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The Texas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) can proceed with a takeover of the Houston Independent School District (HISD), the state’s largest district.
A Texas Tribune article that was run by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that TEA officials assert HISD has experienced mismanagement and one of its high schools yielded a poor academic performance.
The move occurred about four years since TEA Commissioner Mike Morath proposed the replacement of the entire HISD school board in response to alleged trustee misconduct and Phillis Wheatley High School’s low performance, the publication reported.
The Texas Tribune reported that the state’s highest court junked a 2020 temporary injunction issued by a Travis County judge, barring Morath’s plan after listening to arguments from the TEA’s legal counsel in support of a 2021 law permitting a takeover.
While the ruling favors the state agency, the case will be further argued in a lower court, according to Houston Public Media (HPM).
“No basis exists to continue the trial court's temporary injunction against the Commissioner's appointment of a board of managers,” the justices wrote in the opinion, HPM reported.
Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the TEA is reviewing the ruling.
Through a video shared by the district’s Twitter account, superintendent Millard House II said the opinion “may spark a few questions.”
“We assure you that HISD continues to be here for our students, principals, teachers and counselors, remaining laser-focused on doing the necessary work to support our schools and community,” House said, according to the district.
HPM reported that school board member Judith Cruz said in a statement that “school is going to continue” regardless of “what happens.”
"If there’s a change in any kind of leadership, all decisions should be made with students in mind and with the least amount of disruptions as possible,” Cruz, who has sat on the board since 2019, said.