The details
The extension is coming roughly two years after the TEA initiated the takeover of the district in June 2023, which included the appointment of Superintendent Mike Miles and the district’s board of managers.
According to the news release, the decision to extend the takeover is coming after TEA officials reviewed a comprehensive evaluation of the district’s progress since being taken over by the state.
"Ultimately, two years has not been enough time to fix district systems that were broken for decades," Morath said in the news release. "The extension of this intervention will allow the district to build on its progress and achieve lasting success for students once the board transitions back to elected leadership."
Morath also announced the replacement of four of the state-appointed board managers, which went into effect June 1.
A closer look
According to the news release, Morath said HISD has made significant academic gains since the state took over the district. However, he said he believed additional improvement is needed.
Additional goals Morath cited for the district moving forward include:
- Having no school campuses with failing accountability scores across multiple years
- Continued compliance with special education requirements
- Improved school board governance
While HISD hasn’t received any official accountability ratings since the takeover due to pending litigation, district officials have reported gains based on internal metrics they say align with the state’s rating system.
According to unofficial ratings, the number of A-rated and B-rated campuses increased from 93 in 2023 to 170 in 2024. Additionally, 41 HISD campuses earned D or F ratings in 2024, compared to 121 campuses that earned D or F ratings in 2023.
Also of note
Morath also announced the replacement of four of the state-appointed board managers in the news release. The outgoing board managers include Cassandra Bandy, Rolando Martinez, Audrey Momanaee and Adam Rivon.
According to the news release, the following four individuals have been appointed to serve on the board:
- Edgar Colón, a Houston-area lawyer who has served as chair of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation and the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Lauren Gore, a Harvard law graduate who was appointed to the Texas Southern University Board of Regents in 2024
- Marty Goossen, retired vice chair of J.P. Morgan Private Bank and former board member for Asia Society Texas, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and United Way of Greater Houston
- Marcos Rosales, a trial lawyer and partner at Beck Redden LLP who previously served on HISD’s Community Advisory Committee
Several education-based organizations have spoken out both in favor and against the extended takeover since Morath’s announcement.
Cary Wright—CEO of Good Reason Houston, a nonpartisan education nonprofit aimed at creating more equitable education outcomes—said he believes the district has made significant gains in the last two years.
“HISD is now improving student outcomes at a faster rate than any peer district in Texas,” Wright said in a June 2 news release. “We’ve seen the progress. Now, we have to keep going.”
Veronica Garcia, executive director for Houstonians for Great Public Schools, noted that while progress has been made, she believes district leadership needs to work more closely with the public to create more trust within the community.
“The path forward must include deeper, more transparent engagement with the communities that HISD serves,” Garcia said in a June 2 news release. "Families, educators and students deserve to be part of shaping the decisions that affect their schools and their futures. Real transformation will require collaboration.”
What’s next
Morath said he would provide a timeline for the district’s transition back to its elected trustees around June 1, 2027, according to the news release. Once the transition begins, the TEA will replace one-third of the appointed board with elected trustees every year until all nine elected trustees are seated.
