On March 26, four Houston ISD high schools and a prekindergarten program will be considered for a state-funded partnership initiative that will give the schools more control over curriculum, hiring, assessments and calendars.

The overview

During the March 26 special meeting, HISD’s board of managers will consider whether four high-performing high schools and a district pre-K program can partner with various nonprofits to apply for Senate Bill 1882’s program. SB 1882 was approved by state lawmakers in 2017 and allows districts to partner with open-enrollment charter schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofits or government entities to help manage schools, as previously reported by Community Impact.

According to HISD’s March 19 presentation on the proposal, the partnerships that will be considered are:

The partnerships must also be approved by the Texas Education Agency if HISD’s board of managers approves them.

“They’re not charters, they’re not private schools—they are our schools … It will help our kids thrive, but it will also give those schools even more opportunity to innovate and change with the changing world,” Superintendent Mike Miles said during HISD’s regular meeting March 19.

The specifics

Approved schools would gain increased autonomy over curriculum, assessments, calendars, staffing, hiring and evaluation, as previously reported. Participating campuses would still receive access to district services like transportation and food services.

Schools participating in this program could receive $1,200-$1,400 more state funding per student, HISD staff said March 19.

All four high schools pursuing SB 1882 partnerships received A ratings for the TEA’s A-F accountability ratings for school years 2021-25, according to HISD’s March 19 presentation. In order to continue to participate in the program, the schools must maintain their A ratings and improve student outcomes.

Schools in the program will be required to show less than a 25% achievement gap between racial groups on English-language arts and math State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exams, as previously reported. Score gaps will also need to be reduced for students who are at risk, needing special education assistance and who require Emergent Bilingual curriculum, according to HISD’s March 19 presentation.

“One of the things about autonomy is you have to give [schools] the right to fail,” Miles said. “If you want to have total autonomy, you have to let them do it. … [HISD’s board of managers] will govern through a performance contract. They have to meet the outcome. But you … can’t hold their hands too much, and I’m sure they don’t want their hand held. So, you have to let them do what they believe is the right way to govern for their board. Obviously, within the law.”

HISD’s board of managers was originally slated to vote on the partnerships March 19, but the decision was delayed.

What students are saying

Isaac Hernandez, a senior at The Energy Institute, expressed his support for the SB 1882 partnership proposed for the schools. Hernandez said the partnership would continue to foster hands-on learning and community project opportunities at Energy for future students.

“As a student who has spent the last four years learning and creating at Energy, I am here to support Energy moving forward with an 1882 partnership, because it protects the opportunities that shaped who I am today. … An 1882 partnership ensures future students will continue to have the same freedom to explore, create and grow,” Hernandez said.

Wesley Gardner contributed to this report.