Parents Dragged Out Of Raucous School Board Meeting

HOUSTON, TX — A Houston ISD Board meeting got an overwhelmingly passionate crowd Tuesday night as the idea of handing over 10 underperforming schools to a private agency lurked on the agenda. Some parents got dragged out of the meeting room and two parents were arrested for refusing to leave. President Rhonda Skillern-Jones closed the meeting to the public once things got a little too chaotic in the chamber.

The two parents who were arrested Tuesday were released Wednesday., and charges have been dropped by both the District Attorney's Office and HISD, as of Wednesday afternoon.

HISD released this statement after the meeting, claiming an HISD police officer got hurt while trying to escort parents from the meeting:

"During Tuesday night’s workshop, after continuous disruption and multiple outbursts from members of the audience, and after several verbal requests from the Board President to adhere to the rules, attendees were instructed to clear the room and called for a recess. Many refused to leave and a scuffle ensued. An HISD police officer sustained minor injuries."

The root of the problem is the looming fact that 10 underperforming schools could be handed over to Energized for STEM Academy. Under the proposal, Energized for STEM Academy would operate these 10 schools that have been in Improvement Required status with the state for four years or more:

Kashmere High School
Wheatley High School
Worthing High School
Henry Middle School
Woodson PK-8
Blackshear Elementary
Dogan Elementary
Highland Heights Elementary
Mading Elementary
Wesley Elementary

All schools are comprised of predominantly black or Hispanic students, and they're located in high-poverty neighborhoods.

House Bill 1842, or HB 1842, mandates schools in Improvement Required status for five or more years on Aug. 15 be closed, or a Board of Managers be appointed to govern the entire school district. Under SB 1882, schools facing those sanctions can enter into partnerships with outside organizations and receive eligibility for a two-year pause on accountability from the Texas Education Agency.

Energized for STEM Academy would take over the governance, academics, and hiring at all 10 schools. HISD would still fund employees at the schools, and Energized for STEM Academy, Inc. would oversee the schools’ operating budgets. The schools that would enter into the partnerships could possibly receive up to $1,800 per student in state funding for their programs.

Additionally:

• Staff, including principals, teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, and clerical workers, would be district employees and have all the benefits and rights they currently have, including the process to file any grievances, if needed.
• Transportation would be provided for the students who currently use HISD buses.
• Free breakfast and lunch would be provided for all students.
• High school students would still have individual laptops.
• Special Education and English as a Second Language services would continue.
• Services would continue to be provided for students who speak a language other than English.
• Athletics and extracurricular activities would continue with no changes.
• Police officers would be assigned to the high schools as they are currently.
• Enrollment would be open to all students in the school attendance area regardless of ethnicity.
• Support would continue to be provided for struggling students.

“We believe this partnership will help our students to reach the level of achievement that we know is possible,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “Data shows Energized for STEM Academy has successfully led students to high levels of academic achievement as well as prepared them for college and careers since first partnering with HISD 10 years ago.”

HISD could reconvene later this week to vote on the matter.

Energized for STEM Academy opened its first campus in 2008 and was HISD’s first middle and high school with STEM curricula recognized by the TEA as a STEM-designated program. That designation has been reaffirmed annually. The organization currently operates four schools within HISD: Energized for STEM Central and West High Schools and Energized for STEM Central and West Middle Schools. All four campuses either met or exceeded state standards in 2017, based on four performance indices used to calculate state accountability ratings: student achievement; student progress; closing performance gaps; and postsecondary readiness. All four were awarded the TEA Distinction Designation of Top 25 percent in Student Progress, and three campuses earned additional Distinction Designations in reading, math, social studies, science, closing performance gaps, and postsecondary readiness. Energized for STEM Academy has landed on several “best of” lists, including those of the U.S. News and World Report, the Washington Post, and the Texas Honor Roll.

In 2013, Energized for STEM Academy established the inaugural US Marine Corps Junior ROTC program in HISD. The Marine Corps JROTC program has earned more than 200 local, regional and national awards that includes the prestigious Naval Honor School for US Marine Corps Region 5, and the coveted Marine Corps Reserve Association’s Outstanding Unit Award (MCRA) in 2017.