Houston Independent School District

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The Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center
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The Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center
The first Hattie Mae White Administration Building. It has been sold and has been demolished. The building has been replaced by the new Hattie Mae White Administration Building.
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The first Hattie Mae White Administration Building. It has been sold and has been demolished. The building has been replaced by the new Hattie Mae White Administration Building.

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States.[1] Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities.

In the 2004–2005 school year, HISD had 302 campuses, approximately 209,000 students and over 12,000 teachers. With over 30,000 employees, HISD is one of the largest employers in the city of Houston.

HISD is highly regarded for the bilingual education of its predominantly Hispanic student body (including recruiting teachers from Mexico, Spain, and Central and South America) and its magnet (Performing Arts, Science, Health Professions, Law Enforcement, etc) High Schools are considered a model for other urban school districts as a way to provide a high quality education and keep top performing students in the inner city from fleeing to private schools or exurban school districts.

Contents

[edit] History

Houston ISD was established in the 1920s, after the Texas Legislature voted to separate school and municipal governments. Houston ISD replaced the Harrisburg School District.

Houston ISD absorbed portions of the White Oak Independent School District in 1937.

Houston ISD was desegregated by 1970. Some Hispanics felt they were being discriminated against when they were being put with only African Americans as part of the desegregation plan, so many took their children out of the schools and put them in "huelgas," or protest schools, until a ruling in 1973 satisfied their demands.

[edit] Secession movements

In 1977, group of citizens in western Houston tried to form Westheimer Independent School District out of a portion of Houston ISD. The United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit rejected [2] the appeals after formation of the district was denied.

HISD once served the Harris County portion of Stafford, until the Stafford Municipal School District was established in 1982 to serve the entire city of Stafford. Most of Stafford was in Fort Bend ISD, with a miniscule amount in Houston ISD.

[edit] Hurricane Katrina

In 2005, HISD enrolled evacuees from the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina who were residing in Houston. The Houston Astrodome, the shelter used for hurricane evacuees, is located within the HISD boundaries.

Many Katrina evacuees stayed for the long term within the Houston ISD boundaries. Walnut Bend Elementary School's enrollment jumped from around 600 to around 800 with the addition of 184 evacuees; Walnut Bend, out of all of the Houston-area elementary schools, has taken in the most Katrina victims [3]. Nearby Paul Revere Middle School, located in the Westchase district, gained 137 Katrina victims. Revere, out of all of the Houston-area middle schools, has taken in the most Katrina victims.

Houston ISD's "West Region," which includes Walnut Bend and Revere, has about 1/5th of Houston ISD's schools but contained more than half of the 5,500 evacuees in Houston schools.

At the start of the 2006-2007 school year, around 2,900 Hurricane Katrina evacuees were still enrolled in Houston ISD schools [4]. Around 700 of them were held back due to poor academic performance. 41% of evacuee 10th graders and 52% of evacuee juniors were held back.

[edit] Enrollment figures

The fall enrollment for the 2006-2007 school year (203,163) had 7,000 less students than the 2005-2006 student enrollment (210,202), resulting a more than 3% loss; the 2006-2007 enrollment was a 2.5% decrease from the fall 2004-2005 enrollment (208,454) [5].

The West and Central regions lost the most people, with a combined 4,400 student loss.


[edit] Controversies

[edit] Reporting of school violence

A 2003 New York Times report that alleges that HISD is not reporting school violence to the police created controversy in the community as teachers, students, and parents expressed concern about the district's downplaying of campus violence.

[edit] School performance

A 2003 state audit of HISD's performance caused more controversy. One of the district's most publicized accomplishments during the Paige era was a dramatic reduction in dropout rates. When 16 secondary schools, including Sharpstown High School, were audited, it was found that most of the students who left school from those schools in 2000-2001 should have been counted as dropouts, but were not. It was found that the administrators at Sharpstown deliberately changed the dropout rate at the school. The Sharpstown controversy resulted in a recommendation to label the entire HISD as "unacceptable." Former Sharpstown assistant principal Robert Kimball asserts that HISD coerced administrators at many schools to lie on dropout rates. HISD asserts that the fraud is only contained to Sharpstown, and that the false statistics at other schools were caused by confusion related to the state's system of tracking students who leave school.

