Texas’ largest school district sees test scores soar after state takeover despite racism claims
FIRST ON FOX: The Houston Independent School District (HISD), the largest school system in Texas, has seen dramatic improvements in student grades and test scores across its more than 270 campuses in the years since a state takeover. The sweeping intervention followed years of academic underperformance and drew ongoing accusations of racism and unfairness.
Across the district's elementary and middle schools, students in grades 3 through 8 showed substantial improvements in reading and math scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests in the three school years since the Texas Education Agency (TEA) took control.
Furthermore, students in HISD high schools made significant year-over-year improvements from 2023 to 2026 in algebra, English, biology and U.S. history, effectively narrowing performance gaps compared to state averages, according to data provided to Fox News Digital.
"People may have worried about the intervention, and I understand the politics of that, but really it was focused on kids, achievement, and their future — not adult issues," HISD Superintendent Mike Miles told Fox News Digital. "And we have shown that we can make any district that's struggling, especially large or medium urban districts, move very quickly to do right by kids and raise achievement results."
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In 2023, the TEA officially took over HISD, replacing its elected leadership with a state-appointed board of managers and installing Miles as superintendent.
"When you have kids who are that far behind in reading and math, we came in with a high sense of urgency," Miles said of his efforts to reform what many viewed as a failing system.
Upon taking office, Miles introduced the New Education System (NES) model. The overhaul uses a centralized curriculum alongside specialized classes aimed at problem-solving and critical thinking. It also established "Team Centers," where students who excel in daily core subject lessons are sent to complete advanced, independent work.
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The state takeover was initially prompted by years of chronic academic failure at Phillis Wheatley High School. The historic school is located in Houston's Fifth Ward, one of the city's most historically underserved areas.
Data shows that before the district's transformation in the 2022–23 school year, HISD had a combined total of 121 D- and F-rated campuses. Currently, there are only 18 D-rated schools and zero F-rated campuses across the entire district. Meanwhile, the number of A- and B-rated campuses more than doubled, jumping from 93 to 197.
However, critics have consistently argued that the 2023 intervention was a racially discriminatory action taken by conservative state lawmakers against a major city run primarily by people of color.
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The ACLU of Texas, the Houston NAACP and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) previously filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting a federal civil rights investigation. The civil rights groups argued that the state effectively stripped voting power away from communities of color when it dissolved the school board chosen by local voters and replaced it with state appointees.
At the time, the ACLU stated that the move had nothing to do with public education, but rather "political control of an almost entirely Black and brown student body in one of the country's most diverse cities."
Miles acknowledged that intervention from Austin, the state capital, was likely to generate criticism given how fast he moved to implement change.
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"We made comprehensive reforms — not just one change, not just two changes," Miles countered. "We made several systemic changes, and that's going to upset the apple cart for a lot of people."
"I also understand that when you have an outside group, the state, sidelining the elected board and putting in a board of managers, that also draws a lot of concern and anxiety about a process where your elected representatives don't have the same amount of power and influence," Miles added. "So, yes, all of that's understandable. Having said that, the things we're doing are focused on kids. The outcomes show that."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the ACLU, the NAACP and the Houston Federation of Teachers for comment.
Despite local criticism, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has heavily praised the intervention.
"Texas children deserve the best education possible, which requires a strong accountability system," Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, told Fox News Digital. "Since the appointment of a Board of Managers, Houston ISD has shown meaningful improvement in student achievement."
Mahaleris noted that state test scores for HISD students have consistently maintained an upward trajectory in math and reading since the takeover began.
"Governor Abbott is focused on making Texas number one in educating our students, and the progress in Houston is evidence that state accountability measures work," he said.
The state takeover of HISD is scheduled to continue through at least June 1, 2027, under a timeline set by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.