Houston ISD considers granting more autonomy to top-performing high schools

Houston ISD to have greater autonomy for top-performing schools

HISD announced Wednesday that top performing high schools will have more autonomy on their campuses. So what does that mean exactly and how will it work in the district? FOX 26's Sherman Desselle explains what happens next.

HOUSTON - The Houston Independent School District is exploring a plan that would give its highest-performing high schools more control over curriculum, staffing, and scheduling — a move district leaders say builds on recent academic progress, but one that critics warn could open the door to charter-style management.

Under what HISD calls a "Level 5 Autonomy" initiative, principals at schools with a consistent track record of excellence would gain more flexibility to innovate, preserve specialized programs, and make key campus-level decisions. The proposal is part of the district’s Defined Autonomy Framework, a performance-based model introduced two years ago.

HISD Communications Director Lana Hill said the framework has helped raise student achievement across the district.

"The district’s autonomy framework has already helped raise achievement and close gaps across the district over the last two years — doubling HISD’s A and B-rated schools, and eliminating all F-rated campuses," Hill said.

The district said the plan would apply only to high schools that have maintained an A rating for at least four consecutive years and show less than a 25% achievement gap between racial groups on state exams. HISD staff recently met with those principals to discuss potential benefits and begin informal outreach with staff and parents.

If approved, the schools would operate under performance contracts that define their autonomy and outline the academic outcomes they must maintain to keep it. While schools would remain part of HISD, each would form or partner with a nonprofit board to help manage operations. The district and the Texas Education Agency would have final approval over those agreements.

District officials emphasized that no final decisions have been made, and eligible schools are still in early discussions with stakeholders.

Union opposition

Not everyone supports the plan. Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, accused HISD leadership of pushing toward charter conversion.

"His (Mike Miles) agenda was to charter this district," Anderson said. "And now that’s what they’re doing — by playing the divide and conquer."

Anderson noted that the previous elected school board and superintendent rejected similar measures before the state appointed Superintendent Mike Miles and a new board of managers in 2023.

HISD says its authority to consider partnerships comes from Senate Bill 1882, a 2017 law allowing school districts to collaborate with charter operators, higher education institutions, or nonprofits in exchange for additional state funding. The law has been used by more than 20 districts across the state. 

Critics point out that Third Future Schools — a charter network founded by Miles — already operates on a few campuses in Texas. HISD leaders, however, maintain that this initiative is focused on sustainability and accountability within district schools.