[edit] New district organization

Prior to Summer 2005, HISD had 13 administrative districts [6].

Originally, the number of districts were to be cut to three [7], but HISD decided on cutting the number to five [8].

[edit] New administration building

Houston ISD's administration building from since July 1970 to March 2006, the Hattie Mae White Administration Building (located at 3830 Richmond Avenue), was labelled the "Taj Mahal" due to the confusing layout of the complex. The 201,150 square foot complex cost six million United States dollars. The building had tropical indoor atriums, causing critics to criticize the spending priorities of the district. When the district considered cutting a popular kindergarten program for financial reasons, taxpayers voted many board members out of office.

The administration moved into a new complex in northwest Houston (located at 4400 West 18th Street) in spring 2006. The district sold the old complex for to a company which plans to demolish the site and developed mixed-use commercial property for $38 million; demolition began on September 14, 2006. Demolition crews demolished Will Rogers Elementary School, an adjacent elementary school located at 3101 Weslayan that closed in spring 2006.

Houston ISD named the new administration building "Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center" [9].

[edit] Governance

A Hewlett-Packard Compaq computer and a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet 5740 printer owned by Houston ISD
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A Hewlett-Packard Compaq computer and a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet 5740 printer owned by Houston ISD

The current superintendent of Houston ISD is Abelardo Saavedra.

The members of the Board of Education are:

  • President: Diana Dávila (District VIII)
  • First Vice President: Manuel Rodríguez, Jr (District III)
  • Second Vice President: Harvin C. Moore (District VII)
  • Secretary: Arthur M. Gaines, Jr. (District IV)
  • Assistant Secretary: Greg Meyers (District VI)

Other members include: Natasha M. Kamrani (District I), Kevin H. Hoffman (District II), Dianne Johnson (District V), and Lawrence Marshall (District IX).

[edit] Superintendents

Rod Paige, former Houston ISD Superintendent
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Rod Paige, former Houston ISD Superintendent

Former HISD superintendent Rod Paige pushed the district into new heights with the PEER Program. Improving scores from its schools have caused a lot of praise from others nationwide. Kaye Stripling took over when Rod Paige headed to Washington, DC as part of United States President George W. Bush's administration cabinet. After Stripling stepped down as the interim Superintendent, Abelardo Saavedra became the superintendent of the district on December 9, 2004.

[edit] Political divisions

Schools in Houston ISD are organized into "Regional Districts". Each district has its own Regional Superintendent.

There are five regional districts in Houston ISD:

  • Central Regional District
  • East Regional District
  • North Regional District
  • South Regional District
  • West Regional District

[edit] Houston ISD television channel

Houses in the Houston ISD area get the Houston ISD channel on cable [10].

[edit] HISD coverage area

Lamar High School is Houston ISD's largest high school
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Lamar High School is Houston ISD's largest high school
Bellaire High School is Houston ISD's second largest high school
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Bellaire High School is Houston ISD's second largest high school

The district covers most of the greater-Houston area, including all of the cities of Bellaire, West University Place, Southside Place, and most of the area within the Houston city limits. HISD also takes in students from the Harris County portion of Missouri City, a portion of Jacinto City, a small portion of Hunters Creek Village, a small portion of Piney Point Village, and a small portion of Pearland. HISD also takes students from unincorporated areas of Harris County. The district covers 300.2 square miles of land.

All of the HISD area lies within the taxation area for the Houston Community College System.

[edit] Cities

Houston ISD covers all of the following municipalities:

Houston ISD covers portions of the following municipalities:

[edit] Transportation

A Houston ISD CE300 school bus made by IC Corporation; the bus is one of 120 new school buses delivered to Houston ISD fleet in 2006 [1].
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A Houston ISD CE300 school bus made by IC Corporation; the bus is one of 120 new school buses delivered to Houston ISD fleet in 2006 [1].

