTRICT UNABLE TO PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS WITH THE MOST BASIC OF SERVICES.

WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT?

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> NOW WE'RE MOVING TO SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.

JESSICA CATER. YOU MAY BEGIN.

>> [INAUDIBLE] CLAIMING STUDENTS TAKING A PRE GAME, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS BASED ON DATA, CHERRY PICK PROMOTED NARRATIVE NOT TO TELL THE FULL STORY AND SO I ASKED, WHY IS THIS WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE GOING? AT A TIME WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE LOSING FUNDING, YOU'RE SPENDING MONEY ON DECEPTIVE SELF CONGRATULATORY MARKETING.

THAT ISN'T PROGRESS.

IT'S MISDIRECTION.

THIS KIND OF WASTE IS EXACTLY WHY I VOTED AGAINST THE BOND.

NOT BECAUSE I DON'T CARE ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS, BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST YOU TO BE A RESPONSIBLE STEWARD FOR OUR RESOURCES.

WE ARE NOT FOOLED BY BILLBOARDS.

WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE SEE WHERE THE MONEY ISN'T GOING.

WE DESERVE LEADERSHIP THAT PUTS STUDENTS FIRST, NOT SELF PROMOTION.

UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS INSTANCE, THE POLITICS OF ADULTS HAVE BEAT OUT THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> DR. PAMELA BOVELAND. GO AHEAD.

>> I'M DR. PAMELA BOVELAND AND I AM HERE TO RECITE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU WANT TO STAY ON THIS BOARD.

THOU SHALL NOT ASK OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA.

Y'ALL CAME PRETTY CLOSE TONIGHT.

SHALL SMILE AND NOD, YES, TO ELIMINATING STAFF AND BENEFITS.

THOU SHALT NOT QUESTION HOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE AWARDS A BASE PAY INCREASE THAT IS NOT GIVEN TO CERTIFIED TEACHERS BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE.

THOU SHALT NOT LISTEN TO OR SPEAK TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY.

THOU SHALT NOT READ OR DISCUSS QUESTIONS ABOUT THIRD FUTURES NETWORK.

THOU SHALT NOT ASK ABOUT A NUMBER OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS VERSUS NON CERTIFIED TEACHERS, THOU SHALT NOT SPEAK OF AN AUDIT OF THE DIET PROGRAMS. THOU SHALL NEVER EVER MENTION SPIN BIKES.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] DR. MARIA BENZON, YOU MAY BEGIN.

>> HI. MY NAME IS DR. MARIA BENZON, FORMER HISD TEACHER, CURRENT HISD PARENT,

[02:40:02]

REMOVING PAID LEAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS, CONSULTATION, AND EMPLOYMENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION IS MORE THAN A SMALL POLICY.

IT'S A STATEMENT ABOUT HOW WE VALUE EMPLOYEES.

GOOD LEADERS KNOW THAT WHEN STAFF TAKE PART IN PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATIONS OR RESOLVE WORKPLACE DISPUTES.

THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A STRONGER, MORE TRANSPARENT, AND MORE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THAT TIME ISN'T "TIME OFF".

IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND COLLABORATION, THINGS EVERY HIGH FUNCTIONING ORGANIZATION NEEDS.

BY STRIKING THESE ITEMS, YOU CREATE A CULTURE WHERE EMPLOYEES FEEL DISCOURAGED FROM ENGAGING IN PROCESSES THAT CAN IMPROVE THE DISTRICT.

DON'T PUNISH STAFF FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING.

VALUE THEIR TIME, VALUE THEIR VOICE.

THEY ARE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

>> THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS IN ZOOM.

>> ARE WE DONE? EMILY, THAT'S THAT IT. A ARE ALL THE ZOOM IS DONE.

GREAT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF SPEAKERS, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION OF THE BOARD MONITORING GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE 1,

[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS (Part 2 of 2)]

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THOSE BOARD MONITORING UPDATES OF GOAL 1? PROGRESS MEASURES 1.1, 1.2, AND 1.3, AND PROGRESS MEASURES GOAL TWO AND PROGRESS MEASURES 2.1, 2.2 AND 2.3.

YOU HIT MY COMPUTER TO YOUR COMPUTER BACK? YOU MAY HAVE TO LOG IN TO.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO LOG IN LIKE I DO.

THE PASSWORD IS ON YOUR KEYBOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE OR NOT.

WE HAVE THE MOTION PASSES, NINE IN FAVOR.

NEXT, WE'LL CONSIDER THE ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

BOARD POLICY REQUIRES BOARD MEMBERS TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL DISCUSSIONS OF VOTES PERTAINING TO CONTRACTS MIGHT INVOLVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

BOARD POLICY BB FA LOCAL DEFINES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OF ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD CAST DOUBT ON THE BOARD MEMBERS ABILITY TO ACT WITH TOTAL OBJECTIVITY WITH REGARD TO THIS DISTRICT'S INTEREST.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS?

[CONSENT AGENDA]

VOTING IS CLOSED. THE MOTION PASSES 9-0.

WE ARE NOW GOING TO AT THIS TIME

[RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTIONS 551.004 THROUGH 551.089 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE PURPOSES LISTED IN THIS NOTICE]

SHOULD BOARD FINAL ACTION, VOTE OR DECISION ON ANY MATTER CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED SESSION BE REQUIRED? SUCH FINAL A VOTE OR DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN IN AN OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE UPON RECONVENING THE PUBLIC MEETING OR AT A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD UPON NOTICE THEREOF, THE BOARD IS RECESSED TO CLOSE SESSION AT 7:50 P.M. AUGUST 14TH, 2025.

07:50 PM. GOOD EVENING.

[RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION]

ON AUGUST 14, 2025.

WE'RE READY TO CONSIDER ITEMS DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED SESSION WE DON'T HAVE.

[CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON MATTERS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION]

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION SOON.

MAKE SURE YOUR COMPUTERS ARE ON BOARD MEMBERS.

IS THERE A MOTION COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION?

>> BOARD MEMBER GROS?

>> YES. JUST A MOMENT. THANK YOU.

[02:45:03]

>> NOW, WE'RE STREAMING. WE SHOULD BE GOOD.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> THANK YOU. YES, I HAVE ONE MOTION, MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD TERMINATES THE PERFORMANCE CONTRACT OF KEITH GARCIA, FORMER P ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AND AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO GIVE NOTICE OF SAME ON THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.

>> IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

THE MOTION PASSES NINE TO ZERO.

THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2025.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS.

THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AT 9:06 PM. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.