Fort Bend ISD approved a turnaround plan for Hightower High School and improvement plans for 15 schools to boost academic results.
The overview
The district unanimously approved one turnaround plan, which is the more intense intervention plan, for Hightower High School to improve its academic performance through enhanced lessons, targeted support and post-graduation preparation.
The state requires districts to create turnaround plans for campuses after two consecutive years of unacceptable accountability ratings, which are letter grades the state gives campuses to evaluate their overall academic performance, per the Texas Education Agency website.
This year, Hightower received its fourth consecutive D, which the agency classifies as unacceptable, while the district retained its overall B rating, according to the agency’s website. The plan still needs approval from the state.
The framework
Hightower staff will focus on providing quality instruction and intervention practices, which can include after-hours tutorials, monthly Saturday school and small-group work, according to the approved plan. Chief Academic Officer Matt Warford said it also includes collaborative teacher planning and coaching feedback.
The plan also focuses on closing gaps in the Hispanic student group’s performance since the group is identified for federal Additional Targeted Support, Warford said.
District officials will continue reviewing student progress data throughout the year and implementing intervention methods designed to help each student, according to the approved plan.
Goals of the plan include:
Strengthening core classroom instruction
Improving performance across all five End-of-Course exams
Increasing college, career and military readiness
Improving Hispanic student performance
What else?
The state also requires districts to create improvement plans, which are more standard intervention programs, for any school that receives an unacceptable rating.
Board members approved a targeted improvement plan for Willowridge High School, which went from an F to a C this year.
Officials also approved a local improvement plan for Crockett, Hodges Bend and Sugar Land middle schools, along with 11 elementary schools, including:
Aldridge
Armstrong
Burton
Henry
Goodman
Heritage Rose
Lantern Lane
Meadows
Mission
Ridgemont
Rosa Parks
The background
Hightower already had a targeted improvement plan in 2025–26, but it escalated to the turnaround plan this year because of its consecutive D ratings, Warford said.
Last year, the state approved a turnaround plan for at least three middle schools. This year, two of them improved from an F to a D and one stayed at a D rating.
Looking ahead
The campus must submit the plan to the state for approval by Nov. 20.
If Hightower does not receive a C rating or higher over the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years, it will continue with a turnaround plan under state monitoring, Warford said.
