The details
Board managers were originally scheduled to vote on ending the programs at Heights, Kashmere, Northside and Waltrip high schools during the board’s Dec. 11 meeting before opting to table the vote until Jan. 15.
While the programs will be phased out of the campuses beginning in the 2026-27 school year, HISD Chief Academic Officer Kristen Hole said interested students would still be able to take the courses at the Barbara Jordan Career Center, which is located between 2 and 8 miles from each campus.
“All of those students would still be able to access all of the programs at Barbara Jordan, including many, many new ones that we'll be adding to the space,” Hole said.
The center offers 16 vocational programs, including automotive technology, welding, and culinary skills. Hole said the district is in the process of expanding the Barbara Jordan Career Center to include additional programming space for health care, cybersecurity, robotics and other trade programs.
“As we move forward, what we're really committed to doing is making sure all students in HISD, can access high-wage, high-demand programs that align to the future of work,” Hole said.
District officials noted the changes will not affect current students.
A closer look
According to agenda documents, each of the four high schools is set to phase out its graphic design programs. Additionally, Waltrip High School will phase out its digital communications program.
Hole noted the removal of the programs will not affect the schools’ status as magnet campuses. Heights High School will maintain its status as a computer technology magnet campus by continuing to offer digital communications and web development programs.
Kashmere will maintain its status as a fine arts and STEM magnet campus through various course offerings, according to agenda documents. Northside will keep its media magnet status through culinary arts and digital communication programming. Waltrip will continue to be a research and technology magnet through engineering course offerings.
Hole said the program shutdown is coming through an effort to provide students with more opportunities to gain higher-wage employment after graduation.
“From a living-wage perspective, [graphic design] was significantly lower than the other programs,” Hole said. “The number of open jobs in the Houston market also did not meet the threshold that we would want to ensure students can get a job when they leave us.”
What they’re saying
More than 70 individuals signed up to speak at the board’s Jan. 15 meeting, with many of those individuals voicing concerns over the district’s plan to phase out the programs.
Aubrey Barr, a student at Northside High School, said she believed the decision showed a lack of support for many students’ concerns.
“Cutting programs instead of fixing problems tells students loud and clear that their passion and their growth don't matter,” Barr said.
Erin Hasbrouck, a parent of two current students at Heights High School, said she fears the removal of the programs might lead to more teachers leaving the district.
“My family has seen firsthand what happens when HISD sunsets a program,” Hasbrouck said. “Resources become limited, and teachers leave. ... What reason do highly skilled teachers have to stay at Heights [High School] when they know their time is limited?”