Houston ISD grants school bus transportation to any Houston ISD resident attending his or her zoned school or attending a magnet program who lives two miles or more away from the campus or must cross treacherous obstacles in order to reach the campus [11].

Certain special education students are also permitted to use school bus transportation.

[edit] List of schools

In HISD grades kindergarten through 5 are considered to be elementary school, grades 6 through 8 are considered to be middle school, and grades 9 through 12 are considered to be high school. Some elementary schools go up to the sixth grade.

Every house in HISD is assigned to an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. HISD has many alternative programs and transfer options available to students who want a specialized education and/or dislike their home schools.

[edit] EE-12 schools

The school in this list is not a traditional school.

  • T.H. Rogers School, in Houston, is unique in that it is part Vanguard school (K-8), part school for the deaf (K-8), and part school for multiply impaired children (K-12). The Vanguard program at this school is known as an academically rigorous program in Texas.

[edit] EE-8 schools

[edit] Traditional

1 in the city of Houston

[edit] Other

1 in the city of Houston

[edit] PK-8 schools

1 in the city of Houston

[edit] Other

1 in the city of Houston

  • Kandy Stripe Academy (Houston)

[edit] K-8 schools

2 nontraditional schools

[edit] 1-8 schools

[edit] Secondary schools

[edit] 6-12 schools

[edit] 7-12 schools

  • Contemporary Learning Center (Houston)
  • H.P. Carter Career Center (includes Kay On-Going Education Center High School - A school for pregnant teenagers) (Houston)

[edit] High schools

38 in Houston, 1 in Bellaire

Traditional schools
23 in Houston, 1 in Bellaire

AAAAA (Division 5-A)
8 in Houston, 1 in Bellaire

AAAA (Division 4A)
15 in Houston

Other

21 in Houston AAAAA (Division 5A)
1 in Houston

  • Carnegie Vanguard High School (Houston) - Carnegie Vanguard is a small magnet high school. Carnegie was placed in division 5A since the school can choose its students.

No UIL ranking
15 in Houston

[edit] Middle schools

Johnston Middle School
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Johnston Middle School
Grady Middle School
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Grady Middle School

23 in the city of Houston, 1 in the city of Bellaire

Traditional schools
14 in Houston, 1 in Bellaire

Other
8 in Houston

  • Dominion Academy Charter School (Houston)
  • Energized For Excellence Middle School (Houston)
  • Kaleidoscope/Caleidoscopio (Houston)
  • Las Américas Middle School (Houston)
  • Project Chrysalis Middle School (Houston)
  • Pro-Vision School (Houston)
  • Soar Center (Houston)
  • William A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity (Walipp) Preparatory Academy for Boys (Houston)

[edit] Primary Schools

St. George Place Elementary School (occupied by Briargrove Elementary School as of 2006)
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St. George Place Elementary School (occupied by Briargrove Elementary School as of 2006)
Condit Elementary School
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Condit Elementary School
Lovett Elementary School
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Lovett Elementary School
Horn Academy
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Horn Academy
Harvard Elementary School
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Harvard Elementary School
Red Elementary School
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Red Elementary School
Shearn Elementary School
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Shearn Elementary School
Kolter Elementary School
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Kolter Elementary School

191 in Houston, 3 in Bellaire, 1 in West University Place
Traditional schools
176 in Houston, 2 in Bellaire, 1 in West University Place

Other
13 in Houston, 1 in Bellaire

  • A.D.S.D.P. (Houston)
  • Banneker-McNair Math/Science Academy (Houston)
  • Briarmeadow Charter School (Houston)
  • Dominion Academy Charter School (Houston)
  • Energized For Excellence Academy (Houston)
  • Kazi Shule (Houston) - Kazi Shule is an alternative school for pupils with behavioral problems. It opened as a middle school but became an elementary school in 2001 for the 2001-2002 school year.
  • Mount Hebron Academy (Houston) - Mount Hebron is an alternative school for pupils with behavioral problems.
  • Pleasant Hill Academy (Houston)
  • Pro-Vision School (Houston)
  • Soar Center (Houston)
  • St John's Academy (Houston)
  • Young Learners (Houston)
  • Young Scholars Academy For Excellence (Houston)

