Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media
After the 2023-24 school year wrapped up this week — Houston ISD’s first year under state-appointed leadership — Superintendent Mike Miles has agreed to meet with Houston City Council to meet and discuss their concerns.
Last month, the district announced widespread layoffs of Houston ISD employees, including custodians, teachers and principals. Miles has said this is because of a $450 million budget shortfall the district is facing.
City council unanimously signed and sent a letter to Miles’ office earlier this month, inviting him to discuss these matters. He’s agreed to join the Economic Development Committee meeting later this month, which has not been set yet.
It will be the first time Miles will be meeting with Houston City Council.
“Superintendent Miles is eager to meet with City of Houston leaders to update them on HISD’s progress in the 23-24 school year,” an HISD spokesperson said. “He appreciates the Mayor’s and City Council’s interest in our schools and is looking forward to a robust discussion about the District’s commitment to improving student achievement.”
Although city council doesn’t have power over the state-appointed leadership, Council Member Edward Pollard said it’s critical for city council to pressure HISD to be transparent about their decisions.
“Right now there is no elected leadership at HISD, their school board members have been removed,” Pollard said of Houstonians. “And so the closest thing that our constituents have for elected representatives for city concerns is their city council members.”
Some of the questions he’s hoping to ask Miles include: “Why specific schools, why specific positions? What went into that criteria? What is the strategy moving forward?”
Council member Tiffany Thomas, who is a former Alief ISD school board member, agrees with Pollard and is anticipating the opportunity to ask Miles questions about his plans for the district.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was really the mass layoff and the lack of dignity to employees of that district for over 20 years,” Thomas said. “The lack of information, and frankly, the lack of collaboration and transparent information between the city and the school district.”
Pollard said his concern stems from the multitude of school staff in his district who have been laid off without much reason provided.
Last month, the school district asked Neff Elementary Principal Amanda Wingard — who was recognized as HISD Elementary Principal of the Year in 2023 — to resign. Pollard represents Neff Elementary.
He also represents The School at St. George Place elementary, which he said “have routinely had some of the highest test scores in the district,” but yet, their principal Sean McClish was also asked not to return.
“We’re just looking for clarity,” Pollard said. “We want to understand the rationale behind these drastic moves and be able to get some type of insight and clarity to these issues back to our constituents who have been calling and emailing us with a lot of worry.”
Thomas said although she is glad Miles has agreed to visit City Hall, she is skeptical of the reason he is attending a committee meeting rather than a general city council meeting which happens on Wednesdays.
“Why would you put the superintendent at a committee?” she asked, adding that “hopefully he can come to the committee, and we can hear without interruption or limited time to give him an opportunity to say what he needs to say.”
Pollard said he believes they will “have a fruitful conversation,” and that he’s “optimistic that the dialogue will lead to some understanding and hopefully a good working relationship.”
