“I have been voicing my unwavering opposition to the potential state takeover of Houston Independent School District (HISD) for years. The situation at HISD that initiated the takeover has changed drastically. From the voters overturning the board of trustees to improving academic performance district-wide, HISD is on a new track of success.

“The school that initiated this process, Wheatley High School, has come a long way and is now out of Improvement Required status and has been making strides on student success.

“We need to face the facts. Historically, state takeovers have failed to improve school districts financially or academically, and they come with a hefty price in terms of money, resources and staffing. The fact that our public education system isn’t fully funded begs the question, can the state even afford to do this? In addition, the timing of this is also bothersome because a state takeover would mean major disruptions in the middle of a school year as students are preparing for the STAAR Test, not to mention the numerous of other problems that come with a takeover.

“I have been working tirelessly to ensure HISD continues down its path of success while working with stakeholders and state and local leaders. The local community changed the leadership at the ballot box, and that leadership set a new direction. Superintendent Millard House II took the helm of HISD in 2021 and has made momentous improvements that have resulted in schools improving and students succeeding. The fact of the matter is that HISD students are scoring as competitively as other students in Texas. HISD’s overall TEA rating score is higher than other large Texas school districts like Dallas ISD, San Antonio ISD and El Paso ISD. Let’s keep this train moving, without costly obstacles to hinder HISD’s progress.”