Houston ISD Maintains B Rating for Second Year, Shows Progress Under State Control

Houston Independent School District (HISD) has maintained its B rating for the second year in a row, marking continued progress under state control. The district’s latest rating follows three consecutive C ratings before the state of Texas intervened in 2023. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the statewide accountability ratings on Thursday, highlighting HISD’s steady improvement since the takeover. ## Wheatley High School Achieves A Rating for First Time Wheatley High School, which played a pivotal role in triggering the state’s takeover due to seven consecutive F ratings, has now earned an A rating. This achievement comes after years of improvement under state oversight, with the school moving from a D in 2023 to a B in 2024. Trey Serna, a spokesman for HISD, described the gains as "significant." The district has also seen a notable increase in the number of A and B-rated schools, rising from 197 in 2024-25 to 205 in 2025-26. Conversely, the number of schools rated D or F has dropped sharply from 120 at the start of the takeover to just 13 in the latest ratings. However, the state reported five failing schools this year, up from zero in 2024-25. ## Progress in Closing Achievement Gaps HISD received a B rating for its progress in closing achievement gaps between its highest and lowest-performing students. The district’s score for this benchmark dipped slightly from 85 to 84, but the overall trend remains positive. The state’s takeover of HISD, one of the most ambitious and initially controversial in the nation, has sparked ongoing debates about school improvement strategies, community involvement, and the balance between local and state control. ## New Education System Shows Strong Results A key component of Houston’s turnaround is its New Education System (NES) schools, which undergo systemic reforms rather than incremental changes. These schools feature: - An innovative staffing model. - High-quality, consistent instruction. - Higher salaries and differentiated compensation based on subject and performance. - Additional resources, including critical thinking and problem-solving courses. - Specialty classes taught by community members, such as fitness, music, fine arts, and hands-on science. - Free field trips for middle school students. Within a year of the takeover, test scores for students in NES schools nearly doubled the district average. The number of NES schools has grown from over 80 to 130 by 2024-25, with Wheatley High School among them. James Johnson, an assistant principal at Wheatley, credited the NES system for providing the necessary structure and resources, emphasizing the importance of community buy-in for successful transformation. ## State Extends Takeover Despite Progress State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles has long been cautiously optimistic about HISD’s progress. In 2025, he acknowledged the district’s upward trajectory after multiple benchmarks showed improvement. However, despite these gains, the TEA announced in 2025 that the takeover would be extended until at least June 1, 2027. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath stated that while Houston ISD is making strides, two years is insufficient to address decades of systemic issues. Community attitudes toward the takeover have shifted significantly. A winter 2025-26 survey, with a 26% response rate, found that 90% of families viewed HISD favorably. As Houston looks toward a potential exit from state control, other Texas districts face similar challenges. Austin ISD is at risk of takeover due to two schools receiving their fifth consecutive F ratings, while Fort Worth ISD will begin its first full year under state control in 2026-27. These developments reflect broader national trends amid COVID-19 recovery and budget constraints.