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Houston ISD Mandates New Curriculum for NES Campuses

Students actively engaging in lessons with the new HISD curriculum.

News Summary

The Houston Independent School District has unanimously approved a new, district-wide curriculum for its 130 New Education System campuses for the upcoming school year. This reform aims to enhance student performance amidst declining test scores. While many educators support the changes, concerns about student engagement and potential errors in the curriculum have been raised. The initiative is part of a broader effort to improve educational outcomes, particularly for underrepresented groups facing significant disparities in college readiness.

Houston, Texas – Houston Independent School District (HISD) has mandated that all 130 overhauled New Education System (NES) campuses follow a newly developed district curriculum for the upcoming school year, a decision approved unanimously by the school board. This change is part of a broader educational reform effort aimed at enhancing student performance, particularly in light of recent declines in standardized test scores.

Superintendent Mike Miles announced that while non-NES schools may adopt this curriculum, only five of them will be exempt from following the new guidelines. Most campus administrators have expressed support for this district-mandated curriculum, which is seen as a positive step towards improving educational outcomes. Miles emphasized that the curriculum was created in response to teacher feedback, asserting its quality and relevance to current educational standards.

The curriculum is designed to meet Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), introducing innovative NES teaching techniques. These include the use of slides, timed lessons, quizzes, and various response strategies to engage students effectively. A notable feature of the new system is the “Team Center,” where students who successfully master their quizzes will work for the last 35 minutes of class under the guidance of learning coaches, while those needing additional help will focus on mastering the lesson.

However, concerns have emerged among students and community members regarding the implications of a strict, district-wide curriculum. Many students feel disconnected from their teachers, citing complaints that the lesson format—largely relying on slides—comes across as mere busy work. Teachers have also reported issues with the curriculum containing errors, which has required them to dedicate extra time correcting materials before instruction. While the superintendent has dismissed claims of widespread inaccuracies, he acknowledged that some corrections have been made since the Texas Education Agency took over HISD in 2023.

Starting next school year, the curriculum will see students in grades 6-10 required to read two novels instead of one, a shift that aims to enrich their literary exposure. Despite these changes, HISD students have seen a continued decline in SAT scores, paralleling national trends and signaling persistent challenges in student learning following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Black and Hispanic students within HISD have faced significant drops in their SAT results, exacerbating existing disparities in college readiness.

The district is actively working to address these challenges by embedding SAT preparation into the new curriculum and organizing boot camps targeted at underrepresented groups and first-generation college students. HISD is focused on improving college graduation rates, particularly for its Black and Hispanic student population, recognizing the need for equitable educational resources and opportunities.

The educational landscape within HISD has been impacted by various challenges, including disrupted learning due to the pandemic, chronic absenteeism, and long-standing literacy issues that have affected student performance on standardized tests. The district’s accountability ratings and student performance on these tests are critical factors as HISD works towards exiting state intervention pressures.

In summary, the implementation of a district-mandated curriculum across HISD’s NES campuses marks a significant step in the district’s efforts to enhance educational quality. While there is enthusiasm among some administrators for the new system, ongoing concerns regarding student engagement, teacher support, and educational equity persist as the district seeks to navigate the complexities of post-pandemic recovery.