In the 2026-27 school year, more Houston ISD schools could gain freedom to customize curriculum, scheduling, budgeting, staffing and more under a new management framework that Superintendent Mike Miles presented to the district’s board of managers April 9.

The gist

HISD has used a New Education System, or NES model, at 130 low-performing campuses since officials appointed by the Texas Education Agency took over the district in 2023, as previously reported by Community Impact. While teachers at NES campuses are required to adhere to a district-approved curriculum and instructional model, they have access to additional resources, including regular coaching, teacher apprentices and support staff, Miles said in August.

During the board of managers’ April 9 regular meeting, Miles presented a new five-level framework for managing schools in the district, based on how well a campus performs with the TEA’s A-F accountability ratings. The new framework would allow high-scoring schools to have more control over campus operations, while still using an NES model for low-scoring schools, according to the presentation.

“We didn’t have earned autonomy, we had defined autonomy. … We’re moving to an earned autonomy framework,” Miles said. “Now that we’ve had three years of data and instructional focus, we can move forward.”

The current framework at HISD includes four levels of autonomy for schools, but the new model would expand areas of autonomy that can be earned, according to the presentation.

“There’s little autonomy for schools that don’t do well academically for kids,” Miles said.

The board took no action on Miles’ presentation. However, he said the plan is for the framework to be implemented in the 2026-27 school year.

Diving deeper

According to Miles’ presentation, the new framework includes features such as:

“Full autonomy” for Level 5 schools—which include campuses that received four consecutive “A” ratings—and Level 4 schools—which would be campuses with three “A” ratings and one “B” ratingAcademic achievement gap requirements—for racial minority groups and special education—for schools with more autonomyRemember this?

On March 26, HISD’s board of managers unanimously approved Senate Bill 1882 partnerships between five nonprofits, four high-performing high schools and a district prekindergarten program, as previously reported by Community Impact. If also approved by the TEA, the partnerships would give the schools more control over curriculum, hiring, assessments, calendars and more.

On April 9, Miles said the district may eventually allow middle and elementary schools to apply for the board of managers’ approval on SB 1882 partnerships. Under the new framework, Level 5 schools would also be allowed to apply for SB 1882 partnerships.

Notable quote

Board Vice President Angela Lemond Flowers expressed concern that granting too many schools autonomy under SB 1882 partnerships could make managing the district difficult.

“I’m trying to think long-term about this and what we’re saying. … So then a board would have to manage enumerable other boards, so I don’t see how that’s setting us up for success,” Flowers said.