A Tough Rainy Day for the HISD Superintendent Mike Miles and His Board of Managers [UPDATED]

“The district wants to clarify prior communication regarding the use of the proficiency screener. The proficiency screener rating will not be used in the evaluation of principals or other campus administrators in any adverse employment decisions for 2023-2024.

“The Superintendent will continue to use instructional data and student achievement data in the exercise of the discretion outlined in board policy DNB (LOCAL): “When relevant to the decision, written evaluations of a professional employee’s performance, as documented to date, and any other information the administration determines to be appropriate shall be considered in decisions affecting contract status.”

Original story

One hundred fifty Houston residents signed up to speak at Thursday night’s Houston ISD board meeting and even with storms moving through the area, most of them showed, carried along by their anger at Superintendent Mike Miles’ principal screenings.

That wasn’t the only thing they were objecting to but everything else was an also-ran to outrage about a list of principals told they were not measuring up. The list was leaked to the Houston Chronicle which published it online but later took it down after Miles threatened to sue and the Chron said it was told some names on the list shouldn’t be there.

The list also included the names of 124 principals told them were doing fine. Miles said earlier in the week that the 117 principals on notice weren’t all going to be fired at the end of the year and that they had the second semester to pick up their game.

But the fact that principals in some of the district’s top schools were in apparent jeopardy finally motivated some parts of the community that had previously been complacent about the changes Miles is installing throughout the district. Changes that affect more schools than just those in his New Education System about to be expanded to 130 campuses in the 2024-25 school year.

The board didn’t get through the lengthy experience unscathed either. Speakers not only railed against the state-appointed  Miles, some threatening that they would not support an expected fall bond issue as long as he is superintendent, but repeatedly criticized the board for going along with his policies. or “cashing his checks” as one speaker put it. 

Parents and students from the highly regarded Carnegie Vanguard High School turned out in force, to support their principal Ramon Moss and express their disbelief that their school’s principal was on the list. 

Several  speakers said they’d previously been supportive of what Miles was trying to do, knowing that there was a significant need for change in the low-performing schools in the district. What they really couldn’t understand was why Miles is making it a priority to go after the A and B schools in the district.

Several characterized his management style as being full of “bullying” and “intimidation” which then trickles down to his top lieutenants. Parent Jessica Ross, a former teacher and secondary science curriculum writer for HISD  who worked in  Kashmere and Wheatley high schools and Thomas Middle school, said:

“I am truly disturbed by the approach of Mike Miles and the board. We are all aware that HISD needed additional support. but this fear based one-size-fits all approach for a district as diverse as HISD is not only in direct contradiction to findings of basic research and pedagogy but a blatant attempt to deconstruct public education but extinguishing the passion, individualism, joy and sense of community and mutual respect that was making these struggling campuses start to excel. Fear is not a oath forward and we need to call this what it is: bullying.”

Jeffrey Fox describing himself as “a parent and I’m angry” decried Miles’ bell curve approach to principal retention, which calls for the lowest 10 percent of principals to be removed every year. He labelled it an arbitrary approach that forces a number of principals to be fired regardless of whether performance goals are achieved.

“This flaw is demonstrated by the fact that leaders at some of the highest performing schools in Houston have been targeted removal. Destabilizing high achieving schools in order to expand the flawed NES regime is a cynical tactic rooted in bad faith. Holding principals accountable for school performance is reasonable but if a school achieves the performance benchmark no matter how many other schools also achieve that benchmark that school’s leadership should not have to fear being fired.

“HISD needs change. But this scheme designed to score political points in Austin at the expense of our children’s education is not the way.”

Christine  O’Neal, speaking on behalf of her middle school daughter  Tallulah, “I think that its unfair and unethical that my principal be punished for not embracing tactics that weren’t approved by the board in the first place. HISD is in danger if  we won’t allow these amazing teachers, principals and staff to continue doing the jobs that they are already excelling at.

“I have completely lost trust in Superintendent Miles. I’m angry and sad and I’m losing hope.”

Several speakers including parent and attorney Al Durrell, questioned whether the principal screenings in which principals were assessed on student test scores and a committee’s drop in visits, were even legal. The board never approved the “proficiency screening” that was added by Miles after previous discussion of how teachers and principals should be evaluated.

The lengthy night meeting was all in keeping with the tone of the day for the superintendent and its board. Earlier in the day, Miles held his State of the District at the Marriott Hotel downtown where protesters gathered outside in the rain and three people interrupted his speech inside and were escorted out of the room.

In the board comments at the end of the lengthy night meeting, only board member Rolando Martinez mentioned the controversy, saying “I want to thank the community members who were here today. It was a long meeting but it’s essential, it’s part of the process. People always ask how do you hold us accountable. This is one measure, one way you hold us accountable so I appreciate the feedback that you all provide and it’s our job to make sure we’re open and communicating with the community so that you clearly understand the decisions and why they’re being made. So thank you for being patient with us today.”

For the rest, it was as if any of the events of the day and what they’d just heard from the public had never happened.