[edit] Early Childhood Centers

9 in Houston

  • Armandina Farias Early Childhood Center (Houston, opening August 2005)
  • Concord Early Childhood Center (Houston) (The campus was formerly Concord Elementary School - Elementary students were rezoned to Isaacs ES)
  • Crockett Early Childhood Center (Houston) (The campus was formerly Brock Elementary School - Elementary students were rezoned to Crockett ES)
  • Sharon Goldstein Halpin Early Childhood Center (Houston)
  • Martin Luther King Early Childhood Center (Houston)
  • Las Américas Early Childhood Development Center (Houston)
  • Ninfa Laurenzo Early Childhood Center (Houston)
  • Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center (Houston, opening August 2005)
  • Wheatley Child Development (Houston)

[edit] Interagency Alternative Schools

  • CEP Southwest
  • CEP Southeast

[edit] Defunct schools

[edit] Former secondary schools

[edit] Former 7-12 schools

[edit] Former high schools

2 in Houston

[edit] Former middle schools

2 in Houston

  • Miller Junior High School (Houston)

[edit] Former primary schools

Will Rogers Elementary School (closed and demolished)
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Will Rogers Elementary School (closed and demolished)

24 in Houston

[edit] Former early childhood centers

1 in Houston

  • Langston Early Childhood Center (Students transferred to Crawford ES)

[edit] Notable employees and teachers

[edit] See also

Portal:Houston
 Houston Portal

[edit] External links

[edit] Links on controversies

v • d • e
Houston Independent School District
Magnet K-12 schools T. H. Rogers
Magnet 7-12 schools C.L.C.
High schools Austin | Bellaire | Chávez | Davis | Furr | Sam Houston | Jones | Kashmere | Lamar | Lee | Madison | Milby
Reagan | Scarborough | Sharpstown | Sterling | Waltrip | Washington | Westbury | Westside | Wheatley | Worthing | Yates
Magnet-Only High schools Carnegie Vanguard | Challenge Early College | DeBakey | H.S.P.V.A. | Barbara Jordan | H.S.L.E.C.J.
K-8 schools Gregory-Lincoln | Woodson
K-8 magnet schools Briarmeadow | Kandy Stripe | Rice
1-8 schools E.O. Smith
Middle schools Attucks | Black | Burbank MS | Clifton | Cullen | Deady | Dowling | Edison | Fleming | Fondren MS | Fonville | Grady
Hamilton | Hartman | Henry | Hogg | Holland | Jackson | Johnston | Key | Long | Lanier | Marshall | McReynolds
Ortíz | Pershing | Pin Oak | Revere | Ryan | Sharpstown | Stevenson | Thomas | Welch | West Briar
Elementary schools Briargrove | Longfellow | Neff | Poe | River Oaks | Roberts | Twain | West University | Others
Flag of Houston, Texas City of Houston
History | Geography | Economy | Culture | Politics | Architecture | Transportation | Education | Houstonians
Areas Downtown | Uptown | Texas Medical Center | Midtown | Neartown | Museum District | Upper Kirby | Greenway Plaza | Rice Village | Westchase | Greenspoint
Communities Acres Homes | Addicks | Aldine | Alief | Braeburn | Braeswood Place | Clear Lake City | Genoa Township | Harrisburg | Houston Heights | Independence Heights | Inwood Forest | Kingwood | Maplewood | Memorial | Meyerland | Northshore | Oak Forest | River Oaks | Sharpstown | South Park | Spring Branch | Sunnyside
See also: The six wards of Houston and List of Houston neighborhoods
"Island"
cities		 Bellaire | Bunker Hill Village | Hedwig Village | Hilshire Village | Hunters Creek Village | Piney Point Village | Southside Place | Spring Valley | West University Place
2006 Texas Education Agency Accountability Rating
Exemplary | Recognized | Academically Acceptable | Academically Unacceptable | Not Rated: Other
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